The 4 Essential Tools You Need to Stay Private Online

Citizens around the world are waking up to the fact that their digital privacy is under attack. We are witnessing what is known as 'function creep'; the gradual widening of the use of technologies beyond the purposes for which they were originally intended.

ProPrivacy aims to equip internet users with the tools and knowledge they need to maintain their privacy online. Below, we've listed our top four 'must have' tools for protecting your digital privacy.

Not every tool can protect your privacy against every threat, but used in conjunction with each other, you can dramatically reduce your online footprint and take a step towards reclaiming your digital privacy.

1.A good VPN
Of all the tools you should have in your privacy arsenal, a VPN should be at the very top of the list. VPNs or Virtual Private Network are designed to encrypt all of your web traffic and mask your IP address.

This prevents both your ISP and government agencies from monitoring your online activity. It also means that you can evade website blocks and other forms of censorship.
You can easily ‘spoof’ your location, gaining access to services not available in your region. VPN download

2.A secure browser
Browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Safari collect user data actively and aggressively. They are, after all, owned by Google, Microsoft and Apple. These three providers enjoy a nearly 84% market share of web browsers. That means the chances are you are reading this article using one of the browsers.

Do yourself a favour and make this the last site you visit using an insecure browser. Head over to our Most Secure Browsers Guide to see which browsers and extensions you can trust to keep your privacy secure.

3.A decent ad blocker
At some point we’ve all faced the dreaded pop-up. Even great websites like ours, brimming with useful information, serve up the occasional ad (hey, we’ve got to keep the lights on somehow). Most of us can cope with an advert or two, but when commercial interests get in the way of user experience, you need a decent ad blocker.

Some pop ups are downright evil and will redirect you to pages that inject malware.

An ad blocker keeps both pesky advertisers and malicious actors at bay. Have a look at our Best Ad Blocker Guide for our top recommendations.

4.A solid anti-virus solution
All of the tools above can be viewed as proactive measures to protect your privacy. Anti-virus solutions are the reactive method of protecting your privacy. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much effort you put into protecting your personal data – viruses and malware are all but inevitable these days.

A lot of the malware found on the web is relatively benign. But malicious code has the potential to strip you of your privacy in ways you might never have thought possible. Anti-virus software is often the last line of defense between you and those that wish to do you harm.

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