Some recent posts in other threads in alt.home.repair indicate that
there is some lack of awareness of the need for browser extensions and
applications to manage privacy.

Especially evident is that many people never change the default privacy
settings on sites like LinkedIn and Facebook leading them to believe
that these sites should be avoided. The reality is that the default
settings for just about every social media application are designed to
maximize revenue for the owner. But fixing this only takes a couple of
minutes. The site owners are counting on users being lazy and clueless
and they are thrilled that this describes most of their users! There are
also simple steps you can take to block tracking on all sites and to
prevent redirection to malware sites.

Here is what I do. If I have missed anything, or anyone has other
suggestions, please post them.

1. Install Adblock Plus: https://adblockplus.org/. This blocks most
ads but some ads are deeply embedded. For Android devices you have to
sideload it because Google's Play Store has banned it, see
https://adblockplus.org/en/android-install. For iOS devices see
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adblock-browser-for-idevices/id537774578?mt=8

2. Modify your Hosts file with the text file at
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt. This prevents browsers from
being able to navigate to spam and tracking sites. Many links in web
sites are not as they appear and rather than navigating directly to the
site that is shown they first go to a tracking site like Google Ad
Services. With a proper Hosts file you'll get a "Server Not Found"
message. The method for modifying the Hosts file is different for
Windows, OS-X, and Linux systems. See
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm for instructions.

3. Block tracking with Ghostery https://www.ghostery.com/en/ and
Disconnect https://disconnect.me/disconnect. For mobile devices use
Disconnect Mobile https://disconnect.me/mobile/disconnect-malvertising
also called "Disconnect malvertising. Google banned it from the Play
Store so it needs to be sideloaded. blocks malicious ads that track your
activities, blocks malware disguised as ads, and offers protection
against suspected malware sites.

4. Install Malwarebytes. The free version is fine, but the automated
periodic scanning of the paid version is nice.

5. Install Avast Free or Microsoft Security Essentials; avoid McAfee and
Norton at all costs.

6. If you use Facebook, install FB Purity, http://www.fbpurity.com/.
"F.B. (Fluff Busting) Purity is a Facebook customizing browser
extension. It alters your view of Facebook to show only relevant
information to you. It lets you remove the annoying and irrelevant
stories from your newsfeed such as game and application spam, ads and
sponsored stories. It also hides the boxes you don't want to see on each
side of the newsfeed."

7. Be extremely careful when installing any freeware to not accept the
default installation which will often try to install malware like the
Ask Toolbar and McAfee, and will try to change your search engine.

8. Ensure that Norton and McAfee are completely removed from your
system. Even after you uninstall it there can be bits and pieces that
remain. See
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/completely-remove-norton-mcafee-computer/

9. Carefully select privacy settings in social media sites like Facebook
and LinkedIn. The defaults are NOT why you want! Use the following guides:

a) Facebook:
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/best-practices/facebook.aspx.
Remember to install FB Purity.

b) LinkedIn:

Privacy & Settings
------------------
€¢ Turn off Activity Broadcasts
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Manage Turn
on/off your activity broadcasts uncheck box Save changes

€¢ Specify who can see your Activity Feed. It should not be
"Everyone" it should be only "Your network or "Your connections."
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Manage
Select who can see your activity feed choose "Your connections" or
"Your network" Save changes

€¢ Turn off notifying others when you've looked at their profile.
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Manage
Select what others see when you've viewed their profile select
"Totally anonymous" Save changes

€¢ Select who can see your connections
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Manage
Select who can see your connections choose "Your connections" Save
changes (there's not much point on being on LinkedIn if you choose "Only
you"

€¢ Choose who can follow your updates
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Manage
Choose who can follow your updates choose "Your connections" Save
changes

€¢ Turn off cookie tracking
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Account
Manage Advertising Preferences Manage Uncheck Box Save changes


Communications
--------------
€¢ Turn off Partner e-mail
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Account
Communications Turn on/off partner InMail Uncheck Both Boxes Save
changes

€¢ Select the types of messages you're willing to receive
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Account
Communications Select the types of messages you're willing to receive
Make appropriate choices for you Save changes

€¢ Turn off invitations to participate in research.
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Account
Communications Turn on/off invitations to participate in research
Uncheck Box Save changes

€¢ Set push notification settings
Account & Settings Privacy & Settings Account
Communications Set push notification settings Make appropriate
choices for you Save changes