How to Protect Your Privacy While Traveling: Effective Steps

Are you planning to go on vacation this year? Or have a business trip coming up? Wherever you go, you need to protect your privacy while traveling. Fortunately, protecting your privacy on the go is easier than you think, and taking just a few small steps can keep your data safe.

When you travel, protecting your privacy becomes even more important. New circumstances like connecting to public Wi-Fi or using unfamiliar devices can put your personal information at risk. By taking precautionary steps, you can reduce the risk and ensure the security of your data while on the go. Check out these free AI travel planning apps to get an instant itinerary.

1. Avoid public Wi-Fi networks

First, avoid using public Wi-Fi whenever possible. There are many risks to using public Wi-Fi, such as data theft, tracking, and surveillance, which makes connecting to any open network risky. It’s worth noting that this applies to public Wi-Fi anywhere, not just when you’re traveling.

Now, there are a few minor caveats to this approach. The first is that a public Wi-Fi network that requires some kind of password is more secure than an open public Wi-Fi network. A password requirement means that the network is using some form of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security to protect users. There are several different versions of WPA, the most recent being WPA3. While WPA security has its problems, it is better than nothing and provides some protection.

Another step you can take to avoid public Wi-Fi is to disable auto-connect. This will prevent your devices from automatically trying to connect to available Wi-Fi networks, keeping your data private in crowded areas, places you don’t want to connect to, etc.

2. Use a VPN

The next way to protect your data — which works well on public Wi-Fi — is to use a VPN service.

A VPN connects you to a private, secure network that uses encryption to keep your data safe. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic travels through its servers before reaching the website, app, or service you’re using, keeping your data private while in transit.

Now, the safest option is to use a paid VPN subscription from one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or ProtonVPN. Most paid VPN services offer great security and are audited by a third party to ensure that they do not log any user data. Alternatively, you can use a free VPN service, but it is not considered as secure as a paid subscription. As the old saying goes, if you are not paying, you are the product.

However, in a pinch, a free VPN subscription from a trusted VPN service will certainly do the trick. Check out Is a free VPN better than no VPN at all?

3. Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication

You can protect your accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA). In short, 2FA and MFA require you to have at least two devices to access your account.

Trying to sign in with one account generates a prompt on another device, requiring a one-time code or response to a unique prompt. This extra authentication step means your accounts are secure even if you lose one device.

There are three types of “factors” that can be used for authentication.

1. Something you knowInformation that you know but no one else knows, such as a password.
2. something you own: Property, such as a smartphone or security key.
3. Or what you are: A body part that uniquely identifies you, such as a fingerprint or iris scan.

You still need your password, but you use it with these additional authentication methods to secure your accounts. If you're traveling, set up your accounts with 2FA before you leave.

4. Encrypt and track your devices

Most devices support some form of encryption, which effectively encrypts your data and locks it behind a strong, unique password. If someone steals your device while it's encrypted, they won't be able to steal your data, even if they connect it to another device.

iPhones and most Android smartphones offer full disk encryption, while there are several encryption tools for Windows, folder encryption methods on macOS, and of course encryption methods on Linux as well.

Likewise, iOS and Android have built-in tracking features that let you track down a stolen or misplaced device. Both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device apps can track your phone, even when it’s locked.

5. Don't post on social media

Now, this solution is a little trickier. Who doesn’t love posting those perfect Instagram photos of an amazing vacation? But posting on social media signals that you’re thousands of miles away from home, which opens you up to another problem: theft.

With millions of posts on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media networks using hashtags like #holiday, #airport, #vacation, and #traveling, it’s easy for thieves to identify potential targets. It’s even easier if the potential target has linked accounts that help build a bigger picture, along with addresses, potential locations, and other personally identifiable information.

However, posting photos of people back home isn’t forbidden; you just need to take some precautions. For example, make sure your accounts are set to “private” so that only friends and family can see them, and if that’s not possible, try to limit the number of posts you make to announce that your home is currently unoccupied.

Likewise, it's tempting to log into specific websites and share your location data to show where you are and where you've been, but again this can be used to show that you're out of town.

6. General Tips for Privacy While Traveling

There are a number of additional steps you can take to protect your privacy while traveling, but these are more general tips.

For example, before you leave, it’s a good idea to update your devices and apps to make sure they’re using the latest version. This should protect against potential security issues.

Likewise, make sure you use strong, unique passwords for your online accounts, and consider using a password manager to keep your passwords organized.

Another potential issue to watch out for is data theft, where your data is stolen after you connect to a public charging port. It sounds far-fetched, but it happens.

Finally, remember to erase any data from your rental car while you’re away. Rental car companies are better these days, but remembering to do this yourself prevents potential privacy issues, like someone accessing your contacts, private information, etc.

Protecting your privacy while traveling isn’t difficult, but it does take a little planning before you board your flight. Now you can see how technology can help ease stress and increase comfort while flying.