Editing Privacy (section)

==Techniques to improve privacy==
{{see also|Privacy-enhancing technologies}}

Similarly to [[#Actions which reduce privacy|actions which reduce privacy]], there are multiple angles of privacy and multiple techniques to improve them to varying extents. When actions are done at an [[#Organizational|organizational level]], they may be referred to as [[cybersecurity]].

===Encryption===
{{main|Encryption}}
{{further|Pretty Good Privacy|Signal (messaging app)}}

Individuals can encrypt e-mails via enabling either two encryption protocols, [[S/MIME]], which is built into companies like Apple or [[Outlook.com|Outlook]] and thus most common, or [[Pretty Good Privacy|PGP]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-02|title=How to Encrypt Email (Gmail, Outlook, iOS, Yahoo, Android, AOL)|url=https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/panda-security/how-to-encrypt-email/|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Panda Security Mediacenter|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Signal (messaging app)|Signal]] messaging app, which encrypts messages so that only the recipient can read the message, is notable for being available on many mobile devices and implementing a form of [[perfect forward secrecy]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Signal Messenger: Speak Freely|url=https://signal.org/en/index.html|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Signal Messenger|language=en}}</ref> Signal has received praise from whistleblower [[Edward Snowden]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Micah |date=2015-11-12 |title=Edward Snowden Explains How To Reclaim Your Privacy |url=https://theintercept.com/2015/11/12/edward-snowden-explains-how-to-reclaim-your-privacy/ |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=The Intercept |language=en-US}}</ref> Encryption and other privacy-based security measures are also used in some cryptocurrencies such as [[Monero]] and [[Zcash|ZCash]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Evelyn |date=2017-08-29 |title=Dark web finds bitcoin increasingly more of a problem than a help, tries other digital currencies |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/dark-web-finds-bitcoin-increasingly-more-of-a-problem-than-a-help-tries-other-digital-currencies.html |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ell |first=Kellie |date=2018-07-13 |title=Coinbase considers adding five new coins to its platform |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/13/coinbase-considers-five-new-coins-for-its-platform.html |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

===Anonymity===
{{main|Anonymity}}

[[Anonymous proxy|Anonymizing proxies]] or anonymizing networks like [[I2P]] and [[Tor (network)|Tor]] can be used to prevent Internet service providers (ISP) from knowing which sites one visits and with whom one communicates, by hiding IP addresses and location, but does not necessarily protect a user from third party data mining. Anonymizing proxies are built into a user's device, in comparison to a [[Virtual private network|Virtual Private Network]] (VPN), where users must download software.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-11|title=Anonymizers vs. VPNs: Everything You Need to Know|url=https://blog.orchid.com/anonymizers-vs-vpns-everything-you-need-to-know/|access-date=2022-01-22|website=Privacy & VPN Blog – Orchid|language=en}}</ref> Using a VPN hides all data and connections that are exchanged between servers and a user's computer, resulting in the online data of the user being unshared and secure, providing a barrier between the user and their ISP, and is especially important to use when a user is connected to public Wi-Fi. However, users should understand that all their data does flow through the VPN's servers rather than the ISP. Users should decide for themselves if they wish to use either an anonymizing proxy or a VPN.

In a more non-technical sense, using incognito mode or private browsing mode will prevent a user's computer from saving history, Internet files, and cookies, but the ISP will still have access to the users' search history. Using [[Private browsing|anonymous search engines]] will not share a user's history, clicks, and will obstruct ad blockers.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|title=7 Tips to Manage Your Identity and Protect Your Privacy Online|url=https://staysafeonline.org/blog/7-tips-to-manage-your-identity/|access-date=2021-11-22|website=Stay Safe Online|language=en-US}}</ref>

===User empowerment===
{{further|End user}}
{{see also|#Privacy paradox and economic valuation}}

Concrete solutions on how to solve paradoxical behavior still do not exist. Many efforts are focused on processes of decision making, like restricting data access permissions during application installation, but this would not completely bridge the gap between user intention and behavior. Susanne Barth and Menno D.T. de Jong believe that for users to make more conscious decisions on privacy matters, the design needs to be more user-oriented.<ref name="Barth 1038–1058"/> That being said, delivering on privacy protections is difficult due to the complexity of online consent processes, for example.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Obar |first1=J. A. |last2=Oeldorf-Hirsch |first2=A. |title=Older Adults and 'The Biggest Lie on the Internet': From Ignoring Social Media Policies to the Privacy Paradox |journal=International Journal of Communication |date=2022 |volume=16 |pages=4779–4800 |ssrn=4250424 |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4250424 |access-date=4 March 2025}}</ref>

===Other security measures===
In a social sense, simply limiting the amount of personal information that users posts on social media could increase their security, which in turn makes it harder for criminals to perform identity theft.<ref name=":9" />  Moreover, creating a set of complex passwords and using two-factor authentication can allow users to be less susceptible to their accounts being compromised when various data leaks occur. Furthermore, users should protect their digital privacy by using anti-virus software, which can block harmful viruses like a pop-up scanning for personal information on a users' computer.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news|title=How to Protect Your Digital Privacy|work=The New York Times |date=25 January 2019 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/guides/privacy-project/how-to-protect-your-digital-privacy|access-date=2021-11-22|language=en-us |last1=Gordon |first1=Whitson }}</ref>

===Legal methods===
Although there are laws that promote the protection of users, in some countries, like the U.S., there is no federal digital privacy law and privacy settings are essentially limited by the state of current enacted privacy laws. To further their privacy, users can start conversing with representatives, letting representatives know that privacy is a main concern, which in turn increases the likelihood of further privacy laws being enacted.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Your Technology Is Tracking You. Take These Steps For Better Online Privacy : Life Kit|language=en|work=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/10/09/922262686/your-technology-is-tracking-you-take-these-steps-for-better-online-privacy|access-date=2021-11-22}}</ref>