Most people choose and use one browser for all Web activities. Even though it’s convenient, it makes it easier for you to be tracked and identified. Using one browser allows organizations to follow you from site to site and get your personal information from websites you are logged into when you browse to other sites. A security practice that is becoming more widespread for people who are concerned about privacy is using browser compartmentalization.
What Is Browser Compartmentalization?
When you use browser compartmentalization, you use different browsers for different activities, and you are strict about following your rules for when to use which browser. Using separate browsers for separate activities will stop companies from tracking information between sites with different identifying information. Tracking cookies cannot follow between different browsers. To compartmentalize, you need to download at least two different browsers. One of them will be your “Login Only” browser, and the other will be your “Browsing” browser. The “Login Only” browser is the one you use to log in to sites. These sites will know your name and other data that you have provided. Tech companies can’t combine this data with any information that could be acquired while you are just surfing the Web. All that information about what you search for and where you browse the Internet will be on your “Browsing” browser. The “Browsing” browser is the one you will use to surf the Web. Make sure you use a browser with a focus on privacy. You may also want to install adblocker, use incognito mode, or any other privacy extensions to make sure your browsing data is not being tracked. In the worst case, while your search and browsing history might be tracked, the sites won’t be able to associate them to you since you are not signed in. You can use even more than two browsers if you want to divide your browsing activities into more categories. For example, using Google Chrome to access all Google services, Firefox for Facebook, and Brave for browsing.
Why Incognito Isn’t Enough
Incognito browsing mode gives a false sense of security. It only prevents data from being saved on your computer (after you close it). It doesn’t protect you from being tracked. Websites, like Facebook, can still track you if you are logged in on one tab and browsing on another tab.
Why Should I Use Compartmentalization?
Beside the fact that the companies can track you across browser tabs, whether you are in incognito mode or not, compartmentalization allows you to use a privacy blocker on sites you surf without losing the functionality of websites requiring a login. By splitting up your Web activity, you get privacy and anonymity without sacrificing convenience or risking your information. If you try browser compartmentalization, you need to be strict about keeping the two browsers dedicated to their particular use. This will significantly reduce the amount of data that is gathered about and attributed to you.
