Family and Home Security Information

Submitted by archa on Tue, 2006-06-27 16:01.

Cache and History Cleaning and Erasing Cookies
The following are step-by-step directions on how to protect your privacy, by cleaning the cache and history and erasing the cookies on your computer, so that others are not able to go onto your computer and check up on what you have been doing. The directions are operating system- and browser-specific, so make sure to pay attention to the relevant information for your computer.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have any reason to suspect that someone may be tracking your computer usage, please think carefully about whether or not you will want to complete these privacy steps. If someone is tracking your computer usage, they may grow suspicious if all records of internet activity disappear.

What is Cache?
The cache is an area of the hard disc where web pages are stored when a page is downloaded from the internet. It allows for recently viewed pages to be viewed more rapidly or even offline.

What is History?
A list of the different URLs (or websites) you have visited. This is what fills in the URL line for you when you are returning to a website you have visited before.

To see your history on a Mac, type Apple + H.
To see your history on a PC, type Control + H.

What Are Cookies?
Cookies are storage files that collect personal information that you have provided to particular vendors on the internet (e.g., your name, address, phone number, things you have ordered, etc.). Only information you have provided is stored, and cookies are used to speed up the interactive process when you are online with a vendor. For instance, when you go to Amazon.com, you may notice that the advertisements seem to be relevant to your interests; that is because your reading and music preferences are stored in cookies, so that the web page can advertise specific deals that fit your taste.

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