Websites have the ability to track your online activity, even if you don’t realize it. Whenever you use the Internet, you leave a record of the websites you visit, along with each and every thing you click. To track this information, many websites save a small piece of data—known as a cookie—to your web browser.
Cookies are small text files that store information about your online activity. They can be used to remember your login information, store your preferences, or track your browsing activity. Websites use cookies to remember your settings and preferences, such as language or font size. They can also be used to track your browsing activity, such as which pages you’ve visited and what links you’ve clicked.
In addition to cookies, many websites can use your user accounts to track browsing activity. If you have an account with a website, it can track your activity even if you’re not logged in. For example, if you’ve ever logged into a website with your Google or Facebook account, the website can track your activity even if you’re not logged in.
Websites can also track your activity using third-party services, such as Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel. These services allow websites to track your activity across multiple websites, even if you’re not logged in.
The good news is that you can take steps to protect your privacy online. You can block cookies and other tracking technologies in your web browser, or use a privacy-focused browser like Brave or Firefox. You can also use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your internet traffic and protect your data from being tracked.
Overall, websites have the ability to track your online activity, but you can take steps to protect your privacy. By blocking cookies and using a privacy-focused browser or VPN, you can reduce the amount of data that websites can collect about you.