Periodically, you may be on a computer that’s shared with other people. If you are concerned about sensitive information that might be found in the browser, or simply want to protect your surfing and identity — for example, you may have just visited a banking website on a library or other public computer — we have two quick tips for you that should work with any browser.
Browse anonymously. Most browsers have a surfing option, found in the Tools or menu, that allows you to browse or visit websites without cookies being placed on your computer and without a history of the sites you visit being kept. In Chrome, the option for browsing “incognito” can be found in the Customize button (looks like a wrench). In Internet Explorer, click Tools on the menu, and click InPrivate Browsing. Close the window when you’re done.
Clear browsing history. Web browsers have for some time allowed us to clear parts of our browsing experience. Long before you could browse anonymously, you were able to erase most of your surfing tracks. The ability to do this has become commonplace; and accessible. In most recent versions of Internet Explorer—right up to version 10, which you can only currently experience with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview — simply click Tools on the menu, and then click Delete browsing history. You’ll be shown a dialog box where you can choose what you wish to delete. We suggest you start with History and Cookies, and then decide what else you want to get rid of. Other browsers have similar functions that can be found through a menu, or a wrench or gear icon.
