Do you ever get the feeling someone is watching you online? Well if you don’t, you should. You’re being “watched” by your computer, your browser and even your favorite website(s) and app(s). Don’t believe us? Sign into google.com/history for a glimpse into the world of your online tracking.

Don’t be alarmed, most of the collected information is necessary for your computer to run efficiently.  The line between necessary and unnecessary gets crossed when your personal information is collected. Your personal information can be stored, analyzed or even worse – sold.

Follow these rules to prevent the collection of your personal information online:

• Look for the privacy policy. A privacy policy details what information is being collected and how it is going to be used.  All credible, and regulated websites should have one. It's worth a read. 
• Read all the terms & conditions. Before you opt-in to anything, read the terms and conditions.  It's often long and filled with legalese, but is an essential document to understand before committing.
• Use private browsing. The Incognito browser setting in Chrome or InPrivate/Do Not Track browser setting in Internet Explorer are variations of private browsing.  
• Clear your cookies and history. Regularly delete your third party cookies and browsing history. Clear them whenever you feel appropriate - at the end of the session, the day, the week or year. 
• Run regular diagnostics on your antivirus system. If you don’t use an antivirus system – get one. Only one. Two systems are not necessary and may cause more harm than good. 
• Limit the information you willingly give out. Don’t give an app access to your contacts and don't give a website access to your apps, unless you understand what information you are giving out and to whom.

Your website may already be storing information that you should know about. To learn more about the information collected within sites or your computer contact Cool Blue.