There are many things out there on the internet that can help to make your life easier, and you’ll find them on a variety of websites, and as a whole host of plugins. You may not know which ones are legit, and which ones could harm your computer (and you may also be of the opinion that only tech-savvy people understand these types of things). However, there are a lot of things that stop the inconveniences you face online - such as ads - and can protect your privacy and data as you browse, and you don’t have to be a genius to use them.
Something that most people don’t even consider when they’re browsing online is the safety of their data, and the fact that their IP addresses are being shared with pretty much anybody who wants it. What this essentially means is that people can see where you are, what broadband provider you have, and a whole host of other information that you may not have believed you were sharing with them. So, we’ve put together this guide to help you to protect your data, and just to make your life easier when you’re online.
1. Password managers
If you want your passwords to be saved online, but you’re not quite sure what your browser is doing with them, then saving them within a secure password manager plugin is a great idea. They’re encrypted, so it’s pretty safe, but you have to provide a ‘master password’ to get into your list of saved passwords, so be careful that you don’t give this information to anyone else. However, they remember the devices used, so you can decide where you allow your account to be logged in from. They have pretty good reviews, and it is a good idea if you’re worried about your autofill passwords being out there for the taking.
2. HTTPS plugins
If you’ve ever been on a site that says ‘Not Secure’ next to it, you can feel exposed to hackers, and you may worry about what is happening with your data. You may wonder how people are even allowed to have access to your personal information in this way, but getting a plugin like this is a good way to protect yourself. It uses advanced technology to rewrite the requests to websites into HTTPS, so that you can rest easy knowing that you’ve avoided most of the dodgy sites out there. It doesn’t work every time, so make sure that you’re still pretty careful online, but it’s free if you’re on a budget and they have good write ups.
3. YouTube to MP3
As a creative person, especially if you’re someone who makes videos or any other type of digital media, YouTube to MP3 could be vital to your creative process. If you need music from a video on YouTube but you can’t find the MP3 file anywhere, then copying and pasting the link into one of these sites will enable you to download the MP3 file to your computer. From there, you can use it on videos and for other purposes, depending on what you’re working on. This is one of the most important sites for digital media creatives.
4. Email tracking services
Ever wondered if that person you sent an email to - what seems like many moons ago - actually received and opened it? There are many plugins and websites out there that actually tell you whether your email has been opened, and the time and date that they read it. It also tells you information such as their location, which is a bit creepy if you ask us, but these websites are still good if you’re wondering whether your emails got through or not. Choose wisely, as you don’t want to end up sharing your emails with a bad site.
5. VPNs
VPNs are probably the most important ones when it comes to protecting your data. Remember when we said that people can see your IP address, your location, and your broadband provider? Well, VPNs scramble your IP address, so that you can browse without all of your data being shared to random people online. This gives you encrypted security, and even allows you to watch things that aren’t being shown in your country, so it’s a pretty useful thing to have. Make sure you get one that doesn’t log your data, however, because that defeats the object.
6. Ad Blockers
There are a variety of different ad blockers out there, but you’ll be glad that you installed this plugin, whichever one you choose. They work on pretty much any browser, and they do exactly what it says on the tin: they block ads. If you’re sick of pop ups and advertisements taking over when you go onto websites, then simply enable the plugin. Some sites are pretty savvy about this now, and won’t even let you enter if you’ve got an ad blocker on, but most websites will work with the plug in turned on.
7. Turn your email into custom URLs
If you’re worried about putting your email address into public websites (given the amount of hackers around and the risk presented by sharing your data) then you can use a site that will turn your email into a custom URL. This means that you’ll still be signed up, but your actual email won’t be out there and as such, you won’t be vulnerable to spam or hackers who are trying to get into your account all of the time. This will protect not only your email, but all of the data associated with it.
8. Form recovery
When you’ve filled out a huge form online, perhaps to a government website which asks for every last piece of your personal information, and then the website crashes, there is no experience more annoying than this. Rather than punching a hole through your laptop screen, install a plugin that remembers your answers, and is encrypted so that your information isn’t sent elsewhere to be saved. You can disable it on certain websites (on your online banking site, for example) so you only use it when necessary. It’s a good idea if you’re not looking to type out a whole lot of information again.
9. Web clippers
If you’re always reading online, but you don’t really have the time to finish reading long pages, then getting a web clipper plugin is a good idea. You can save a simple version of an article (without pictures) or the whole thing if you’d rather, and come back to it later, as they all save in one place. You can also add notes onto this if you’re using the article for work purposes, and you can organize them by subject yourself if you’d rather keep some of them for separate purposes. If you’re an avid reader, then this one is definitely for you!
10. Plugins that close inactive tabs
Tab addicts, we’re talking to you. Do you ever research for a project, or simply start looking into something, only to find that you have more than a hundred tabs on the go? And the thought of looking through them all is something that you simply don’t want to think about, and we don’t blame you: we wouldn’t want to, either. You’re in luck, because there’s a plugin that does all of the dirty work for you, by closing the ones that you haven’t used for a while. We know what you’re thinking, ‘what if I needed that?’ but no worries, because these plugins save them for you so you can re-open them if necessary. It’s also easy to pin the most important ones, to make sure that they don’t go missing. Phew.
So…
In the modern world, there is nothing more important than keeping your data safe from hackers and bots, who are constantly trying to get their hands on your information, even on sites where you least expect it. However, it is reassuring to learn that you don’t have to sit there and watch your data slip away through your fingers, and you don’t have to sit back and wait for your email to be hacked into and used as a means for spam and other hacking-related annoyances. In order to protect yourself, installing things like VPNs could really help you, as your IP address will not be out there for the taking, and sites such as those which turn your email into a URLs are also super useful.
When it comes to things that just make your browsing and creative process easier, YouTube to MP3 is great for those who wish to save audio files, and email tracking services are useful if you want to be a bit nosy and see whether the recipient has actually received your email. Whatever it is that you’re looking for, from data protection to useful bits of software and plugins, make sure that you have a look into the things that are out there, and make the most of the modern technology available. Happy (private) browsing!
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