Metadata is a tech savvey term for the info that is automatically generated “behind the scenes” as you browse the internet, “like” a facebook post, or search on google. After last week’s NSA surveillance program was revealed, many people have wondered how this effects one’s online habits and what kind of “metadata” each of us are revealing. In this article we will show you what type of metadata is generated when surfing the web and what you can do to keep your personal IP separate.

Every time you access a webpage or send an email, your IP address becomes a digital “fingerprint” of sorts, linking your personal info with meta data from your web session. Just think for a minute. Your personal IP address could still be related to websites you visited or google searches conducted months and even years ago. When your home or personal IP is exposed, it suddenly becomes very easy to cross reference everything you do online (and when you do it) with just a single IP address.

Here are some examples of what is collected by your ISP or Government and what you can do to stay private.

Email:

What information is collected when using Gmail, Yahoo, or other named providers?

  • Sender’s name, email and IP address
  • Recipient’s name and IP address
  • Server Transfer information + Date/time
  • Subject, Status and Read Receipt
  • Mail client login records w IP (Some providers)

How do I keep my Email Private and Secure?

Using a secure email provider like TorGuard, can help keeping your private online communications secure.

  • Get a Free Anonymous Email Account
  • Use a Private Name for all outgoing
  • Encrypt email content with PGP Encryption
  • Only add trusted sources to your keyring.

Web Browsing:

Every time you browse the web, your IP address becomes your fingerprint. Here is what is recorded each time you access a webpage:

  • Your Personal IP Address and ISP
  • IP Match with past pages visited
  • IP Match with timestamp for pages
  • IP Match on Search queries

How do I keep my web browsing habits private?

Simple answer: Anonymous VPN Service. Encrypt everything you do online and hide behind 100+ VPN IP’s in nine countries:

  • Signup for Anonymous VPN Service
  • Use the VPN on all devices (up to x5)
  • Use different IP’s accross many websites
  • Only use your real info with trusted companies.

 

On June 8th 2013, the digital world you signed onto was forever changed. We now know that private companies and even the government currently engage in massive data mining operations that violate privacy on a massive scale. Don’t let your personal IP address, browsing records and emails become stored away on some server for years to come. Take back your online privacy and encrypt everything you do with TorGuard.

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