Your Internet Protocol (IP) address is the primary way websites and services know who you are, where you are, and what your computer looks like to other computers connected to the internet. Below are things you should know about cleaning your IP history frequently.
It’s sort of like your physical address — if someone knows your physical address, they can send mail to you or visit you in person at that address. Still, if they know only your IP address, they can only interact with you online via websites or services that utilize the internet protocol address.
IP history tracking has been around in the search engine marketing industry for decades, although it’s not been widely used as it once was. Knowing why you should clean your IP history may be the first step toward keeping your private information safe from prying eyes.
Other nefarious types want to use your data for purposes that don’t benefit you. Below are things you should know about cleaning your IP history frequently.
Understand How Search Engines Work
First, you should clean your IP history to ensure you do not get banned from the search engine. That might sound scary, but if the search engine thinks it has detected issues such as hacking a site or trying to obtain personal information. As such, it will ban your IP address and prohibit your future access.
The second reason is by cleaning your history. You can remove harmful links that may contain offensive or illegal content. The third reason is that cleaning your IP history makes it easier for people in the same household or work location to have separate accounts with different search histories.
Finally, there are benefits for those who use public computers because they can delete any evidence of their past activity on the said computer by cleaning their IP history.
The Importance of a Clean IP History
As part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, ISPs and companies store records of all your activities on their servers. You will be easily detected downloading a movie from an illegal site. In recent years, law enforcement has been strict on the issue, and people are going to jail for extended periods.
An excellent way to avoid this situation is by clearing your history often. The best way to clear history on Firefox: Click Tools > Clear your IP History > Time Range To Clear > Use Current Time & Load Earlier/Later Pages (3 seconds or 300 seconds) > Apply Settings
Keep Things Private
Passwords and other sensitive data are regularly stolen through hacking. Hackers use the information found in your internet history to access your account because it’s well-known. This is because most people often have their passwords written down in plain sight near their computers.
Also, when you delete items from your browser, you may delete the only evidence of what was on the page. If someone were to get into your browser, they would not know how to find what they’re looking for unless they knew which site it was on.
Finally, if you leave traces of yourself everywhere, there is a greater chance of someone using those trails as clues about who you are or where you live or work.
Protect Yourself from Hackers and Spammers
IP history can be helpful, in ways such as finding out who has been using your WiFi or tracking down a bug. However, the downside to this type of history is that it can also attract unsolicited attention from spammers and hackers.
If you have been the victim of spam, hacking, or phishing attacks in the past, there is a chance that they could use your IP address as a vector to exploit others. Even if you don’t have a history of these incidents, we recommend wiping your IP address regularly for peace of mind.
To Improve Performance
IPs are a big part of how the internet works; if found at the wrong address, it could be disastrous. Think about what might happen if your boss suddenly wanted to check your browsing history. Sites you frequent for business-related matters could pop up on a different website than you’d expect.
If someone doesn’t know how to clean their history, they could be in serious trouble. This is because they create numerous digital footprints that show them searching for things or using various websites they shouldn’t have.
With just one errant click, these people could post something personal online or go to the wrong site. So don’t let your IP lead you astray!
Avoid Data Storage Limits
One of the most important reasons for cleaning your search history frequently is that you have limited storage space. If you’re using an old computer with a small hard drive, there’s only so much data it can store before running out of room. But there are other issues as well, including legal and criminal liability. Whatever the reason, data storage limits will eventually pressure anyone who uses their browser frequently. Therefore, we recommend you regularly delete your browsing history from all browsers.
The Bottom Line
Take control of your reputation by cleaning up your IP address periodically, using one of the many online services designed to do so. Above are reasons why you should clean your IP history frequently.