I think I'm endangered in Internet :(

[SecureMichael]

This is my 1st post on this Forum - Hello My Name is Michael and I'm from Poland

 

I have a question about security in Internet.

I'm active user of Internet and I have now some anxiety, maybe unjustified, but I have

I'm logged in webbrowser on my Google (Gmail) account (sometimes Facebook) and in this time I use other websites:
This is my Question:
Is my activity on these websites (and names of these websites) saving somewhere on servers: google, facebook or others servers information about me?
It worries me if in the future someone will be able to use information to against me (for example I'm talking with some person (not illegal topic for sure) on website discussion, but
maybe someone think that it can harm me and he/she do it, becouse have some reason - maybe I could be problem for him/her )
Could someone save information which gives him data who I am exactly and what I did in Internet and information about my Computer too?

 

Maybe this is stupid etc but trust me I have problem - I think I have 'Internet depression', which is very bothering for me Please understand me
Could I  use active e-mail, which save this data(about my activity) and could owner of this email server (for example Google, Facebook)  saving this data for ever about me and use it against me when he want?

 

Thank you very much in advance for help, information, which help me

Kind regards, Michael

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

What browser are you using?

 

Your ISP is seeing everything that is going on while online. Heck, it's why you pay for the service.

 

This is why some of us use VPN. To hide that information from prying eyes.

 

I'll let BudMan expand on that...

[Jim K Global Moderator]

Other people will be able to see whatever you post based on your preferences (Facebook).

https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/

 

See Google for how they collect/use data.

https://privacy.google.com/your-data.html

 

I have no idea why Google/Facebook/etc. would ever use the data you provide against you...that is stepping into tin-foil hat territory.  

[Nick H. Supervisor]

To put it simply: Yes, you can be tracked.

 

The Internet is a series of computers that sends data between one another. Any one of those computers could potentially store the data that you transmit, and given enough time someone with that data can say, "oh, it's SecureMichael."

 

VPN (Virtual Private Network) can help insofar as you are trusting someone in particular with your data. But ultimately they will know who you are, and if someone were to turn around and ask them for information about you the VPN service can provide enough information to identify you.

My role in the community here at Neowin allows me to see your IP address. There's nothing that I can do with that information at this time, but it's still information that you are providing. A VPN can mask that, but you need to trust the provider to not pass that information on, just as I am trusted to not release any information I have about you to the public unless I am required to.

 

The question to ask yourself is this: "Why do I need to be that anonymous?"

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

49 minutes ago, SecureMichael said:

This is my 1st post on this Forum - Hello My Name is Michael and I'm from Poland

 

I have a question about security in Internet.

I'm active user of Internet and I have now some anxiety, maybe unjustified, but I have

I'm logged in webbrowser on my Google (Gmail) account (sometimes Facebook) and in this time I use other websites:
This is my Question:
Is my activity on these websites (and names of these websites) saving somewhere on servers: google, facebook or others servers information about me?
It worries me if in the future someone will be able to use information to against me (for example I'm talking with some person (not illegal topic for sure) on website discussion, but
maybe someone think that it can harm me and he/she do it, becouse have some reason - maybe I could be problem for him/her )
Could someone save information which gives him data who I am exactly and what I did in Internet and information about my Computer too?

 

Maybe this is stupid etc but trust me I have problem - I think I have 'Internet depression', which is very bothering for me Please understand me
Could I  use active e-mail, which save this data(about my activity) and could owner of this email server (for example Google, Facebook)  saving this data for ever about me and use it against me when he want?

 

Thank you very much in advance for help, information, which help me

Kind regards, Michael

Hello and welcome!

 

When you sign up for an online service, you are presented with a TOS (terms of service) agreement which you must accept before you can use the service.

 

To avoid any confusion or whatever somebody else may tell you, you should familiarize yourself with it first.

 

It won't be easy to understand it because we don't speak the legal language on a daily basis (unless you've had some experience in this area). Also, keep in mind that legal professionals make it confusing on purpose to make themselves valuable or they'd be out of the job.

 

Anyways, long story short, they (Google, Facebook, etc) do keep records of all your online activity. When you upload something online to them, they keep it forever. If you are browsing the net using Chrome, regardless if you've signed in to your google/gmail account or not, activated account synchronization or not, they do know everything you do.

 

The moment you've signed up, your data has already been sold to 3rd parties for marketing purposes.

 

Your ISP knows everything about you. The intelligence agencies have backdoors to all types of devices on both hardware and software levels.

 

Should it bother you? Probably not.

 

The Internet and privacy don't mix together. Such is the nature of the beast. Your IP is always known.

 

There are steps you can take to minimize your exposure (disable cookies, use your own private email server, private VPN, anonymizers, etc), but you'd be increasing your costs and gimping your experience. imho, it's not worth it.

 

Get an anti-virus, create long and strong passwords, back-up your data, use your best judgement about which sites you visit and to whom you give sensitive information about yourself - and you'll be fine.

 

Cheers!

[Tompkin62]

On 2/17/2018 at 8:31 AM, Nick H. said:

To put it simply: Yes, you can be tracked.

 

The Internet is a series of computers that sends data between one another. Any one of those computers could potentially store the data that you transmit, and given enough time someone with that data can say, "oh, it's SecureMichael."

 

VPN (Virtual Private Network) can help insofar as you are trusting someone in particular with your data. But ultimately they will know who you are, and if someone were to turn around and ask them for information about you the VPN service can provide enough information to identify you.

My role in the community here at Neowin allows me to see your IP address. There's nothing that I can do with that information at this time, but it's still information that you are providing. A VPN can mask that, but you need to trust the provider to not pass that information on, just as I am trusted to not release any information I have about you to the public unless I am required to.

 

The question to ask yourself is this: "Why do I need to be that anonymous?"

Realized my question needed it's own thread. It's called "security strategy question". Sorry for inconvenience.

Edited March 19, 2018 by Tompkin62
reposted elsewhere. need to delete this post.