10 Resolutions to Protect Your Privacy in 2022

It doesn't have to be that hard to protect your privacy, but it does require some effort...

Privacy 2022 resolutions

We’re in the New Year and this year “it’s going to be different.” We are here to help you better protect your privacy in 2022 so that no one can easily follow you online. It’s your life and your privacy, and you shouldn’t give it away without a fight.

Here’s our suggestion for 2022’s cybersecurity resolutions:

1. Use a privacy-focused browser

Instead of using Google’s Chrome or Microsoft’s Edge, get a more privacy-focused web browser like Epic or Brave. Heck, even Firefox, Safari and Opera are much better solutions as they will not track you down across the web.

Alternatively, you may want to install a browser extension that achieves the same thing, protecting you from third-party cookies that track your behavior online.

And for those looking for a hard-core solution, there’s Tor Browser, which will route all your web traffic across multiple nodes before delivering the page back to you. Alas, this process may slow down your web browsing experience.

2. Use a privacy-friendly search engine

Here too you want to avoid using services provided by Google and Microsoft (Bing), and instead use a search engine like DuckDuckGo, Qwant, StartPage, or the newly launched You.com.

Unlike Google which will store your search queries on its servers — and later combine them with other information it has on you (and that could be a lot) to serve you personalized ads — the search engines mentioned above don’t care about that. Instead, they will always serve you with “fresh results” that are by no means affected by your previous searches.

3. Use a secure messaging app

WhatsApp and Snapchat may be the most popular messaging apps out there, but these two may not be the most secure options. WhatsApp does come with solid encryption but as far as we know, what you chat about could be used against you — allowing Facebook to further build your digital profile (so it could later serve you with more ads).

The alternative is to use messaging apps such as Signal and Telegram, which come with an end-to-end encryption and have even been blocked in a few high-censorship countries around the world. That speaks volume, as far as we’re concerned.

4. Use an open-source map app

What applies to search engines and web browsers, also applies to mapping apps. So, again don’t go for Google and Bing maps, and instead try OpenStreetMap (OSM), which is a “free, editable map of the whole world.”

As an open-source project, OpenStreetMap is accessible from a few different apps such as OsmAnd — a mobile navigation tool that provides pretty much all the bells and whistles Google Maps does. These include traffic information, public transport details, cycling routes as well as operating hours of shops and restaurants.

5. Get a secure email

Gmail is not the only game in town as there are many similar solutions out there. Not all of them are super-secure, though.

For the best security, you’ll want to sign-up for a service like CounterMail, ProtonMail, and Mailfence. These solutions offer an end-to-end encryption and tend to be available in free and paid tiers, with the latter (obviously) offering more storage and some extra features.

6. Use strong passwords and a password manager

When it comes to choosing strong passwords, there is a simple rule of thumb – if you can remember it, it’s not strong enough. And you shouldn’t be remembering all of them.

Instead, you should just remember a single password for your password manager that will “take care” of all your password needs. This means generating random, impossible to remember passwords on demand and storing all of them on a secure server.

Additionally, whenever possible use a multi-factor authentication to give your accounts an extra layer of security. This is especially important for your online banking, email and social media accounts.

7. Keep your devices up to date

Keeping your apps and devices updated is arguably the easiest way to keep your data safe and secure. That is also common sense, but unfortunately – it’s seldom common practice.

So even if your device doesn’t prompt you to update, feel free to manually check for the latest firmware version every now and then. And do the same with all apps running on all your devices – your computer, phone and tablet.

This way, you can prevent so-called zero-day exploits that could potentially let hackers get ahold of your personal information.

8. Go easy on social media

Google and Facebook, as well as any other services that make money from tracking users, love when you say “hello” from some location. They immediately log that information onto their servers and try to show you similar locations “you may like.” The more you share, the better they get to know you. And while this could help you discover some new and cool locations, you are also giving away your privacy in return.

We don’t like that and rather opt to share less rather than more. Social media was designed to help you keep in touch with friends you don’t see often and that has little to do with your favorite bars and restaurants.

So before you decide to share something, think about how that information could be used against you. Cause chances are – it will be used against you.

9. Use HTTPS Everywhere

Most sites today use HTTPS rather than HTTP, but “most” is not “all.” Also, some sites are available in both HTTP and HTTPS “versions,” and with EFF’s HTTPS Everywhere extension you always get to access their secure “flavor.”

If you still don’t know, HTTPS means the connection between your device and the server is encrypted so that no one can intercept your traffic and potentially get ahold of your personal information.

The easiest way to know that you’re on a secure website is to look at the browser (URL) bar and search for the lock icon. If it’s there, you’re good to go.

10. Get a VPN

Installing a VPN app is the easiest way to protect your privacy on the Internet. A good VPN will encrypt all data — not just in a web browser but in other apps as well — that is traveling between your device(s) and the rest of the Internet. Also, a good VPN will have (VPN) servers placed across the world, allowing you to easily pick and choose your virtual location to bypass various restrictions that could stand on your way.

If you still don’t have a VPN, make sure to visit our page with Best of the Best VPNs and find the one that suits your needs. For what it matters, all services on that page have been field-tested for years and won’t let you down no matter what you throw at them. So go head, get yourself a VPN and join our tribe. 😉