Online, complete privacy is difficult to achieve. Advertisers actively gather data about your online behavior, often selling this information to the highest paying parties. Your email activity, including when you open messages and the links you select, is frequently monitored. Furthermore, major online platforms, such as Facebook and Amazon, employ techniques to monitor your browsing habits across numerous websites.

However, this situation isn't unavoidable. We have evaluated six browser extensions that can significantly enhance your online privacy by preventing the majority of hidden advertisements and tracking mechanisms from functioning.

While these extensions won't eliminate all forms of online tracking, they will substantially decrease your vulnerability to most attempts to monitor your internet usage. You may not be concerned about advertisers compiling data on your preferences to deliver personalized advertisements. However, you might object to these same companies gaining insight into your health-related searches or your confidential buying decisions.

By preventing these concealed trackers from operating, websites are limited in the amount of data they can accumulate about you. Additionally, reducing this unnecessary data load can lead to quicker website loading times. It’s worth noting that some websites may experience loading issues or restrict access if tracking is blocked. You can easily enable or disable these extensions as required, or consider whether the website’s value justifies allowing tracking, and explore alternative sources for the information you need.

HTTPS Everywhere

Most internet users instinctively check for the small green padlock icon in their browser, signifying a secure HTTPS-encrypted connection. This indicates that the website hasn't been tampered with during loading and that any data you send to it remains private, visible only to the intended recipient. HTTPS Everywhere is a browser extension developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to digital rights, which automatically attempts to connect to websites using HTTPS whenever available. It also provides the option to prevent access to sites that do not offer a secure HTTPS connection. This extension functions across a wide range of popular browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera.

Privacy Badger

Created by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy Badger stands out as a highly effective, comprehensive extension designed to prevent surreptitious third-party tracking across the internet. This tool examines every element on a webpage, identifying those that monitor your browsing activity as you move between sites, and subsequently prevents their loading within your browser. Privacy Badger continuously improves its performance through ongoing learning as you use the web. Notably, it functions automatically with no required setup or adjustments – simply install and allow it to operate. The extension is compatible with the most commonly used web browsers.

uBlock Origin

While advertising contributes to the accessibility of the internet, it frequently compromises your privacy. Advertisements attempt to gather extensive data about your online behavior – typically by monitoring your browsing history and tracking you across different websites – in order to deliver advertisements more likely to capture your attention. Ad blocking software prevents this by halting the loading of advertisements, as well as the accompanying tracking mechanisms.

uBlock Origin is a highly efficient, straightforward, and broadly recognized ad blocker utilized by a vast number of users. It also provides a significant degree of detailed control and personalization options for those with more technical expertise. (Exercise caution regarding imitations: numerous ad blockers with comparable names do not possess the same level of trustworthiness.) If you wish to support the websites that depend on advertising revenue (including this one!), a direct subscription is a viable alternative. Ultimately, the advertising-supported model that relies on tracking user data is a primary factor in current privacy concerns.

uBlock Origin is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers, and its source code is publicly available for review, ensuring transparency.

PixelBlock and ClearURLs

The issue of concealed tracking mechanisms on websites is well-known, but many are unaware of similar practices within email communications. A significant number of emails originating from businesses incorporate minuscule, frequently imperceptible pixels designed to notify the sender upon email opening. PixelBlock is a straightforward extension designed for Chrome web browsers that effectively prevents these concealed email open trackers from functioning. Upon identifying a tracker, the extension visually indicates its presence with a small red eye icon within your inbox.

Many of the same emails also contain tracked links, which inform the sender about the specific links you select. ClearURLs, compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers, operates within your browser to discreetly eliminate tracking elements from all links, both within your browser and in your email inbox. Consequently, ClearURLs requires a greater level of access to your browser's data compared to many extensions; however, the developers provide a detailed explanation for this requirement in their documentation.

Firefox Multi-Account Containers

For those who use the Firefox web browser, Multi-Account Containers offer a useful feature developed directly by the browser’s creators to assist in separating your online activities. This functionality allows you to dedicate specific browser tabs to different purposes – for instance, keeping all work-related tabs in one container and personal tabs in another – eliminating the need to switch between multiple browser applications. These containers also ensure your personal browsing remains distinct from your professional online behavior. Furthermore, placing websites such as Facebook or Google within a container significantly limits their ability to track your website visits and analyze your preferences.

The containers are designed to be user-friendly and offer a high degree of personalization.