Online privacy explained — and how to protect it

What is online privacy?

Online privacy (also sometimes referred to as digital privacy) is the ability to keep personal information private while using the internet. When you’re online, you create a digital footprint with your activity. This footprint includes your name, location, financial data, browsing history, and even your personal photos and videos. If you don’t have online privacy protection in place, unauthorized third parties could access this information. 

At best, an online privacy violation could lead to unwanted ads and spam emails. At worst, cybercriminals could access your personal information, leading to cyberattacks and financial theft.

What is online security?

Online security (also known as internet security) is the process of protecting your devices and accounts from cyber threats. These threats could include phishing messages, malware downloads, and damaging cyberattacks. 

Online privacy and security are closely connected but differ in focus. Online privacy emphasizes keeping your personal information out of the hands of unauthorized third parties, while online security centers on defending your systems, devices, and accounts against intentional attacks.

Online security issues often start with a privacy violation. For example, a popular online retailer might not have online privacy and security measures in place. A cybercriminal could hack into that retailer’s databases and steal customer information. If you had shopped with that retailer in the past, the cybercriminal could potentially break into your accounts, launch invasive cyberattacks, or even steal your identity.

Why should you protect your online privacy?

It can feel almost impossible to stay anonymous online. For example, according to NordVPN’s research, 48% of Americans have discovered that their data has been leaked. However, maintaining online privacy is worth the effort. Using the best online privacy practices and tools helps limit your digital exposure and keep you safe. Here’s why it’s essential: 

• Preventing theft. When details like your name, address, and bank account information are exposed, criminals could take advantage, potentially leading to financial theft, identity theft, or even physical theft from your home or business. 
• Avoiding spam. Unwanted ads, text messages, and emails are distracting and annoying. When you keep your browsing activity and contact details private, you can prevent much of this frustrating spam. 
• Maintaining control. Ultimately, what you do online is your business. Protecting your online privacy means that your personal data and browsing history will only be shared with your explicit consent. 

What are the threats to online privacy?

Online privacy threats are lurking everywhere, so it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant. Understanding these threats can help you avoid them and protect your sensitive data. Read on to learn how we often lose our privacy.

Weak security practices

Whether you’re working remotely or just scrolling through social media, you need to be proactively using good cybersecurity practices. However, many people fail to take these extra steps, leaving their personal data vulnerable. 

Weak security practices that could put your information at risk include: 

• Weak passwords. Simple passwords like “12345” are easy for hackers to guess and leave your accounts exposed. 
• Lack of multi-factor authentication. Many digital platforms now offer multi-factor authentication, which uses one-time codes to add an extra layer of protection to your online accounts. However, many users fail to enable multi-factor authentication, which puts their accounts at risk if their passwords are stolen. 
• Lack of encryption. Visiting an unencrypted website could expose your personal information. Unencrypted web addresses start with “HTTP,” rather than the more secure “HTTPS.”
• Failure to update software. Developers release new software updates regularly to fix bugs and vulnerabilities. If you don’t update your software, cybercriminals could exploit it to expose your data and launch attacks. 
• Using unsecured public Wi-Fi. Many hackers use unsecured public Wi-Fi networks in cafes, airports, hotels, and parks to spy on unsuspecting internet users. These networks usually don’t have a password requirement or a secure firewall to keep malicious traffic out. 

Oversharing 

If you’re active on social media, message boards, or other online communities, you could be exposing sensitive information without even realizing it. When you spend a lot of time online, it’s easy to feel like other social media users are your friends. However, if you’re sharing too much of your personal life online, it could put you at risk. For example, you might be tempted to make a public post that reveals your location. However, third parties could use this information and potentially put you in danger.  

Phishing scams

In a phishing scam, cybercriminals use deceptive practices to steal your personal information. They do this by pretending to be a trusted contact. 

Phishing scams come in many forms, including: 

• Phishing emails. These malicious emails look like they came from a legitimate source, such as your bank or your email provider. They usually ask you to share sensitive login details or click on malicious links. 
• Smishing. This form of phishing uses SMS messages to trick you into sharing sensitive data or even downloading a malicious app. Hackers pose as trusted sources like financial institutions or even government agencies to try and win your trust. 
• Vishing. Vishing is short for voice phishing and happens when a hacker poses as a trusted contact over the phone to deceive you. Cybercriminals will often use tools like voice changes and caller ID spoofing tools to make these attacks seem more realistic.  
• Spear phishing. This type of phishing targets a specific person, often in a management role at an organization. 

All of these methods can compromise your online privacy if hackers access sensitive data. If your data falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to fraud or identity theft. 

Hacking and cyberattacks

Hacking and cyberattacks are significant threats to digital privacy. In these incidents, cybercriminals target secure systems and data, often with the intent to steal valuable information or cause harm. 

Common types of cyberattacks include: 

• Malware. Malware refers to any software designed to damage or gain unauthorized access to systems. Types of malware include viruses, ransomware, and spyware. All of these attacks can steal your personal information or lock you out of your computer. 
• Data breaches. Data breaches happen when unauthorized individuals access large archives of data, often containing sensitive personal and financial information. High-profile breaches often result in massive amounts of lost or stolen data and thousands of people affected. 

Data collection by companies

Many websites collect personal data from their visitors, raising concerns about online privacy:

• Tracking and analytics. Many internet users are unaware of the extent that service providers are tracking their online activity. Websites use cookies and other tracking technologies to monitor your digital footprint, then use this data to send you targeted ads and analyze user engagement on a personal level. This practice is heavily scrutinized because many people consider it an invasion of privacy. 
• Data sharing. Many companies sell or share the data they collect with third parties, such as advertisers and data brokers. When this happens, your personal information could be exposed to other entities without your explicit consent.

These practices compromise your online privacy because you have limited control over how your data is used and shared. Online services are an integral part of our daily lives, but it’s important to understand and manage these risks before signing up to protect your personal privacy. 

How to protect your privacy online

The responsibility for your internet privacy is shared between you, the organizations you interact with, and your government. Let’s take a look at how to protect your privacy online.

10 ways to protect your own privacy online

The best way to protect your online privacy is to take it into your own hands. You don’t need to delete yourself from the internet to do this, you just need to be proactive when you log on. Try these tips to protect your privacy online: 

1. 1.Use a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN improves your privacy by encrypting your internet traffic, making it difficult for third parties to monitor your online activities. However, while a VPN changes your virtual location and encrypts your data, it does not make you completely anonymous. Online platforms can still monitor your interactions and web usage patterns. NordVPN offers additional security features like Threat Protection Pro, which blocks online trackers for more privacy protection.
2. 2.Use a privacy-focused browser. Some web browsers are built with privacy in mind. For example, Brave and Tor are some of the best browsers for privacy. These browsers block malicious ads and prevent websites from tracking you. 
3. 3.Install browser extensions. If you don’t want to download a whole new browser, you can install browser plug-in extensions that protect your privacy. These include ad blockers and cookie blockers, which can prevent third-party tracking. 
4. 4.Use private search engines. Private search engines like DuckDuckGo and Startpage do not track your queries or collect personal data. 
5. 5.Look for messaging apps with end-to-end encryption. Ordinary messaging apps are not encrypted, which means third parties could intercept your communications. Secure messaging apps like Signal use encryption to ensure that only you and the recipient can read them. 
6. 6.Use antivirus software. Install antivirus and anti-malware tools on your devices to protect them from dangerous programs that could compromise your privacy. These tools work by scanning your files for malicious activity and removing harmful programs before they cause damage. 
7. 7.Choose cloud storage. Keep your private files in cloud storage tools that prioritize privacy and security with strong encryption practices. This way, even if your device is hacked, you won’t lose access to important documents, photos, and videos. When uploading your files, make sure your cloud storage privacy settings are properly configured with multi-factor authentication for extra security. 
8. 8.Conduct regular updates. Keep your operating systems and applications updated to fix vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. 
9. 9.Check privacy policies and app permissions. Regularly check the permissions granted to the apps installed on your devices. Some of the worst apps for privacy request access to more data than they need, such as your location, contacts, or even your camera. Additionally, always review privacy policies when creating a new account online to understand how your data is being used. 
10. 10.Use digital footprint checker tools. Services like Incogni’s digital footprint checker tool help you understand how much of your personal data is publicly available. These tools show you which companies may have collected your data and where it’s available online, so you can identify privacy risks and reduce your exposure. 

How governments and organizations protect your digital privacy

Federal governments and industry regulatory bodies have put laws and regulations in place to protect your online privacy. Some key measures include: 

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This European Union regulation establishes stringent requirements for data protection and privacy. It gives individuals the right to access, correct, and delete their personal data from online systems. 
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This California law is very similar to the GDPR. It grants residents the right to know when businesses are collecting their personal data, as well as the right to access and delete that data. It has inspired similar legislation in other US states. 
• Other regulations. Many other countries and regions have their own data protection laws, such as Brazil’s LGPD and Canada’s PIPEDA. While there are some differences between these regulations, they share the same goal of improving digital privacy and giving consumers control over their personal data. 

If your business or website fails to comply with these data protection regulations, it could result in costly fines or even legal action. 

As a consumer, it’s helpful to understand the data protection laws in your area and how they affect you. In many places, individuals have the right to know how businesses are using their data, and to access, correct, or delete that data as necessary. If you think a third party is irresponsibly using your data and exposing you to privacy risks, you can take action to protect yourself.