7 Tips to Become Invisible Online

7 Ways to Hide Your Online Identity

Your personal data is more important now more than ever before. Unfortunately, it’s now easier to steal. The present is weird. This wasn’t supposed to happen. To help us make ourselves more private, we have to go back… to the 80s. 

Growing up in the 80s and 90s if you wanted to keep your personal data private you simply paid the phone book company a one-time fee to be left out of the white pages. It was a simpler time and how I miss it.

In the present digital world, whether you’re concerned about hackers, data brokers, or even social media scraping - protecting your personal information is vital. Even in the beginning of the internet we were anonymous, but not anymore.

Thankfully, there are simple steps you can take today to hide your online identity. Things like by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), managing your personal data carefully, and making a few strategic changes to your online habits, you can significantly reduce your digital footprint.

Let’s explore these practical tips become invisible online, giving you greater control over how much personal information is shared and minimizing what other people can find out about you.

Tip 1: Rethink Your Email

In my personal email I got a solicitation for The Secure Dad. I don’t cross my personal information with my business, so this was very odd. After a brief email exchange with the “potential advertiser” he told me he got people to scrape LinkedIn to get email addresses for “business opportunities”. Scraping social media can be legal

 and in this case I believe it was illegal.

This meant when I signed up for LinkedIn more than 10 years ago my personal email address was used. Now, thanks to illegal scraping, it’s associated with my business which is not what I want. Today we have to rethink how we use our email addresses.

I know you are not going to delete all of your email address and start over again. That’s crazy talk and too much work. To solve this problem, I suggest you get a very private email address that you don’t use for social media, app creation, or signing up for new services.

This private email address is your real address that’s only used for communication with your family. For this new, private email I suggest a Proton Mail address. Proton mail prides itself on security and privacy. They offer free addresses and paid options including a suite of products like a password manager, virtual private network, and calendar.

Tip 2: Delete Your Data

Did you know that your personal, private information is sold every day? A data broker is a company that collects personal information from various sources, such as social media, public records, and online activity, and then aggregates, analyzes, and sells it to other organizations and individuals.

These brokers compile detailed profiles that may include your contact information, work history, property value, and even some financial data. Companies purchase this data to target consumers with personalized marketing, while other clients may use it for risk assessment or background checks. And they have data breaches too.

Data brokers often operate without direct consumer consent, raising significant privacy concerns for individuals looking to protect their personal information online. Most people are appalled to look themselves up on WhitePages.com to see how much of their information is available online.

The good news is that DeleteMe removes your personal data from hundreds of data broker sites. I’ve used them since 2018, and I’ve seen my information erased from all sorts of websites. This helps me manage my data and protect my family from harassment, fraud, and spam calls. Plus, they send reports that let you know how your data is being managed.

I hate to say it, but a data removal service needs to be in your budget in 2024 just to try and maintain the level of privacy we once had. If you want to be invisible online, you’re going to have to erase your past. I’ve done a full review on DeleteMe and I can honestly say it is worth the money. Use code “DAD” at checkout for 20% off a privacy plan of your choice.

Tip 3: Be A Ninja Online

Have you ever noticed how Amazon and Temu ads follow you around the internet? Retailers can do this by tracking your browser and IP address to all of the websites you go to. An IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to the internet, allowing devices to communicate with each other.

Internet service providers (ISPs) and websites can use this address to track your online activity, such as the websites you visit and the services you use. By analyzing your IP address, advertisers and data collectors can build a profile of your behavior and location, often for targeted ads or other forms of tracking. Think of it as a license plate for your web browsing.

But you don’t have to be watched by advertisers everywhere you go. This is where a virtual private network comes in handy. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet, hiding your real IP address and protecting your online activity from prying eyes.

By routing your internet traffic through a remote server, a VPN provider masks your location, making it appear as if you’re browsing from a different geographical location. This not only helps maintain privacy but also prevents ISPs, hackers, or data trackers from easily monitoring your browsing habits. Essentially, a VPN enhances online anonymity by keeping your personal information and activity hidden.

But it’s important to know that a VPN will not protect you from malware or allow you to do criminal things online – that’s a myth. And only adults need to use a VPN as they can circumvent many parental controls. I use NordVPN to help manage my online activity. I don’t use it all the time because it can create some problems with some site. But when shopping online, I find it essential to maintain my privacy.

Watch: How to be Invisible Online

Tip 4: Don’t Share Your Data Online

Using your real email address and phone number online can expose you to various risks, including spam, phishing attacks, and unwanted solicitations. (Like I mentioned before.)

Cyber criminals and data brokers can easily collect this personal information from websites, forms, or data breaches, using it to target you with scams or even sell your data to third parties.

To protect your privacy, I suggest you mask you real information. You can create an email addresses and virtual phone numbers for non-essential online activities. This means you’ll submit a decoy email address that will forward to your real inbox.

Tip 5: Use a Private Web Browser

Many web browsers will track your information and send it to the host company and even partner advertisers. Here is a list of the best and worst email browsers for privacy. If you are using Google Chrome, I hope this is the last day you use it.

Using a private browser is important for protecting your privacy and preventing websites, advertisers, or third parties from tracking your online activity. Unlike regular browsers, private browsers do not store your browsing history, cookies, or search data once you close the session, helping to limit the amount of personal information that can be collected about you. But you will still have to adjust your settings to make that happen.

This is particularly useful when you want to avoid personalized ads or prevent your data from being saved on public or shared computers. Additionally, private browsers help reduce the risk of targeted phishing attacks by minimizing the data available to potential trackers.

I like Firefox and DuckDuckGo for my daily online browsing. A great upside to DuckDuckGo is they have their own search engine that will protect your privacy if nothing else simply because it is not Google. I use both on a daily basis. I know many people like Brave, but I find it too complicated. It also offers its own search engine as well.

A great ad on for many web browsers is Privacy Badger from the EFF. Privacy Badger is a tool that helps stop advertisers and other trackers from watching what you do online without your permission. If it notices that a company is following you across multiple websites, it will block that company from showing anything else in your browser. This makes it look like you’ve disappeared – which is what we want. This is especially useful if you are forced to use a less private browser like Chrome or Edge.

Tip 6: Shield Your Home Address

The most personal information we have is where we live. This is where we eat, sleep, and where our kids play. Above all, we want to feel like our home is private. Keeping your home address private is crucial for protecting your family’s safety and privacy.

When your address is publicly available, it can expose your household to unwanted attention, such as unsolicited mail, salespeople, or even potential criminals targeting your home for fraud or burglary. Additionally, data brokers and online platforms often collect and sell address information, increasing the chances of identity theft or harassment.

By limiting the exposure of your address, you reduce the risk of your family’s location being used for malicious purposes, ensuring a safer and more secure environment for everyone in your household. Of course, you can have a data removal service like DeleteMe get your home address of of data broker sites, but let’s go a little further.

Use a PO Box for Privacy

Having a USPS PO Box is a smart way to enhance your privacy because it keeps your home address hidden from public view. When you use a PO Box, your mail is sent to a secure location rather than directly to your house, which helps protect your family from unwanted attention, such as marketing mail, identity thieves, or even potential stalkers.

Additionally, a PO Box provides an extra layer of anonymity when you’re signing up for services or making purchases online, preventing companies and data brokers from easily accessing your home address. This step significantly reduces the risk of your personal information being exposed or misused.

Shipping Store Mailbox for Privacy

You don’t have to use a PO Box from the United States Postal Service. Many national chain shipping stores rent out boxes. For example, UPS Stores offer mailbox rentals and will hold large packages. Likewise, small shipping stores have mailboxes for rent. Both can offer a real street address with a suite designation. Some companies will not accept a PO Box as an address, nor will UPS deliver there.

Virtual Mailbox Services for Anonymity

A virtual mailbox service is an online platform that allows you to receive, view, and manage your physical mail digitally. Instead of having mail delivered to your home, it’s sent to a secure location where it’s scanned and uploaded to your account, allowing you to view and manage it from anywhere. Just like a shipping store mailbox, they offer a real street address.

This service enhances your privacy by keeping your home address private, preventing unwanted parties from knowing your location. It also helps reduce the amount of junk mail and protects against identity theft, as sensitive mail is stored in a secure digital environment rather than sitting in an unprotected mailbox. Virtual mailboxes are particularly useful for individuals who frequently travel, business owners, or anyone seeking an additional layer of privacy for their personal information.

There are many different companies that provide this service, but a popular one is Post Scan Mail. My friend Josh Summers of All Things Secured did a breakdown of how these services work and even visited several to see what the sorting centers were like. They offer a unique solution and if you want to check your mail from your couch, you can. There’s no need to go to a UPS Store to pick anything up.

Tip 7: Social Media Privacy

When we think of social media and privacy we can talk about settings and what apps collect what information. But what is most damaging to our online privacy is what we post on social media. What you share online through social media can significantly impact your privacy, often in ways you may not expect.

Posts containing personal details like your home address, phone number, or even a photo of your daily routine can be easily collected by data brokers, hackers, or even people with malicious intent. Over time, this information can be used to build a detailed profile about you,

including your location, habits, and even your relationships.

This makes you more vulnerable to identity theft, phishing attacks, or harassment. Even seemingly innocent information, such as tagging your location at a restaurant or sharing family photos, can reveal more about your life than you intended.

Additionally, many social media platforms collect and store more data than users realize,

including metadata like your IP address, location history, and browsing activity. This data is often sold to advertisers who use it to target you with personalized ads, but it can also be accessed by third parties who might not have your best interests at heart.

Even after you delete a post, the information may still be retained by the platform or in screenshots saved by others. Ultimately, being cautious about what you share and regularly reviewing privacy settings is essential for protecting your personal information from being exploited.

Conclusion: Becoming Invisible Online

In a world where data privacy is increasingly difficult to maintain, taking proactive steps to protect yourself online is essential. Unfortunately, in 2024 I don’t think there is a way to be completely anonymous online.

But by using the tips we discussed in this article, like masking your personal information with private emails, VPNs, and data removal services, you can significantly reduce the chances of being tracked or targeted. These privacy measures help you navigate the digital world safely, protecting your personal data from being misused.

However, it’s important to remember that online privacy is an ongoing effort. As technology evolves and data collection methods become more sophisticated, staying informed and regularly updating your privacy practices is key to maintaining your online anonymity. Tools like virtual mailboxes, private browsers, and masking services act as your own privacy shield, giving you control over what information is shared and with whom, ensuring your online identity remains as invisible as possible.

Ultimately, becoming invisible online is not just about avoiding ads or preventing spam; it’s about taking back control of your personal data and ensuring your family’s safety and security in the digital age. By following these tips, you’re well on your way to making sure your online presence is as protected because in today’s world, data privacy is your ticket to a better future.