internet privacy

It can be tough going a day without using Facebook and Google in some capacity. Though we use these sites because they're useful, interactive, and, most importantly, free, that doesn't mean they come without a cost. We "pay" them with our personal data, which is why the settings that keep that information private are often hidden and hard to come by. Privacyfix (free), a new extension for Google Chrome and Firefox, takes the rocket science out of securing your online data by bringing all of those discrete settings together, in one clear place.

The browser app tells you which websites are sharing your data, tells you which are tracking you right now, and displays both Facebook and Google privacy settings in a simple, easy-to-navigate dashboard. Settings that you might want to "fix" are flagged in yellow, and clicking on the "fix" button will take you right to the opt-out page on the appropriate site, where Privacyfix shows you the pros and cons of changing that setting.

Also find out how much Facebook and Google make from ads at your level of online activity and what percentage of your browsing history is tracked. We found out that Facebook tracks over 90 percent of our online activity and Google makes about $830 per year from the ads it shows us!

Let us know what you think of Privacyfix and if you plan on installing this security tool on your browser.

The Internet is all about sharing information — that's why it was created in the first place! — but oftentimes we share details about ourselves without even knowing it, like what sites we visit and how often. Protecting online privacy is important, which is why Mozilla Firefox started an initiative called Do Not Track, a browser feature that prevents advertisers and marketing companies from obtaining data about users' online activities. Internet Explorer, Apple Safari, and Opera have already adopted Do Not Track, and as of this week, Google Chrome is making good on its promise to add the feature by the year's end.

Keep your online browsing history private and find out how to enable Do Not Track in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Opera after the jump.

While most social networks offer enhanced privacy settings, which will allow you to keep your profiles private, there are a handful of things you can do to make your accounts less accessible and susceptible to searches made by your new guy's ex or an old friend you don't want to have to ignore online. Check out these tips on staying private online.

• Create an Alternate Email Address For Account Sign-Up — If you don't want to be found, sign up for your social networking sites — from Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter — with a secondary or alternate email address so when people search for you based on the email in their contact list, they don't find you immediately. This will allow you more control of who can see your profiles. If your accounts are already set up, change the default email to a new one to prevent any new snoops. You may also consider using one email account when you sign up for sites in an effort to keep your social networking organized.
• Disable All GPS/Locator Apps and Settings — Don't want people to know you're tweeting from the coffee shop around the corner from your ex's at 9 a.m., on Sunday? Don't tweet with your location enabled, and don't sign up for Google Latitude, which will allow friends insight into your locale.
• Go Invisible or Block and Group People You Don't Want to Talk To — Don't want to see your boss on Gchat every time you sign on, or don't want your ex's ex to be able to see your Facebook profile? Play with your settings! AIM, Gchat, and any major chat client will allow you to make yourself invisible or block a specific list of people. Check out Facebook's guide to blocking people for support. You can also use friend lists on Facebook to control how much certain or all friends see.

See the rest of the tips after the break.

It seems like Google is getting (more) serious about perceived privacy problems with its service; after announcing last week it planned to simplify privacy policies, Google has reportedly paid $8.5 million in a class-action lawsuit. The suit alleged that the initial configuration of Google Buzz violated user privacy.

For more details on the suit and Google's rocky history with Buzz, keep reading.

After attacks on its privacy polices — from issues with Google Buzz to the creepy anti-Google video put out by Consumer Watchdog — Google says it will simplify its privacy policies to help consumers better understand them. A Google blog post calls many privacy policies "long, complicated, and lawerly," vowing to make its policies "more transparent and understandable."

Get the lowdown on all of the changes after the jump.

As concerns over Internet privacy mount, one anti-Google group has taken its message to the streets — literally. Consumer Watchdog, which recently launched a campaign called "Do Not Track Me," made a video featuring an animated version of Google's CEO Eric Schmidt and is playing it on a Times Square billboard 36 times a day. The group, which alleges that Google has collected too much data via its Street View and Google Buzz features, among others, is asking Congress to limit Google's reach when it comes to gathering and storing personal data.

The video itself is a little creepy; it portrays Schmidt as an ice cream man giving free ice cream to a bunch of unassuming kids, saying things like, "Hey Susie, I bet your daddy doesn't know Mommy's been Googling old boyfriends again." The video's message is clear, and at the end it encourages citizens to contact Congress in support of creating a "Do Not Track Me" list. I support online privacy, but I'm not sure I support these types of scare tactics. Check out the video for yourself after the break.