Log out of everything you do online

Many websites, particularly social media ones would like you to be permanently connected to make it easy to interact with your friends/followers/contacts, etc. all the time. Many of them do not make it entirely obvious that you remain connected and that logging out requires finding how to do it and then remembering to do it.

 

 

Why is this an issue?

Using small files (cookies) that get installed in your device by most webpages allows them to collect data about you, even after you have logged out, allegedly for “security purposes and aggregate statistics”. In fact this may allow a website or social network to track and map you usage of the World Wide Web. They can also track your physical location and keep records of it.

 

What you should do about it

In the first place ensure that you actually log out from all websites that require a login. This may not be enough if the website has installed tracking cookies in your device, therefore:

 

• Find out how to delete individual cookies from your computer. The way to do this varies from one browser to another, and essentially the process requires you to identify which cookies have been planted and delete them – every time you visit the relevant sit
• Alternatively, you may install a separate browser (there are many to choose from – Firefox, Chrome, Opera, ) and use it exclusively for your social media activities. Some of them accept third party software plug-ins that are designed to block cookies and tracking cookies.