Clear Browser History to Protect Your Privacy

Every time you visit a website, your internet browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.), saves a copy of every page that you visit. This list of web pages – and associated data like title page as well as time and date of visit – forms your Web Browsing History. The web browser software does this so you can easily go back to the websites you’ve visited over a period of time, without having to remember or write down the URL (web address). It’s also what allows you to use the back (←) and forward (→) buttons on your toolbar when you’re going back and forth between web pages during an extended internet session. Incognito, or private browsing, disables browsing history, web cache, and cookies on your device, which means you won’t be able to see a list of the websites you’ve visited once you close your Incognito or Private window. It has the added benefit of preventing accidental saving of login credentials and other personal information, which is significant when you’re on a shared or public computer. It will also give you “pure” search results, as your current search won’t be influenced by previous browsing history, cookies, social media, friends’ recommendations, etc. So, next time you’re doing multiple searches for airline tickets or hotel rooms within a short period of time, browse in private mode. But you need to keep one thing in mind. It’s important to note that private or incognito browsing is not the same as secure browsing – it doesn’t hide your IP address . There have also been numerous studies and research in the past that proved it’s still possible to identify pages you’ve visited through various means, such as through browser extensions, local DNS cache, or downloaded/installed SSL certificates. You don,t have to be a sneaky person, hiding things from your spouse, parents, friend-or even your employer-if you want to delete your web page footprints. And while your browser is not publicly published anywhere, there may be other instances when you want to stay private: The battery on your device/s might be running low, or maybe it’s just convenient to use someone else’s computer to quickly look up a website or your email. Whatever the reason, the last thing you’d want is for that computer to keep a copy of the websites you’ve visited or remember your login credentials…for the next person on the computer to use. Who doesn’t visit multiple web pages a day? When a website places a cookie on your computer, oftentimes part of what it does is track your history to see what you’re interested in. That’s why it’s not a coincidence when you look up an article about France and then see an ad for Air France follow you around different websites. Web browsers save cookies as files to your hard drive. They’re small files, but over time they accumulate. This makes your web browser use more computing power to properly load saved web pages, which means your browser sessions will likely get slower and slower. There are times where we choose (or need) to change our passwords. Deleting cookies and creating a new one with the updated login credentials may enable a website to successfully authenticate you. Perhaps deleting your browsing history and clearing your cookies would get you in more trouble with your wife or employer, but just tell them you’re a wise and safe internet user.