If you are using an Android phone that is pretty much stock standard but you really want to reduce the amount of data you’re sharing with companies like Google and Facebook. This article will take you through all the basic things you need to do to start browsing the Internet far more discreetly and without sharing so much data.
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Related: How to disable the sign in with Google and Move to Google options in Google Chrome.
Most people who browse the Internet on mobile devices don’t really think much about the data they are sharing with Google, Facebook, and all the other apps and third parties they have given access to on their devices. Simply accepting the default settings on your brand new Android device and allowing every app to do whatever they ask is one of the quickest ways to surrender your online privacy to cooperations.
Although a lot of people never think twice about it, there are quite a few ways you can hide, mislead and randomise your identity when you are using the Internet and apps on your devices. There are quite a few steps involved in this but they all come together to give you a far more private online experience.
Mobile Internet browsers that offer privacy over everything else (2021)
The first and easiest thing you can do to reduce the amount of data you are sharing with companies like Google and Facebook is to switch your Internet browser. Stop using Google Chrome! This may sound like a tough task but it’s way easier than you think. Chrome used to be the most featured browser on the market but that’s no longer the case. Most other browsers have caught up and offer far faster, privacy-friendly, feature-rich experiences. So what mobile browser should you be using in 2021?
Brave Browser.
If you want to stick to the Chromium interface and layout, Brave is the best option for you and offers a lot of good privacy options along with full PC sync support so you can share everything between your phone and pc. Brave will also pay you for ad content interactions so are rewarded for certain ad interactions you may making during browsing. To get the most out of Brave it’s best to switch on Android and PC.
Mozilla Firefox.
Firefox is another exceptional mobile browser alternative to Google Chrome and is at the forefront of user privacy. Firefox on Android also has full extension support so you can download all your favourite extensions and use them on your Android device. This is something no other mobile browser offer! Again Firefox offers full PC to mobile sync which is a must if you like to switch between devices on the fly. I personally use Firefox on all my devices and have for more than a decade now.
Mozilla Firefox Focus.
Firefox Focus is basically normal Firefox slimmed down and boosted for privacy, so much so that it a lot of basic features have been removed and dropped for the sake of privacy. Putting it simply Firefox focus is basically a browser stuck in incognito or private browsing mode. It won’t even let you use a custom keyboard.
Change the Search Engine you are using. Don’t use Google.
Now that you have switched browsers, the next important change is to switch the search engine you are using. Again, everyone else has caught up so Google isn’t as far ahead of the game anymore. I switched a few years ago and probably only use Google once or twice a month. Below I’ve listed the two best privacy options and a third that you may want to check out that helps plant trees using search funds. Depending on what I’m searching for, I rotate between these three, with a preference for Ecosia. I figure the environment needs all the help it can get at the moment.
Brave Search
DuckDuckGo
Ecosia
Start using a VPN on your Android device to improve your Privacy (2021)
Once you have switched browsers and your search engine, the next best thing to do is use a VPN on your device. Although there are free VPN providers you will want to avoid them and use a paid service. Free providers usually store or onsell your data defeating the privacy purpose of them. We’ve got a truckload of VPN guides listed here that show you just about everything you need to know about them.
Clear your Google Advertising ID & Delete your Google account activity from time to time. (2021)
One last important thing you need to do in order to keep things as private as possible is to clear your Google account activity data from time to time. This makes your profile less accurate and harder to profile you. Below are two guides you can follow that will take you through two different yet important data clearing processes.
How to Make Google Automatically Delete Your Activity and Location Data Periodically.
How to reset/clear your Android ads ID.
