Do you ever get that uncomfortable feeling like you’re being watched or tracked online?

And it’s been getting worse lately, hasn’t it? With all the news about mass surveillance, privacy threats, tracking, government snooping, and other online risks…

And maybe you don’t even want to know what’s going on behind the scenes, because it’s downright depressing and scary. But you probably see how things are getting worse… and you can no longer ignore it.

We’re talking about total surveillance – corporate and government – to monitor and track everything you do.

Maybe you’re wondering why. What’s the reason for all this?

Surveillance is all about control. Government surveillance to help control your thoughts and actions (for national security, of course). Corporate surveillance to help control your material desires and purchases. It’s all for the same objective: to exert control over you. And the more data you let them have, the easier it is.

But I have some good news – there’s a lot you can do to protect your privacy when you go online. In fact, this guide is full of easy solutions to help you safeguard your privacy and electronic devices like an armored battle tank. By following these simple steps, you can once again have the security and privacy you need.

Why You Need Simple Privacy Solutions

Let’s first acknowledge reality: most people don’t have the time or patience for implementing complex online privacy solutions. Between work, hobbies, and perhaps family obligations, you’re probably busy enough. And that means one thing: the more complicated something is (especially if you’re not tech-savvy), the less likely you are to do it.

Now, if you’re beginning the journey of securing your online privacy, you have a decision to make. There are basically two different paths ahead of you, and both have pros and cons.

• Option 1: Implement cheap or free solutions that may be complicated, time-intensive, and ultimately less secure/effective.
• Option 2: Implement simple solutions that may be more expensive, but also more secure and effective, while saving you time and energy.

I can hear what you’re thinking… “Wait, aren’t there exceptions to this rule, like free open-source software?” The answer is yes, there are many exceptions. But if you need to choose between the two, I’d go with whatever option is simpler – because you’re more likely to stick with simple solutions. That’s what this guide is all about.

But ultimately it’s your choice. As an average guy wanting to save money and protect my privacy, I personally started with option 1. After discovering the security dangers of cheap VPNs and running out of patience managing browser plugins, extensions, and other “free” inconveniences, I gave up on option 1. It was exhausting, nothing worked well, and ultimately less secure.

So if you’re ready to try option 2, this guide is for you.

Let’s get started.

1. Block Ads, Malware, Adware, Pop-ups, Trackers, Phishing…

Just like a mouse trap with a delicious piece of cheese, advertisements lure you in with click-bait headlines or eye-catching photos (oftentimes obscene). If you click the bait… BAM! your device could be infected with malware, adware, and other insidious trackers. And they’re all designed to steal your data, which is a valuable commodity.

But here’s what’s even more scary: most websites are so full of trackers and adware, you don’t even have to click anything to be affected by this growing problem. You’re only solution is a good advertisement/malware-blocker.

In 2016 alone Google took down 1.7 billion ads, including over 900,000 ads containing malware. Because this scam is so profitable, an ever-increasing number of websites are selling out their visitors and hosting this garbage. (Vice.com for example has over 50 embedded trackers.)

The best solution I’ve found for dealing with this problem is to utilize both a VPN (virtual private network), which hides your IP address from tracking and protects your privacy, along with an ad-blocker. For a simple all-in-one solution check out Perfect Privacy VPN with the Trackstop feature activated to block ads, malware, phishing, trackers and more. This way, anything you connect to your VPN service is fully protected, with ads blocked at the VPN server level.

If you don’t want to go with Trackstop and Perfect Privacy, another option is to download various blocker add-ons for your different browsers (such as uBlock for Firefox). But add-ons won’t work for every browser and device. They also make your browser unique and more easy to track and identify (see Browser Fingerprinting below).

2. Say Goodbye to Google

Do you want to know Google’s dark secret? Their entire business model is dependent upon you surrendering to corporate surveillance. That’s it. All they do is repackage mass corporate surveillance into convenient, free, trendy applications, which suck up all of your private information.

And when you use any Google product – from search to Gmail or YouTube – you are feeding them more data:

• browsing data
• location data
• audio (voice) data
• device data
• demographic information: age, gender, location, income…

They take everything they can because it helps them make more money with advertisements, and also exert more influence on the political process (Alphabet is one of the largest lobbyists in the world). They’ve also been working with the NSA since 2009, providing key support for mass surveillance operations (Snowden revelations).

But the entire surveillance system is based on your consent. You can say no, right now. Are you ready to pull the plug? With our How to Delete Google guide we cover:

1. How to download all your data from Google (email, search history, and everything else).
2. How to delete your data.
3. How to disable activity logging and ads.
4. How to delete all your Google accounts.
5. Google alternatives.

Check out our guide here to get started.

3. Use Privacy-Friendly Search Engines

Because most search engines are logging everything you search for, it’s a good idea to start using more privacy-friendly alternatives. Here are two good options:

1. DuckDuckGo – This is a great privacy-friendly Google alternative that doesn’t utilize tracking or targeted ads. They also have a zero-sharing policy with other features. The one downside with DuckDuckGo is their search results aren’t quite up to par with others.
2. StartPage – StartPage is basically Google, but without the tracking. This is the best option if you want a solid, well-functioning alternative.

You can utilize browser extensions or add-ons for both of the options above. This will change the default built-in browser search options to avoid Google or Bing.

4. Stop Using Free/Unsecured Email

Did you read the fine print when you signed up for your email service?

Well, here’s the deal: every photo, every email, every attachment becomes lawful property of your email provider (with few exceptions). And the worst part? Many unsecured free email providers are constantly getting hacked – Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud… As the saying goes, “when something is free, then you are the product.”

The simple solution is to delete your old email account and start using a more secure email provider. Here are three great alternatives:

• ProtonMail – Based in Switzerland – 500 MB storage
• OpenMailbox – Based in France – 1 GB storage
• Mailbox.org – Based in Germany – 2 GB storage

5. Use a Good, Safe VPN for All Your Devices

Using a good VPN is the easiest and most effective way to secure your devices and protect your security. VPNs are also a powerful tool allowing you to bypass geographic restrictions and access blocked content – from movies to games and websites. But here’s the key: you need to avoid the VPN scams and go with a good-quality provider.

With more and more people seeking privacy/security solutions, VPNs are rapidly growing in popularity. Every week there are new VPN services, VPN apps, and fake VPN review sites full of misinformation. Many of the newer VPN services are scams that might steal your data, infect your computer with malware, or even overcharge you and refuse a refund. Be careful and avoid free or cheap solutions at all costs, which are usually infected with malware, advertising, tracking, and other problems. Here are a few resources to get you started:

• VPNs for Beginners – The Ultimate Guide
• VPN Warning List
• Best VPN List

6. Secure Your Router – Secure All Your Electronics

Are you renting or leasing a router from your internet service provider? Bad idea. Many of these common routers have security flaws that can be exploited by outside hackers (or spying agencies). And speaking of hackers, did you know that practically every device in your home that connects to the internet, can be hacked and exploited by strangers?

Even baby monitors aren’t safe, with hackers accessing these devices through home WiFi and talking to little children. Hacking your WiFi network and all your household devices is easier than you think, especially with so many “smart” devices that have built in microphones to record what you say.

The best solution is to use a VPN router. This will give blanket protection to every electronic device that connects to your router, with military-grade encryption to protect your privacy and security. It also blocks your internet service provider from spying on your online activities.

The best one-stop-shop for VPN routers is Flashrouters. You can select which VPN provider you use and they will install all the necessary software. This is the simplest secure router option available. Here are three great VPN routers – especially the Netgear R7000 Nighthawk.

Note: you will need to subscribe to a VPN service separately, in addition to getting a router that is compatible with your VPN.

ALERT: If you have any “smart” devices in your home that connect to the internet and can respond to voice commands, then you need a VPN router… now.

7. Say No to “Home Assistants”

Amazon Echo, Google Home, Alexa… all of these “assistant” devices are really just corporate surveillance. Sure, they might add some convenience to your life, but at what cost? Corporations are laughing all the way to the bank, as they learn every intimate detail of your life, which helps them sell you more things you don’t need.

And while the devices are collecting all your private information, you should consider the risks:

• Your data shared with third parties.
• Your data hacked and publicly displayed on the internet (remember the Ashley Madison hack).
• Your data handed over to law enforcement agencies (everyone is guilty of something, even if you don’t realize it).
• Your data being used to blast you with targeted ads and promotions.

Before joining the sheep and plugging into the corporate surveillance matrix, consider the risks.

8. Secure Your Mobile Devices

Here’s the biggest problem with mobile devices: they’re a privacy nightmare. It doesn’t matter which type of device you use, they are almost all inherently insecure. The two biggest issues with mobile devices are

1. Applications – Which may contain malware, tracking, spyware and other viruses, while also sucking up your data and quietly sending off to third parties. (Delete those apps!)
2. Default Settings – Which track your location, grant permission access to different apps,

Most “solutions” that are promoted online for mobile devices typically entail installing an app. But a recent study uncovered that over 80% of mobile VPN apps leak your private data! This is absolutely no surprise, as most apps are malicious privacy threats. So we put together two different guides to help secure your devices and take back your privacy (without downloading more apps):

• How to Secure Your Android Device (5 Simple Steps)
• How to Secure Your iPhone & iPad (5 Simple Steps)

9. Don’t Use Windows 10

Windows 10 has been called “a privacy disaster” by industry professionals everywhere. And for good reason. Here are just a few of the problems that we know about:

• Microsoft can collect any personal data they want from your system. (Passwords, demographics, browsing history, locations, contacts and relationship info, interests, emails, messages, calls, and anything else)
• Your private data can be shared with any third party. (With or without your consent!)
• Your device automatically comes with a unique advertising tracking ID, so you can be identified by trackers and hit with advertisements and promotions. (Welcome to corporate surveillance.)
• Default data synching with Microsoft. (Browsing history, application settings, network connection settings, and usage history are automatically sent back to Microsoft for analysis and storage.)
• Cortana, the “personal assistant,” can collect anything and everything. (Keystrokes, searches, calendar data, music, purchases, credit card information, phone conversations, mic input.)

Conclusion: Windows 10 is complete and total corporate surveillance.

A much more secure and privacy-friendly option is Linux. This gives you a free and open source operating system, without the privacy concerns of Windows. And for those who don’t want to switch to Linux (the transition is tough), you could also go with a different version of Windows or perhaps Mac OS. Both of these options are less than ideal, but still better than Windows 10!

10. Beware of Browser Fingerprinting

Corporations are utilizing increasingly sophisticated methods to track everything you do online because collecting your data is so profitable. One such as method is browser fingerprinting. This tracking method runs algorithms to determine how your operating system and browser is unique, using the following inputs:

• Plugins and add-ons
• Platform
• Cookies
• WebGL
• Fonts
• Screen resolution
• Language (and more…)

The scary thing is that this tracking method is extremely accurate. And even worse, the more browser add-ons and extensions you use, the more you stand out from the crowd and the easier you are to identify and track. So don’t listen to people recommending a giant list of browser add-ons. (This is why I recommend going with the Perfect Privacy TrackStop ad-blocker, rather than installing a bunch of different ad-blocker browser extensions.)

You can see how unique your fingerprint is by going here: https://amiunique.org/fp

Simple solution: The best solution I’ve found for defeating browser fingerprinting is to use the Tor browser with Tor disabled.

11. Use the Tor Browser with Tor Disabled

Tor (which stands for The Onion Router) is a free software and open network that has been around since 2002 and is primarily funded by the US government. While some recommend using the Tor network for privacy reasons, it is fundamentally compromised and broken. The Tor network is flawed due to IP leaks as well as end-to-end timing attack vulnerabilities, which ultimately leave you exposed. Finally, from a usability standpoint, the Tor network is too slow for everyday use.

But it while the Tor network has some issues, using the Tor browser with Tor disabled is an excellent option that will protect you against browser fingerprinting. The Tor browser is simply a hardened and protected version of the Firefox browser. Using the Tor browser with Tor disabled gives you the following benefits:

• protects you against browser fingerprinting due to the browser’s default (protected) settings
• helps you blend in and with all the other Tor browser users
• can be utilized with a good VPN service for maximum protection

Here’s how you can implement this secure browser solution (see images):

1. Download the Tor browser for your operating system.
2. In the Tor browser go to the Options button (three lines in the top right corner) and select Preferences icon (image).
3. Select Advanced > Network > Settings (image)
4. Select No proxy > OK (image)
5. Type about:config into the URL bar and hit the enter/return key
6. In the search box enter network.proxy.socks_remote_dns and then double click to disable (image)
7. To completely disable the Tor network, go to the search box again and enter extensions.torlauncher.start_tor and then double click to disable (image)

Now you can start using the Tor browser to protect yourself against broswer fingerprinting. But remember to combine this with a good VPN service to hide your IP address and geolocation, otherwise this option is useless.

Note: the Tor browser’s HTML5 canvas image notification alert will activate on all WordPress sites (including this site). This is simply a bug with the Tor browser that is currently being evaluated. See here or here for more information.

12. Delete Those Apps

Unfortunately, applications for your mobile devices are a privacy disaster. There’s no way around this fact. Even highly-rated security/privacy apps have been found to contain malware for stealing your private information, tracking libraries, and other serious problems. Apple and Google are constantly removing malware-infested apps from their respective stores.

This means there’s only one good solution: delete your apps. The following categories of mobile apps have been found to be particularly problematic for privacy reasons:

• Free VPN services (see VPN Warning List for numerous examples)
• Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
• Games (Angry Birds, Words with Friends, Despicable Me)
• Weather (GO Weather Forecast & Widgets)
• Transportation (Uber, Lyft, and other location-tracking apps)
• Messenger/Photos/Chat (Snapchat, WhatsApp, QQ)
• Drawing/photo editing

With bad apps, you might not find out they’ve stolen your data or messed up your device until it’s too late. There are other categories that didn’t make the list above, but the general rule still applies: if it’s not absolutely essential, just delete it.

13. Compartmentalize Your Online Life

Consider compartmentalizing your online life. With people getting fired from their jobs over social media posts or sued for reviews and comments, it’s a good idea to consider this strategy. Here are three steps:

1. Have one online persona with your real name, and perhaps a LinkedIn profile that is very clean and career-oriented.
2. Have another online persona that uses a pseudonym or nickname, which can be based around your social life.
3. Use a third persona for anything that you really want to keep private.

For this to work, you need to strictly keep everything separate: no sharing friends, accounts, pictures, interests, or anything else. These are like different people that don’t know each other. And if you can use separate hardware, that’s all the better.

14. Secure (or Delete) Your Social Media

Do you trust your social media?

One survey found that 96% of people don’t trust their social networks to protect their privacy. After years of privacy abuses, creepy surveillance tactics, facial recognition, tracking and monitoring, people are starting to figure out the scam: social media is just a tool for corporate and government surveillance.

The best option is to delete your social media accounts, especially some of the worst privacy offenders like Facebook. (I haven’t been on Facebook in years, and it feels great!) But if you still want to keep some of your accounts, consider the following options to improve your privacy:

• De-index your accounts from appearing in search engines: Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Delete as much as possible (photos, locations, controversial posts, private information, etc.)
• Tighten up the privacy settings (limit what’s available to the world)

Sorry, one last thing I need to say. Don’t be one of those parents who posts photos of your children all over Facebook. You can’t undo anything – it all goes into facial recognition databases. Don’t trade Facebook points for your family’s privacy.

15. Use Secure Messaging

Did you know governments and corporations have been reading your text messages and listening to your calls for years. (And if you’re in the United Kingdom, telephone companies are required to retain all your data for 12 months. But the same practices “unofficially” apply to many other countries as well.)

So consider some alternatives to WhatsApp and other unsecured services.

You can utilize secure messaging apps for both text messages and calling (VOIP). Two good options are Signal and Threema. I’d trust Signal a little more though, because it uses open-source software.

16. Stay Updated

Have you been following news and regulations that affect your privacy? If not, I don’t blame you because it’s depressing. But still, it’s important to recognize the trend. We’re rapidly approaching total 1984-style mass surveillance and thought crime policies:

• Internet service providers are logging everything you do online (and possibly selling your private information to third parties).
• People are getting fired and arrested over social media comments (criticizing government policies).
• People are getting their homes raided and electronics seized because of their browsing history.
• People posting honest reviews and comments online are getting sued by corporations. (See here for 15 more ways you can get arrested for seemingly innocent online activity.)

The reddit privacy thread is a great place to start.

Finally, you also need to keep your software updated. With very few exceptions, you should keep your software updated to protect yourself against vulnerabilities that could affect your privacy. Outdated applications or programs are a major week spot that hackers often target. Don’t fall into this crowd by keeping everything updated.

17. Use Antivirus Software

Using antivirus software is a good option to help keep your devices secure and your privacy safe. And while it may be counter-intuitive, free antivirus software can be just as good or better than paid options. One excellent example were flaws found in Norton/Symantec antivirus products that were “as bad as it gets.”

A good free option to check out is Avast! Free Antivirus, which is available for:

• Windows
• Mac
• Android

Using a good malware/advertisement blocker such as TrackStop will also help keep you safe and protect your privacy.

18. Log Out!

One of the easiest ways for tech companies to track what you do online is for you stay logged in to different accounts. Whether it’s your email, YouTube, Facebook, or anything else, you need to start logging out to protect your privacy.

For most people, the biggest challenge is email. So here’s a simple solution: use a secure, trusted email application. You can sync all your webmail accounts up to an email application that opens on your desktop, rather than your web browser.

One that seems to work well is PostBox. One great privacy feature is the “anti-tracking” option which blocks images or any other embedded tracking in email messages. You’d be surprised how many company logos or email “signatures” have embedded tracking.

Along with logging out, be sure to clear your browser history after each session. Browsing history can also easily be tracked when you’re online. Once again, using the Tor Browser (with Tor disabled) is a good option here, as your browsing history is automatically deleted after each session.

Your Total Privacy Checklist 

Congratulations, you made it to the end of this privacy guide!

But maybe you’re feeling a little overwhelmed with all the information. You want to protect your privacy, but all this seems like too much. Here’s my advice to you: take small steps and only focus on one solution at a time to avoid getting overwhelmed.

Here are 5 things you can do right now, which will vastly improve your privacy and security online. (And all this will only take a few hours to complete.)

1. Start using a good VPN service together with an advertisement/malware blocker (the best all-in-one solution I’ve found is Perfect Privacy with the TrackStop feature enabled).
2. Delete all unnecessary apps on your mobile devices.
3. Start using a secure email provider (you can get a free ProtonMail account with 500 Mb of storage – instant setup).
4. Secure or delete your social media accounts (see step 14 above)
5. Log out of everything (and try to stay logged out).

Take Back Your Privacy – Complete Checklist

All right, are you ready to dive in and totally secure your privacy? All you need is a day (or perhaps just a long afternoon). Block it off on your schedule, right now.

This will be the day you take back your privacy. You can do it.

Now get a fresh pot of coffee (or another beverage) and let’s do this. Here’s your complete checklist:

1. Block Ads, Malware, Adware, Pop-ups, Trackers, Phishing (You have two options here – various browser add-ons/extensions or TrackStop with a VPN.)
2. Say Goodbye to Google (Delete it all, pull the plug, and never look back.)
3. Use Privacy-Friendly Search Engines (You can get the same results, but without the monitoring and tracking – see StartPage or DuckDuckGo.)
4. Stop Using Free/Unsecured Email (Say goodbye to Gmail and hello to ProtonMail.)
5. Use a Good, Safe VPN for All Your Devices (There are really only two things to remember when choosing a VPN: avoid the bad ones and select a good one.)
6. Secure Your Router – Secure All Your Electronics (Check out Flashrouters for the best selection VPN routers. Here are my three favorites – especially the Netgear R7000.)
7. Say No to “Home Assistants” (They’re not worth the loss of privacy.)
8. Secure Your Mobile Devices (See our guides: Android and iOS.)
9. Don’t Use Windows 10 (Either go with Windows 7 or 8, Mac OS, or better yet Linux. But avoid Windows 10 at all costs.)
10. Beware of Browser Fingerprinting (The more plugins and extensions you use, the easier you are to track and identify. The best solution is to use the Tor browser with Tor disabled.)
11. Use the Tor Browser with Tor Disabled (You’ll blend in with all the other Tor users, plus the browser is pre-configured and hardened to protect your privacy.)
12. Delete Those Apps (Apps are a privacy and security disaster. Delete as many as possible from your mobile devices.)
13. Compartmentalize Your Online Life (It may seem strange, but this will greatly enhance your privacy if you can keep everything separate.)
14. Secure (or Delete) Your Social Media (Just pull the plug – you’ll be glad you did!)
15. Use Secure Messaging (Two great options for secure messaging are Signal and Threema.)
16. Stay Updated (Staying up-to-date on privacy issues and also keeping your software updated are both important.)
17. Use Antivirus Software (Go with a reputable free version such as Avast.)
18. Log Out! (Log out of everything and try to stay logged out as much as possible. Delete your browsing history after every session.)

Closing Thoughts

If we take an honest look around the world right now, online privacy and mass surveillance is clearly getting worse. The sad truth about the status quo is that nobody with political power seems to have the motivation to roll-back the surveillance system. No matter which politicians are elected one thing continues on: the expansion of government and corporate surveillance.

Because surveillance is all about control.

But you don’t need to be a tech genius to protect yourself. This manual was entirely focused on providing simple solutions that everyone can use. While some things may seem a bit complex at first, anybody can implement these steps with a little time and patience, including you.

So what are you waiting for?

With this guide you can take back your privacy today. Now go for it!