Jakarta (ANTARA) – In the digital age like now, almost every activity we carry out leaves traces in cyberspace, starting from search history, uploads on social media, to personal data on various online platforms.
Without realizing it, these digital traces can become an opening for information misuse, identity theft and personal data leakage. Therefore, it is important for every Internet user to understand how to eliminate digital traces to stay safe and protected from the risk of spreading unwanted data.
Practical tips for cleaning fingerprints to maintain privacy in the Internet world will be discussed below, based on information collected from various sources.
Tips for erasing digital traces on the Internet
1. Delete social media accounts
One of the most effective steps to erase digital traces is to close your social media accounts. On social media platforms, every upload, comment and even the small interaction you make will be stored in their system.
By permanently deactivating your account, your personal data will no longer be accessible to the public, so the risk of information misuse can be minimized.
However, before deleting your account completely, reconsider your needs. If your main goal is to simply reduce your digital footprint without completely losing access, options like temporarily deactivating your account or deleting some content may be a more flexible alternative.
2. Delete your browsing history
Every time you surf the Internet, browser will save your browsing history, cacheAND cookies. Regularly cleaning this data not only helps reduce your digital footprint, but can also improve performance browser to make it faster and lighter.
Most of the browser Popular apps like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari provide features to easily delete your browsing history, either completely or based on specific periods of time. You can choose to delete only the history or delete it all at once cookies AND cache which is accumulating.
3. Delete unused applications
Applications installed on your device can also be a source of personal data leaks. If an application is no longer used, it is best to delete the account and application so that the data is not misused by other parties. Before that, you can take advantage of the backup feature to save important data if needed.
4. Submit a removal request from Google
Google provides services to help users remove personal information from search results. If you find personal information such as home address, phone number or email scattered across the internet, visit the Google page Results about you. Then follow the guidelines provided to submit a deletion request based on the type of information you wish to delete.
5. Use fashion incognito
Characteristic incognito mode (disguise) or private browsing can help prevent browser save browsing history, cookiesand site data. While it doesn’t completely protect you from tracking by Internet service providers or social media platforms, this mode is still useful for maintaining privacy while browsing.
6. Use a personal data erasure service
If you want more comprehensive results, you can use a service like DeleteMe or DesseatMe. This platform helps remove personal data from public data collection sites such as Spokeo, Whitepages and similar databases.
7. Manage your privacy settings
Another important step is to review and change the privacy settings on your social media accounts and devices. Make sure posts aren’t public, turn off location permissions, and limit the app’s access to your camera and microphone. In this way, your digital space will remain safe, private and the risk of misuse of personal data will be minimal.
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Also Read: Be Aware of Fingerprints to Avoid the Threat of Cybercrime
Read also: Build a good digital footprint with Internet ethics
Reporter: Sean Anggiatheda Sitorus
Publisher: Alviansyah Pasaribu
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