How bad is big tech at collecting your data? Pretty bad. Just a few apps alone are enough to share your precious data on everything from location to contacts to financial information. However, there are 6 easy swaps to help you protect your data.
1. Stop Using Mail and other Big Tech Products
Dr. Robert Epstein is a leading researcher in the field of data collection and claims to have not received a targeted ad since 2014. One of his top tips is to ditch Big Tech tools. He claims that emails in your inbox, outbox, and even drafts may be stored by the provider for data collection purposes. He recommends using Proton Mail or similar service. The good thing about Proton is that it is cheap and adheres to far stricter privacy standards than its competitors.”(Google) has been secretly stealing everything ever created and shared on the internet by hundreds of millions of Americans” Clarkson Law Firm Source: CNN
2. Change Browsers
Chances are you are using a popular browser to do all of your web surfing. As you have probably noticed, these browsers make money by targeting you with ads. Shopping for a car, new pair of shoes, or anything else? Chances are you have seen that same car, shoes, and much more just after. And who has the time or knowledge to read the privacy policies? However, there are alternative browsers. Choices such as Firefox and Brave allow you to browse and search privately. For example, Brave offers the same or better:- Ad blockers.
- Private searches.
- A virtual private network/VPN.
- The option to import your bookmarks, extensions, saved passwords, and more.
3. Switch Out Your Android Phone
Those of you with Apple devices have less to worry about when it comes to protecting your business data – although nothing is perfect. However, those of you who must use an Android can opt for a “Degoogled” Android phone. These phones have had tracking disabled and offer reasonable prices on their devices.”The free services they (Big Tech) provide really aren’t free. You pay for the with your freedom,” Dr. Robert Epstein Source: NOQ Report
4. Ditch Listening Devices
It is incredibly easy to tell your device to set a timer, play music, or other cute instructions. But they may be listening to everything going on in your business, which can be disastrous for those of you with sensitive data and clients who enjoy privacy. Unfortunately, there is no easy substitute – so you will have to set your own times, play your own music, etc.5. Text Smart
Many of us use the texting app that came with our phone. There are even international texting apps that claim to protect your messages. But there disturbing reports of your data also being stored via text. Opt for a service such as Signal which uses end to end encryption. It is used to protect your texts and even phone calls. Best of all, it is a non-profit that does not charge for their service.6. Don’t Forget to Clear Your Data
No matter which browser you use, it is essential to clear the cache, cookies, history, and more on a regular basis. The longer you keep this data on your device, the more likely it is to spread to untrustworthy types. Do you shut down for the week on Friday evening? We recommend clearing out everything before you shut your device down. This way you’ll have a fresh device Monday morning that has a minimal chance of sharing your data.Read the entire guide by Dr. Robert Epstein on medium.com.
