Did you know you could be tracked through your browser? This happens when you visit a website and third-party trackers (cookies, web beacons, flash cookies or pixel tags) get stored on your computer.
The digital age requires everyone to be vigilant of digital threats that could cause immense damage to not only one’s social life online but also our private lives. No one is safe in the digital space, especially when people seek to reveal anything that would result in a profit on their part and digital security is important. There is the need to protect one’s online data from digital criminals who would go to extreme lengths to expose online users. Internet users today prefer a website that protects their privacy over one that prioritizes freedom, accessibility, learning, opportunity or user control.
You can protect your privacy while online using the Privacy Badger. This is an extension (browser add-on) for Chrome, Firefox and Opera developed by Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). The extension automatically detects and blocks third-party trackers from spying on user’s activities as they browse the Web. An extension or add-on is a software which can be easily installed to one’s browser giving it more functionality.
For example, if an advertiser seems to be tracking you across multiple websites without your permission, Privacy Badger automatically blocks that advertiser from loading any more content in your browser. Therefore, as an internet user, you have maximum control over who does and doesn’t get to know what you do online.
In another case, when you view a webpage, that page will often be made up of content from many different visible or invisible sources (third party). Privacy Badger is able to keep track of all of this. As you continue browsing through different websites and the same source keeps tracking your browser, Privacy Badger will automatically disallow any more content from that source thus disabling the source from tracking you.
For third-party domain which provides some important aspect of a page’s functionality, such as embedded maps, images, or stylesheets, Privacy Badger will allow connections to the third party but will screen out its tracking cookies and referrers.
It is important to note Privacy Badger is primarily a privacy tool, not an ad blocker. The main aim is to prevent non-consensual invasions of people’s privacy. Advertising agencies will also be able to do the right thing and not invade a user’s privacy. The add-on also does not block all cookies as only unique cookies that contain tracking IDs are disallowed, while “low entropy” cookies that perform other functions are allowed. Even if you clear your browser cookies regularly, Privacy Badger is able to keep track of cookies that invade on one’s privacy.
Social media companies often see exactly which pages users are seeing widgets such as the Facebook Like button, Twitter Tweet button, or Google +1 button on. Private Badger includes a feature which is able to replace these Social media widgets with a stand-in version so that users can still see and click them. Users will not be tracked by these replacements unless one explicitly choose to click them.
Therefore, to prevent anyone from tracking what you do online without consent, install Privacy Badger.