Here’s how you can stop websites from monitoring your personal data

With the help of default setting of the browser, websites are able to track users' devices and access their information. They can collect our sensitive information which if gone into the wrong hands can be exploited for spiteful purposes.

Hyderabad: The internet is an essential part of our daily lives. Every time you surf something on Google Chrome, it is possible for different sites to collect your personal data.

With the help of default setting of the browser, websites are able to track users’ devices and access their information. They can collect our sensitive information which if gone into the wrong hands can be exploited for spiteful purposes.

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However, to save your data, Google has come up with a new feature ‘Do Not Track.’ This feature will change your default setting and prevent the search engine from accessing user information in order to track devices.

The ‘Do Not Track’ option is available for both desktop and smartphone users.

How to send a ‘Do not track’ request from a desktop:

Step 1: Open Chrome Web Browser on your desktop computer.

Step 2: Click on the three-dot menu option present at the extreme top right-hand side.

Step 3: Clicking this will open the drop-down menu. From it, select the Setting option.

Step 4: In this menu, on the left-hand panel, you will find the Privacy and security setting. Click that and inside it, tap on the Cookies and other site data button.

Step 5: Turn on the switch to send a ‘Do not track’ appeal to your browsing traffic.

How to send a “Do not track” request from a Smartphone:

Step 1: To apply this feature to your Android smartphone, open the Chrome application on the device.

Step 2: Here, in this too, you will see the similar three-dot menu present at the right corner of the screen display.

Step 3: Tap it and go to the Setting option.

Step4: In the option, find and select the Basics tab. In that, tap the privacy and security button.

Step 5: Click on the ‘Do not track’ option and switch the setting on.

Those using iPhones or iPads cannot use this option as this feature is currently not available for these devices.

What happens to your data depends on how a website responds to the request. Your browsing data will still be collected and used by several websites to enhance security, offer content, services, advertisements, and suggestions on their websites, as well as to produce reporting statistics, Google informs in a blog post.

Ruchi Rai Sohni