Do you know who is “watching” what you do online?
Every time you visit a website or click on a link, there’s a good chance you’re being tracked.
Many trackers are legitimate and improve the online experience. But they can also be malicious and intrusive.
Security extensions give you back some control over your privacy. These third-party tools can do everything from block trackers to help you manage your passwords.
There are a lot of extensions out there. And they’re not all good. Some can slow down your surfing speed and block content that’s actually safe.
In this guide, we’ll reveal the best security extensions. The ones that run quietly in the background and keep you safe online.
1. Privacy Badger
Did you know the average internet user encounters an average of 177 trackers per week?
Privacy Badger is designed to protect you from these unwanted web trackers. It sends a ‘Do Not Track’ signal to sites. If a tracker ignores the request, the extension starts blocking it.
Once you’ve installed the extension, click the Privacy Badger icon in your toolbar. This will show you how many trackers it blocked on the page you’re visiting.
You also have the option to adjust the blocking settings or turn it off for a specific site if needed.
2. AdBlock Plus
The average person is exposed to 362 ads daily, with 153 of those actually noticed.
AdBlock Plus focuses on stopping those distracting ads so you can enjoy a smoother online experience. Once installed, you’ll notice much less annoying ads as you browse.
By clicking on the AdBlock Plus icon in your browser, you can see the number of ads blocked on the current site and the total number blocked across all sites. If an ad slips through, the ‘Block Element’ feature lets you manually select and block it.
The extension works in the background, but you have some control over how it works. For example, if you want to support a particular publisher and view their ads, you can turn off ad blocking for that specific site.
3. Click&Clean
Most browsers already come with features like deleting cookies and going incognito. But Click&Clean streamlines these actions in one easy-to-access dashboard. It lets you swiftly erase your web history, wipe out cache data, check privacy settings, and even scan for harmful software.
After setting it up, tap the Click&Clean button in your toolbar to see your dashboard:
You can customize the features by clicking the Options button. This will let you decide what gets deleted when you clean your data. Pick specific items or set an overall protection intensity from low to high.
4. Disconnect
The big tech companies know a lot about the average internet user. On average, Google and Facebook know around half of the browsing history of most users.
Disconnect helps you take back control of your online privacy. It tells you which trackers are on each site you visit and lets you stop them.
Once installed, simply click on Disconnect in your extensions. You’ll see which ads, social, and analytics trackers are monitoring you.
If you want a site to track you (maybe because it makes the site work better), you can allow it. Disconnect also offers a visual map that lets you see which trackers are working and which ones you’ve stopped.
5. Avast Online Security
Avast Online Security is a handy browser extension designed to provide a safer online experience.
The extension evaluates websites in real-time and actively scans for threats and phishing attempts. You can also see and stop trackers trying to monitor your browsing.
If you stumble upon a site trying to steal your information, Avast will block it and warn you.
Avast can sometimes be a bit ‘overprotective.’ If you know a site is safe but Avast flags it, you can add it to your “whitelist” so it won’t be blocked in the future.
6. 1Password
A recent study found that 38% of Americans report having at least one of their passwords cracked or guessed. If you have bad password habits (like using the same password for multiple accounts), you need a tool like 1Password.
1Password is designed to keep your digital life safe. After installation, you’ll be prompted to create a master password.
Once set up, 1Password will ask if you’d like to save your login details as you browse and log into sites. If you agree, the next time you visit the site, 1Password can autofill your details, saving you time.
One of the best features of this tool is that it lets you create multiple vaults. You can organize your passwords instead of having them in one big compiled folder.
1Password is the only extension of the list that doesn’t offer a free plan. However, the features and security you get with a paid plan provide solid value.
Protect Your Online Privacy the Easy Way
With the right tools, protecting yourself from online threats is much easier. You can use these security extensions to shield your privacy and ensure your digital footprint remains as anonymous as you’d like.
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