Digital privacy

One tip for maintaining your digital privacy is to access the internet on a public computer, like at the library, internet cafe, work or at a friends. The UVic library has laptops that you can borrow for free. Other tips:

  • Make sure your phone is password protected and only you know the password.
  • Make sure you're not logged in with your Google account. Settings and history can appear on multiple devices.
  • Clear the cache and history of your internet browser. Then visit a few sites that aren't private.

What to clear?

  • Cache: where your computer stores copies of files you've looked at recently with your web browser
  • History: a single file containing the addresses of the websites you have visited

If someone else (e.g. a partner or parent) has passwords saved on the computer, the browser will forget passwords and the individual may recognize that the settings have been changed. Most browsers allow you to only clear cache and history, while keeping cookies and saved passwords untouched.

Possible risk of clearing your cache and history

Someone may notice the history is cleared and may wonder why. Most browsers (like Chrome) offer options to clear history accumulated during a set amount of time (e.g. the past hour).

How to clear your browser

Chrome

Chrome

Latest PC version

  1. On your PC keyboard, click Control + H.
  2. Click Clear browsing data on the left menu.
  3. Choose to Obliterate the following items from:
    • Select the time frame.
    • Select Browsing history, Download history, Cached images and files at minimum.
    • You may also want to clear Cookies and other site and plugin data and Passwords (unless you're concerned deleting passwords will raise suspicion).

Other versions

  1. Open the Settings by clicking on the icon in the top right corner of the browser.
  2. Select Tools > Clear Browsing data.
  3. Choose the amount of time you'd like to delete and what'd you like to delete.
    • Ensure you remove Browsing history, Download history, Cached images and files at minimum.
    • You may also want to clear Cookies and other site and plugin data and Passwords (unless you're concerned deleting passwords will raise suspicion).

Firefox

Firefox icon

Latest PC version

  1. Copy and paste the following into your URL bar: about:preferences#privacy.
  2. Go to the Privacy tab on the left.
  3. Click on the clear your recent history text.
  4. Choose the amount of time you'd like to delete. Click the Details arrow to specify what you'd like to delete.
    • Ensure you remove Browsing & Download History, Form & Search History and Cache at a minimum.
    • You may also want to clear Cookies.

Internet Explorer

IE icon

Internet Explorer 10

  1. Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner of your browser.
  2. Click on Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, under Browsing history, click on the Delete... button.
  4. Choose what you'd like to delete.
    • Ensure you delete Temporary Internet files and website files, History, Form data and Download History at a minimum.
    • You may also want to delete your Cookies and website data and Passwords (unless you're concerned deleting passwords will raise suspicion).

Safari and iOS (iPhones)

Safari icon

Latest desktop/laptop version

  1. Choose History from the menu bar
  2. To clear all items: Click on Clear History, then click Clear. This option will also clear caches and the list of recent searches, and remove the website icons that appear in the search and address field.
  3. To clear select items: Click on Show History, then select history entries and daily sets of entries, then press Delete.

Latest iPhone version

  1. To visit sites without leaving a history, turn private browsing on or off. While Private Browsing is on, Safari appears black or dark instead of white or gray.
  2. To clear your history and cookies, tap Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Clearing your history, cookies, and browsing data from Safari won't change your AutoFill information. 
  3. To remove other stored information, tap Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data > Remove All Website Data.