Privacy-minded? 3 apps you need to download

September 20, 2020

By Kim Komando

Your privacy is at risk every time you are online. Hackers and snoops are constantly looking for personal information for a multitude of reasons and none of them are good. Identity theft, hijacked online accounts and draining bank accounts to name a few.

Then there are all the data breaches that potentially expose your account credentials along with personal data. Do you know if your information has been exposed in a data breach? Tap or click here to find out.

It’s not just cybercriminals breaching your privacy, either. Some websites log your data for targeted ads and sell your information directly to marketing agencies. Fortunately, there are apps to help you stay safe online. Read on to start better protecting your privacy today.

The best VPN to keep you secure

Whenever you use the internet, information about what device you’re using, where you’re using it from, and what you’re doing is accessible to third-parties. These include but aren’t limited to advertisers, your ISP, and governments.

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A VPN secures your connection, making it impossible for identifying information to be accessed. This kind of application is just as important for your phone as it is for your computer.

When it comes to VPNs, we recommend our sponsor, ExpressVPN. It’s a virtual private network (VPN), that promotes a secure bridge between your device(s) and the internet. With 10 years of experience under its belt and results to back it up, it’s fair to say it has become one of the best and most trusted in the business. Tap or click here to find out how to set up ExpressVPN.

While connected to ExpressVPN, your data travels through an encrypted tunnel that is routed directly to its server. From here, it hops onto a lightning-fast superhighway and next stop: the World Wide Web. While in transit, it can’t be cut off, which means it blocks anyone from spying on you.

It comes with easy-to-use apps for every device under the sun — and in your pocket. Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, and so much more. The ExpressVPN app is available for both iOS and Android. Check it out today and get your privacy back.

Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month plan at ExpressVPN.com/Kim.

Avast Antivirus

If you’ve used a computer in the last 20 years, you’re probably familiar with the idea of viruses, and an antivirus program does exactly what you expect: It keeps your PC running smoothly by monitoring for new threats and scanning your computer for pre-existing threats.

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A program like Avast Antivirus has been on the market, doing exactly that, for a long time. What you may not know is that its features are just as important for your phone or tablet as they are for your computer. Thankfully Avast offers both iOS and Android versions of its antivirus software.

In addition to monitoring your device and scanning your files for threats, the iOS and Android versions of Avast offer useful features like verifying the security of your Wi-Fi connection, tracking your device’s location, freeing up storage space by deleting junk and much more.

Looking just for a new antivirus for your PC or Mac? Tap or click here for the best antivirus options for both platforms.

Signal private messaging

Signal is an independent non-profit aimed at creating a totally secure, encrypted cross-platform messaging app. You can get Signal on everything from Windows to macOS to Linux as well as iOS and Android.

When it comes to privacy, Signal is no joke. The app has state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption and promises no ads and no trackers, ever. Add that on top of its price, free, and you can start to see why Signal is the go-to messaging app for the privacy-minded.

From text to voice messages to photos and videos as well as audio and video calling, Signal has all the familiar features of whatever messaging app you’re probably using right now. Simply download the app, open it up, and sign in to continue your conversations from where they last left off.

Once you have your bases covered and you’ve got your VPN up and running, antivirus software on all your devices, and you transition your conversations to a private messaging app, all your major privacy liabilities will be covered. Though, it’s important to remember to use best practices online and never open unfamiliar or suspicious links, attachments, or downloads.