How to Stay Safe and Secure: Online Privacy Tips for 2025
Gone are the days of using one password and posting your current whereabouts online. Today’s cybercriminals are highly advanced and methodical, making it easy to become a victim of cyber fraud. Following these online privacy tips will help minimize your risk of becoming a victim. Don’t delay! Review your online accounts and follow these helpful tips.
Online Privacy Tips
By practicing and implementing these online privacy tips, you can protect yourself and reduce your chances of fraud or online identity theft.
- Use Strong Passwords – We cannot stress enough the need for strong, unique passwords that combine a variety of letters, symbols and numbers for each online account. To help you keep track of your passwords, we highly recommend one of these password manager programs.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication – When you login to your account, you’ll receive an email or SMS text verification code.
- Regularly Update Software – Always keep your software up-to-date. This includes ensuring your laptop, PC, tablet and phone have the latest software to patch bugs or other vulnerabilities used by hackers.
- Check Privacy Settings – For social media accounts like Meta (Facebook) or Instagram, review your privacy settings regularly and decide if you want your profile and information private or public. Learn more about Meta and Instagram privacy settings.
- Use a VPN – A VPN works by encrypting your internet connection. It then routes your connection through a server. This added layer of protection makes it more difficult for cybercriminals to track your online activity. Check out these top-rated VPN services for 2025.
- Limit Sharing – While posting your current activities and location may be tempting, we recommend avoiding this, as it’s an advertisement for criminals if you are away from home.
- Stop Personalized Ads – We’ve all seen it happen. You search for an item online, and you’re inundated with ads for the same product. We recommend turning off personalized ads to reduce data tracking further. Learn more about turning off personalized ads in Google, on Apple devices, Android devices, Meta and Instagram.
- Use End-to-End Encryption – Always try to use end-to-end encryption for secure messaging. Learn to turn on end-to-end encryption on Apple or Android devices, Meta and Instagram.
- Use Private Web Browsing – Most web browsers offer an option to browse privately, which means the websites you visit aren’t saved in your browser’s history. We recommend regularly deleting temporary internet files, saved passwords and forms, search history and cookies.
- Turn Off GPS – Turn off GPS on your pictures and stop or turn off your location sharing with devices, accounts and apps. Learn more about location tracking.
Home Telecom Offers Internet Security
Home Telecom customers can download Trend Micro for their devices, which will help block online security threats. Additionally, Trend Micro receives a perfect score from PCMag for anti phishing and blocking harmful malware-hosting pages. Learn more about Trend Micro, and don’t delay protecting your online identity.