Take back control of your personal information.
Online Privacy is a focused, practical guide to protecting your identity, data, and digital footprint across the internet. From social media settings to browser tracking, from search engine alternatives to encrypted messaging, this book shows you exactly what to change and why — without requiring you to become a privacy extremist or abandon the services you rely on.
What This Book Covers
- Understanding Your Digital Footprint — What data you leave behind, who collects it, and why it matters
- Search Engine Privacy — Private alternatives to Google, search tracking, and minimizing query logs
- Browser Privacy — Settings, extensions, and configurations that stop trackers and fingerprinting
- Social Media Privacy — Platform-specific guides to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and TikTok
- Email Privacy — Encrypted email options, provider choices, and minimizing metadata exposure
- Messaging and Calls — Secure messaging apps, encrypted video calls, and avoiding surveillance
- Location Tracking — How your phone reports your location and how to control it
- Shopping and Financial Privacy — Payment methods, purchase tracking, and minimizing commercial surveillance
- Building a Privacy Plan — Prioritizing changes based on your threat model and comfort level
Who This Book Is For
- Anyone concerned about how much of their life is tracked and sold online
- Professionals who need to protect client confidentiality
- Journalists, activists, and anyone at heightened risk of surveillance
- Parents wanting to model and teach privacy-respecting behavior
- Anyone who wants practical privacy without extreme measures
What Makes This Book Different
- Practical and balanced — Recommends realistic changes, not paranoid overhauls
- Platform-specific — Step-by-step instructions for the services you actually use
- Companion app included — Smart Tech Coach app provides privacy checklists and guides
- Threat-model aware — Different advice for different levels of privacy need
- Up-to-date — Covers current platforms, settings, and tools as of publication
Release Status
This book is currently in development. This page will be updated with the cover, table of contents, and purchase links once it is available.
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Related Titles
Other titles in the Smart Tech for Real People series:
- Privacy & Cybersecurity — Broader security guide covering devices, networks, and accounts
- Family Internet Safety — Protecting children and managing shared home internet
- Self-Hosting — Take full control by running your own services
See the full Smart Tech for Real People series →
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Want to know when this book is released? Contact us and mention Smart Tech to get notified about Online Privacy and other titles in the series.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Privacy
Do I need to be completely invisible to have privacy?
No. Absolute anonymity is neither necessary nor practical for most people. Effective privacy means controlling what data you share, understanding who can see it, and making informed choices about trade-offs. This book focuses on realistic, proportionate steps that meaningfully reduce tracking and data collection without requiring you to live off the grid or abandon useful services.
Why do ads follow me around the internet after I shop for one thing?
This happens through a combination of cookies, tracking pixels, and data brokers that share information about your browsing habits across websites. When you view a product, advertisers place a marker on your browser and bid to show you related ads on other sites you visit. The book explains exactly how this tracking ecosystem works and provides step-by-step instructions for reducing it without breaking the websites you use.
Do I really need a VPN?
A VPN is useful in specific situations — using public Wi-Fi, accessing geo-restricted content, or hiding your browsing from your ISP — but it is not a universal privacy solution. It does not make you anonymous, protect you from malware, or stop tracking by websites and advertisers. The book provides an honest assessment of what VPNs actually do and do not do, helping you decide whether one is worth the cost for your specific needs.
What is the difference between private browsing and real privacy?
Private browsing mode (Incognito, InPrivate) only prevents your browser from saving history, cookies, and form data on your local device. It does not hide your activity from websites, your ISP, your employer, or anyone monitoring the network. Real privacy requires additional tools and habits that the book covers in detail, including privacy-focused browsers, search engines, and tracker blockers.
How do I switch to a privacy-first search engine without weaker results?
Privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, and Startpage have improved dramatically and now deliver results comparable to Google for most queries. The book explains how to set one as your default, when you might still want to use Google for specific searches, and how to compare results side by side during your transition period.