Dangers of navigating the Internet and How to avoid Them

Whenever you go online, you face a series of dangers that are more or less problematic, depending on the level of privacy you cherish. But to be able to decide this, you first have to know what the actual hazards are. Below you will find some of the most important ones you should be looking for, in order to protect yourself from them.

Use a VPN while Online, at All Times

It has been said before, over and over again, yet there are still individuals that risk going online without using a VPN. That is the equivalent today, as going into a boutique without wearing a face mask. You may not catch the coronavirus, but then again, maybe you will. To those that still don’t take the right precautions, maybe it is time for a VPN trial. After all, the worst that can happen is that you don’t like it (Why? That would be hard to answer.), and that you decide to continue living without it. Let us just repeat, before we start talking about the dangers of the internet, that it is certainly not suggested.

The Internet collects Your Information as You browse

This is the most significant information that anyone should understand before starting a session online, on a web browser. Every movement you will make on it (without a VPN) will be seen. This information will be gathered by third parties and used in a variety of ways. This data are of a personal nature, since it basically creates an image of who you are, what you like, the things you do in your spare time… In other words, it creates a psychological profile of who you are. 

If you think that your action online don’t define you, think again. In fact, it paints such a clear picture of you, that social media are able to provide you with other contacts, that like the same things you do. Sufficiently enough, indeed, for you to believe that the world is perfect, since everyone else in the world thinks like you. Sorry to break the dream, but of course, this is not true.

Anything You do can be used Against You

If you ask the people that actually gather or buy the info left behind, thank to traces of your roaming, they will say that it is used for you, and not against you. They will pretend that they make your life easier and better, by showing you advertisement that you actually “need.” However, there is no such thing as an advertisement that you need. You should be able to make-up your own mind about what you feel you should acquire, or which services you should use. Instead, the Tech Giants gather intelligence on you, and then sell it to other important players online, to try to bait you into buying whatever they sell. But you don’t have to suffer through this. You only have to install a VPN, and they will never be able to track your internet rounds, ever again.

Whatever happens on the Internet, stays on the Internet

Most of you will have recognized the famous phrase about Las Vegas, in this subtitle. However, the meaning here is actually the complete opposite of the one that describes what happens while you are in Sin City (Las Vegas). In its original sense, the sentence explains that you can do whatever you want in this town, because no one in the location where you live will ever know what you did, while you were visiting. Vegas will keep it as a secret forever.

In the case of the internet, it means the reverse: Whatever you place online will always remain online. So, if you place a picture of you naked, at the tender age of twenty-one, then it will still be there when you get to thirty, forty, or many years later. Any information you choose to divulge online will become public. There is no way to repeat this enough times, so that people can become more conscious of this important fact of life. 

When we are roaming online, it is easy to get caught by the spur of the moment, and to start reacting to something we read, or to add a picture of us to show some unknown person what we actually look like. But we can safely say that 80% of the time, this will end-up being a mistake, in the long run. Therefore, before taking any action online, think twice. Or even better, sleep on it and do it tomorrow, if you still believe it is a good idea, then.

A Few Actions to take, in order to protect Yourself

Just to be on the safe side, you should avoid using public computers. Also, if you have to use one, do not place a USB stick in them, as they could corrupt your file, or worse, place a virus on it. Always keep in mind that public Wi-Fi networks are not secured and act accordingly.