Safer Internet: Browsing: Manage Storage of Private Data

Summary

[1] Understand When and Where Data is Stored Locally by OS, Apps, Browsers, e.g., site history, download history, cookies, flash cookies, web caches, search, passwords; other data might be stored remotely by ISP or visited sites
[1] Consider Private Browsing to reduce data collected in the first place
[1] Reduce Cookies, esp. from 3rd parties
[1] Minimize Browser AutoFill: Passwords, Credit Cards, Contacts
[2] Reduce Web Site Tracking
[2] Reduce Browser 'Fingerprinting' based on unique system/browser properties
[2] Reduce / Clear Browsing History
[2] Reduce Search History / Suggestions; to reduce remote search history, use a more privacy-oriented search engine, e.g., DuckDuckGo -- see upcoming section Search Privately
[2] Clear Download History
[2] Clear Caches: Pages & Images
[3] Reduce Browser Statistics
References

[1] When: Before, After; Where: OS, Apps, Browsers

Some data can be useful to you: speed, convenience, even necessary, e.g., for logins
Other data could be damaging in the wrong hands
Two strategies (or combo of both) to minimize this data:
Before: prevent data from being stored on your device or on servers in the first place -- settings or private browsing
After: remove stored data later -- manual commands or automatically upon exit from browser / app
[2] System utilities can remove some caches, history, e.g., macOS: Maintenance, Onyx; Win: CCleaner
Android: Settings
iOS: Settings > Notifications, Control Center, Privacy
macOS: System Preferences > Security & Privacy, Sharing, Parental Controls
Win: Control Panel / Settings
Applications that access the internet, e.g., Facebook, Maps, Skype, etc.; also see Email section
for Location, Notifications: Connection: Unnecessary Services section
Browsers -- settings vary; meanings of 'history' and 'web data' may vary
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Privacy, Security
Firefox > Preferences > Privacy, Security
Chrome > Preferences (or address: chrome://settings)
iOS: Settings > Safari
Windows: IE: Control Panel > Internet Options
[3] Some browsers come with pre-sets for more privacy/security settings, e.g., Epic, WhiteHat Aviator

[1] Consider Private Browsing

Typically stored locally & temporarily -- until tab/window closed: cookies; browsing, download, and search histories; form/autofill data; page or image caches
What's stored / hidden / erased may vary by browser; tradeoffs: performance, convenience
Another possible benefit: ability to exceed n-article/month limits on certain paywalled sites.
Potential loopholes: data from plug-ins / extensions; downloaded files still on disk; bookmarks; search engine might store terms on server; cached DNS lookups
Despite 'private/incognito' label, it does not provide anonymity per se -- just more temporary / compartmentalized browser storage; see VPN, anonymous browsing, e.g., Tor
Before (all windows by default)
Possible in some browsers, but not too practical since some sites won't work well; would there still be a way to open a new window in non-private mode?
macOS, iOS: Safari: not avail
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > History > Always Use Private Browsing Mode
[3] Chrome -- involves starting with "-incognito" switch in AppleScript (macOS), Properties (Win) or command line
After (specific new window & tabs)
macOS: Safari > File > New Private Window
macOS: Firefox > File > New Private Window
macOS: Chrome > File > New Incognito Window {Figure 10: TCYOP-4: 91; TCYOP-3: 74}
iOS: Safari > [rects] > Private

[1] Reduce Cookies

Cookies are usually erased by Private Browsing, but some browser settings are useful anyway
Recommended: blocking "3rd-party" cookies
Blocking all cookies means some sites won't work well (or at all)
Allowing all cookies is a bad idea
Some badly implemented web sites may require use of 3rd-party cookies and/or cross-site tracking
-- if you need to use that site: temporarily disable settings, finish your work, then re-enable
Erasing cookies means you'll have to re-login to sites, and perhaps re-enter a security answer or 2FA code
Before
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Prevent Cross-Site Tracking: on; Block All Cookies: off
macOS(older): Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and website data > Allow from websites I visit [screenshot]
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > History > Accept Third-party Cookies > Never; Keep until:(expire, close Firefox); {Figure 11: TCYOP-4: 93; TCYOP-3: 76;}
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced Settings > Privacy > Content Settings > Cookies > Block third-party cookies and site data
iOS: Settings > Safari > Prevent Cross-Site Tracking: on; Block All Cookies: off
iOS10: Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block Cookies > Allow from websites I visit [screenshot]
After
macOS: Safari > History > Clear History and Website Data (cookies, history, other data)
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and website data > Remove All Website Data [screenshot]
macOS: Firefox > History > Clear Recent History
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data
macOS: System Preferences > Flash Player > Storage > Delete All (flash cookies)
iOS: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data (cookies, history, other data) [screenshot]
[2] macOS: System Preferences > Flash Player > Storage > Delete All, i.e., "Flash Cookies"
see section Malware : Flash for more about Flash cookies or uninstalling Flash

[1] Minimize Browser AutoFill: Passwords, Credit Cards, Contacts

Most browsers can provide autofill; however, info is only as secure as device admin password
Backup? Share between browsers on same device?
Share between devices -- esp. if different vendors?
Generally, it's better to use a password manager
Before
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Autofill (contacts, passwords, credit cards)
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Security > Logins > Remember Passwords for Sites
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced Settings > Passwords and forms > Enable AutoFill to fill out web forms in a single click; Offer to save your web passwords
iOS: Settings > Safari > Passwords & AutoFill (contact, passwords, credit cards)
iOS: Settings > Accounts & Passwords: edit
Win: Edge > Settings > View Advanced settings > Autofill: Save Passwords/Cards: off; Manage
After
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Passwords > Remove All (or selected)
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Security > Logins > Saved Logins
macOS: Chrome > Clear Browsing Data
iOS: Settings > Safari > Passwords & AutoFill > Saved Passwords / Credit Cards

[2] Reduce Web Site Tracking

Turn off tracking in browser, even though some web sites may ignore this (optional) request;
Apple has removed this setting in latest macOS & iOS (see below for older) --
since it wasn't effective, and perhaps gave false sense of security?
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Website tracking > Ask websites not to track me [screenshot]
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > Tracking > Tell websites I do not want to be tracked
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced Settings > Privacy > Send a "Do Not Track" request with your browsing traffic
iOS: Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Ask websites Not To Track Me [screenshot]
Win: Edge > Settings > View Advanced settings > Privacy and services > Send Do Not Track Requests: on
Avoid "Single Sign On" login feature on 3rd-party sites using your Google, Facebook, Twitter credentials
In addition to controlling cookies (next), see section Ad Blocking to further reduce tracking

[2] Reduce Browser 'Fingerprinting'

Your unique combination of system settings and browser properties can enable web sites to identify you,
even if you're minimizing/clearing cookies, using private browsing, etc.
Currently, some systems/browsers are better at minimzing fingerprinting,
e.g., Safari, Firefox; -- and iOS generally; see Refs: Fingerprinting
Check your web browser's tracking settings, fingerprint uniqueness: EFF: Cover Your Tracks
Unfortunately, Cover Your Tracks doesn't advise on how to fix this...
Maybe use more defaiult browser settings -- to become less unique?
Hopefully other tools/approaches will be forthcoming.

[2] Reduce / Clear Browsing History

list of sites visited; usually erased by Private Browsing and utilities, e.g., Ghostery, Blur {TCYOP-4: 97, 101}
history may be accessible by other users, e.g., nosy friend, cybercafe, law enforcement
you can also use Bookmarks or Password Manager to save / return to important sites, rather than rely on history list
Before
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > History > Remember my browsing and download history
After
macOS: Safari > Clear History and Website Data (cookies, history, other data)
macOS: Safari > History > Clear History and Website Data
macOS: Safari > General > Remove History Items (time) [screenshot]
macOS: Firefox > History > Clear History
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > History > Clear history when Firefox closes (Settings: browsing, downloads)
macOS: Chrome > Clear Browsing Data
iOS: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data (cookies, history, other data)
iOS: Settings > Safari > Frequently Visited Sites

[2] Reduce Search History / Suggestions

Usually erased by Private Browsing
Before
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Search
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Search
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Privacy > History > Remember search and form history
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced > Privacy > Use a prediction service to help complete searches and URLs typed in the address bar or the app launcher search box; searches still saved and not clearable?
iOS: Settings > Safari > Search Engine Suggestions
After -- same as browsing history?

[2] Clear Download History

usually erased by Private Browsing -- though files may still be Downloads
Before
macOS: Safari > General > Remove Download List Items (time) [screenshot]
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced > Privacy > Content Settings > Automatic Downloads
After -- same as browsing history?
macOS: Safari > Show Downloads (far right icon)l > Clear
macOS: Firefox > Tools > Downloads > Clear Downloads
macOS: Chrome > Clear Browsing Data

[2] Clear Caches: Pages & Images

usually erased by Private Browsing and utilities
Before
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Advanced > Network > Cached / Offline Content
After -- same as browsing history?
macOS: Safari: shift+click on the Refresh page button -- clears cache for only that page
macOS: Safari > Preferences > Advanced > Show Develop menu in menu bar -- add Develop menu
macOS: Safari > Develop > Empty Caches

[3] Reduce Browser Statistics

Diagnostic data may be useful to vendors for bug fixes and improvements -- optional: it's up to you
macOS: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Diagnostics & Usage
macOS: Firefox > Preferences > Advanced > Data Choices
macOS: Chrome > Preferences > Advanced Settings > Privacy > Automatically send usage statistics and crash reports to Google

References

{TCYOP-4: 87-98; TCYOP-3: 71-78; Live Data, Historical Data, Avoid or Remove Local Data, Private Browsing Modes, Browser Privacy Settings, Do Not Track}
sections: Refs: Bookmarks / Favorites; Cookies; FingerPrinting; Google; History; iOS; macOS; Microsoft; Private (Incognito) Browsing; Tracking
topics: autofill, super/zombie cookie
Wikipedia: browser privacy mode; browsing history; web cache
Wikipedia: web storage HTML5 local storage
How to Reload Your Tabs When Your Browser Unexpectedly Quits LH; 2/9/2023
Thousands of Popular Websites See What You Type—Before You Hit Submit Wired; 5/11/2022
How to Use Browser Profiles to Separate Work and Play Wired; 5/2/2021
Please Refresh Your Browser So Websites Actually Work Giz; 12/4/2020
How to Customize Your Web Browser's Homepage (and Why You Should) Giz; 9/2/2020
Apple updates Safari’s anti-tracking tech with full third-party cookie blocking Verge; 3/24/2020
How to stop those annoying website notification prompts Verge; 7/18/2019
How to Clear Your YouTube History via YouTube app or web browser; 6/8/2019
How to Leave No Trace on a Borrowed Computer private browsing; history, downloads, searches; apps: Recent Files; Giz; 3/29/2019
Why Are Bots Unable to Check "I Am Not a Robot" Checkboxes? CAPTCHA, browser history; MF; 2/25/2019

Bookmarks / Favorites

How to Sync Safari Bookmarks with Google Chrome OSXD; 12/5/2021

Cookies

Wikipedia: Cookie small piece of data sent from a website and stored in a user's web browser; Flash cookies
cartoon credit: humoresquecartoons.com
Wikipedia: ever cookie; zombie cookie
HowStuffWorks: How Cookies Work; What is an Internet cookie?; How to Delete Computer Cookies; Quiz
How to Block Those Annoying Cookie Banners That Follow You From Website to Website
Super Agent browser extension; MF; 5/27/2022
You Can Block Those Annoying Cookie Banners on Every Website LH; 5/17/2022
How to Avoid Those Infuriating Cookie Pop-Ups
Reject All Cookie Consent Notices; Turn Off Cookies;
Use a Privacy-First Web Browser; Wired; 5/22/2021
Yes, This Site Uses Cookies, Because Nearly All Sites Use Cookies, And We're Notifying You Because We're Told We Have To TD; 5/21/2020
No need to mourn the death of the third-party cookie marketers, publishers and audiences are all better off; TNW; 5/14/2020
How to clear cookies from your browser PC; 6/6/2019

Fingerprinting

Wikipedia: Device Fingerprint
dnsleaktest.com, ipleak.net check if IP address private
The Quiet Way Advertisers Are Tracking Your Browsing Wired; 2/26/2022
[2] How browser fingerprints identify you even when you have cookies turned off TNW; 4/24/2020
Firefox 69 now blocks cryptominers and tracking cookies by default fingerprinting; TNW; 9/3/2019
'Fingerprinting' to Track Us Online Is on the Rise collected device characteristics; Safari(iOS/macOS): minimizes what's shared; Firefox: enable fingerprint blocking; extensions; mobile? NYT; 7/3/2019
Apple Is Removing 'Do Not Track' From Safari to prevent potential use as a 'fingerprinting variable' (i.e., ironically for tracking); no websites actually honor the request not to be tracked because the government never forced them to comply with it; Giz; 2/6/2019

Google

Chrome bug meant browser didn't respect user requests to delete Google site data Verge; 10/21/2020
How to automatically delete the web activity and location history data in your Google account PC; 7/9/2019
Google will now auto-delete location and search history by default for new users compromise between privacy and ad-targeting data -- after 3-18 months; Verge; 6/24/2020
A significant majority of consumers do not expect Google to track their activities across their lives, their locations, on other sites, and on other platforms 4/3/2019

History

How to Clear Your Browser's Cache, and Why You Should Wired; 5/22/2024
Wyden Pulls Support for Privacy Amendment After Rep. Adam Schiff Downplays Impact to NYTimes Giz; 5/26/2020
Mozilla, Twitter, and a coalition that includes Facebook, Apple, and Google, call on Congress to protect search and browser data from warrantless access CNet; 5/22/2020
Senate passes spying bill without search and browsing history protections Ars; 5/14/2020
Firefox Will Give You a Fake Browsing History to Fool Advertisers Using the 'Track THIS' tool opens up 100 tabs at a time that will make you seem like a hypebeast, a filthy rich person, a doomsday prepper, or an influencer; MB; 6/26/2019

iOS

How to Clear Cookies Only from Safari on iPhone & iPad
while keeping history, etc.; OSXD; 10/8/2021
How to Check Privacy Report in Safari on iPhone & iPad iOS/iPadOS 14+; OSXD; 1/21/2021
How to Change Safari Download Location on iPhone & iPad OSXD; 9/30/2020
How to Clear Cache in Safari on iPhone & iPad Settings > Safari > Clear History and Data (caches, browsing data, cookies, browsing history); OSXD; 3/17/2020

macOS

How to clear Safari's cache and cookies on Mac MW; 3/3/2023
How to Check Privacy Report for Websites in Safari on Mac Safari 14+; OSXD; 1/25/2021
How to Remove Web History in Safari While Keeping Cookies & Other Web Data on Mac OSXD; 1/20/2021
How to modify the Start Page in Safari 14 for macOS instructions on how to adjust the categories that appear and add a background image; MW; 10/2/2020
[3] Enabling the Debug menu in Safari 14 on Big Sur and Catalina in order to disable tab previews; 9/22/2020
[2] How to troubleshoot and fix strange website errors with macOS Safari if a site loads fine in private browsing or another browser, stored data may be problem: Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove; MW; 2/21/2019

Safer Internet: Browsing: Manage Storage of Private Data

Summary

[1] When: Before, After; Where: OS, Apps, Browsers

[1] Consider Private Browsing

[1] Reduce Cookies

[1] Minimize Browser AutoFill: Passwords, Credit Cards, Contacts

[2] Reduce Web Site Tracking

[2] Reduce Browser 'Fingerprinting'

[2] Reduce / Clear Browsing History

[2] Reduce Search History / Suggestions

[2] Clear Download History

[2] Clear Caches: Pages & Images

[3] Reduce Browser Statistics

References

Bookmarks / Favorites

Cookies

Fingerprinting

Google

History

iOS

macOS

Microsoft

Private Browsing

Tracking