Online chatting might disclose personal information
- Privacy
Overview
Online chatting is a convenient way to communicate with people from different regions and backgrounds. However, you may not know that your online chatting may also expose your personal information , such as your name, age, gender, interests, location, contact information, etc. These pieces of information may be collected, stored, or utilized by your chat partner, chat application, browser, or other third parties, exposing you to various risks.
Contents
Only provide necessary information
Use chatting applications with end-to-end encryption
Install privacy-focused extensions on your browser to block trackers and cookies
Use MetroVPN to protect IP address and location
Use pseudonyms or aliases
When chatting online, you may be asked to provide your real name or nickname. If you use your real name, you may expose your identity, allowing others to easily find your other information, such as your social media accounts, workplace, home address, etc. These pieces of information may be used by bad actors to harass, scam, or threaten you.
To avoid this risk, you can use pseudonyms or aliases instead of your real name. A pseudonym or alias is a fictional name that allows you to remain anonymous when chatting online, without letting others know your true identity. You can choose a pseudonym or alias based on your preferences, such as a favorite movie character, book character, animal, color, etc.
Avoid using real photos
In online chatting, you may be asked or want to upload a personal profile picture so that others can see what you look like. However, doing so may expose your real identity, making you a target for online harassment or identity theft. Therefore, to maintain anonymity, you should avoid using your own real photo as a personal profile picture.
Only provide necessary information
When chatting online, we may inadvertently reveal some personal information, such as name, age, gender, occupation, hobbies, family situation, etc. These pieces of information may be used by bad actors to harass, defraud, or harm us. Therefore, we should be careful to only provide necessary information and not divulge too many details .
Use chatting applications with end-to-end encryption
When chatting online, your messages may be intercepted and viewed by your chat application, your internet service provider, or other third parties. This means that your private conversations may be leaked or used for ad targeting, monitoring, or extortion. To prevent this from happening, you should use some chatting applications that use end-to-end encryption (E2EE) , such as Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, etc. These applications can ensure that only you and your chat partner can see the content of the messages, and no one else can decipher or tamper with them. By using these applications, you can chat online more confidently and securely.
When chatting online, you may not know that many websites and services will install trackers and cookies on your browser to collect your browsing history, preferences, location, and other information. This information may be used to show you customized ads, influence your search results, or even disclose it to third parties. If you want to protect your privacy, you should install some privacy-focused extensions on your browser that can help you block or delete these trackers and cookies.
Use MetroVPN to protect IP address and location
In online chatting, your IP address and location may be discovered by the application you are using or the site you are accessing, which may expose your real identity and location. If you want to remain anonymous when chatting online, you need to use a VPN to hide your IP address and location. If you want a fast, secure, reliable, and easy-to-use VPN service, we strongly recommend using MetroVPN .
MetroVPN is an excellent VPN service with the following features:
① Global servers
MetroVPN has deployed servers in multiple countries/regions, allowing you to connect to any country or region anytime, anywhere.
② Ultra-fast speed
MetroVPN provides super-fast upload and download speeds, allowing you to smoothly watch videos, play games, work, and study.
③ Strict no-logs policy
MetroVPN adopts a strict no-logs policy, ensuring that it does not record or store any of your browsing data and activities.
④ Multi-platform
MetroVPN supports up to 5 devices connecting simultaneously, including Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android platforms.
⑤ 30-day money-back guarantee
MetroVPN provides a 30-day refund guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the service, you can apply for a refund at any time.
⑥ 24/7 support
MetroVPN provides 24/7 customer support. If you encounter any problems, you can contact them at any time.
