My Science School

The mention of the word “bookmark” brings to mind colourful designs. The bookmark offers a sense of comfort to those who find it difficult to trace the pages of the book they are reading. However, just as a bookmark lets you mark a page in a book, the feature lets you do the same online.

What is a bookmark?

Bookmarks are a feature offered by web browsers to pin webpages. While a physical bookmark lets you mark just one page of the book, the online feature enables you to pin several webpages.

You can bookmark as many webpages as you like and organise them into folders. However, a bookmark only stores the URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Meaning you can access a bookmarked page only when you are online. Besides, the contents of the bookmarked webpage can change.

Apart from saving and organising bookmarks, one can also export them.

How to bookmark pages and organise them

Bookmarking pages is a simple process. In most web browsers, next to the URL of the webpage, you can find a star icon. Just clicking on it will bookmark the page for you. Alternatively, you can visit the settings tab in your browser, select the bookmarks option and add the bookmark, or you could use the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl+D.

Once you have bookmarked a page, you can find it in the settings under bookmarks.

To remove a page from the bookmarks, go back to the setting and delete it from the bookmarks manager under bookmarks.

To organise your bookmarks, go to the bookmarks manager. Once there, you can choose the option to add a folder and name it as per your liking. The, drag and drop your bookmarks into it.

Meanwhile, when bookmarking a page, you can choose to save the bookmark in the folder of your choice.

Browsers also offer the option of exporting all your bookmarks to the computer. This option is available in the bookmarks manager.

What are the benefits?

Bookmarks can offer you quick access to the webpages you frequently visit. It can also serve as a memory bank that allows you to revisit a webpage you once liked.

Mostly, bookmarking sites can be beneficial when it comes to project work. Imagine you are working on a science project and visiting webpages that have relevant content. Instead of remembering the pages, you can create a folder in the bookmarks and add all the pages to it. This way, the next time you login, you can view all the pages easily from the bookmarks.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Check your privacy setting

All social media sites have privacy settings. This can be found in your profile tab. By default, most settings are set to public, meaning anyone using the Internet can view what you post. But you can restrict this to just your friends by altering the settings. It is advisable to do so, as there are several people online waiting to prey on your data.

Use apps and messengers with end-to-end-encryption

When you use messaging services such as WhatsApp, you can notice a message which says your chats are end-to-end encrypted. This is a system of communication where only the users who are engaged in a chat can read the messages. What you share with each other cannot be preyed on by telecom companies or other providers waiting to use your data for targeted advertisements.

Hence, check for services and apps that have end-to-end encryption to maintain your privacy.

Don’t let websites track you

Certain web services and browsers allow websites to view and use information that your browser can reveal about your behavior. But the good news is that there are search engines and browsers available online for free that do not let websites track your data. Look for these and use them.

Don’t reveal personal data

If you don’t want random people calling, messaging or landing up at your door, keep your personal data private. Don’t reveal sensitive information online, even if your privacy settings are set to the maximum. Remember, your privacy is in your hands.

Antivirus to the rescue

An antivirus software is your best friend when it comes to privacy. It keeps hackers and data-preying sites and services at bay and ensures protection for your data and your system. So, remember to invest in a good one.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Data, in any form, has become one of the most valuable things in the online world. Many websites thrive on the data of their users, using it to make their browsing experience better, while also selling it to third-party websites for targeted advertisements. More websites do these with the help of cookies. Cookies are small pieces of data sent by a website to your browser which stores it on your computer. The next time you visit the website, it uses these cookies to enhance your browsing experience. This is done using first-party cookies. However, there is another type of cookies called third-party cookies. These cookies are created by sites other than the one you are visiting. These third parties can insert additional tracking methods to record what you do online. While cookies in themselves are not harmful, it can annoy some users when it comes to targeted ads. If you are one among such users, here are a few ways in which you can prevent websites from tracking you.

Adjust browser settings

Whether you are using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, all browsers have settings that offer you the choice to block cookies. First, delete the cookies your browser has stored so far. You can do this by visiting the history settings on your browser. Once you are done with that, you can go to your privacy and security settings to disable third-party cookies.

There is also an option called ‘Do not track’ on most browser settings. In this, the browser requests a website not to track using cookies; however, the website might not heed the request as it is not mandatory for websites to abide by the ‘Do not track’ rule.

Use Incognito mode

Today, almost all browsers allow you to browse in private/incognito mode. When you browse in this mode, there is no history of the sites you have visited and a website cannot track you unless you voluntarily provide your data.

In Google Chrome, pressing Ctrl+Shift+N opens the browser in incognito mode, while in Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer, Ctrl+Shift+P opens the private window.

Use add-ons to block trackers

Most browsers provide add-ons or extensions that let you customize your browsing experience. Ad blockers are one such. Most ad blockers block advertisements on a website and also prevent third parties from tracking you, unless you choose to give out data.

However, remember that certain websites will not allow you to access their content unless you turn off ad blocker or give them permission to disable ad blocker on their site.

Ensure mobile data is secure

Most of us browse the web from our smartphones as well. However, browser settings adopted on the computer do not hold good for smartphones. You will have to go to your smartphone settings and customize it again.

Remember that browsers on the smartphones also offer private browsing. So, whenever possible, choose to use it.

 

Picture Credit : Google