Smartphone Privacy?

goodValue

I've been learning how to use a smartphone to access the Internet using an old phone handed down to me (Galaxy S3).
One concern I've had is that even though it says the history has been cleared, you can still get back to previous websites by hitting the back button.
Is there a privacy issue here, or is it more likely to be a technical problem because the phone is so old?

googler

Which back button?

The one in the browser, or the android one?

DigForVictory

It doesn't sound like it has been cleared fully.

On my iphone, if I take it back to factory settings, noone will have a clue as to what I've been browsing other than the sites' own analytics & probably Google.

Could I suggest backing it up, wiping it flat & restoring bits selectively or is that complicated with an android phone?

oldernonethewiser

You can get browsers that you can delete the history with the touch of one (virtual) button. duckduckgo is one example

EssexExile

Is it sites that you've visited using a different device, so from your Google account, or sites the previous owner used this phone to visit?

JJ_Egan

Browser tools and settings .
Depending upon browser used .
Clear History .

DoaM

Long press on a link (equivalent to right-click), select Open in incognito tab. Hey presto - no tracking or history.

goodValue

Thanks for all the replies.

back button:
the android one (hardly ever see one on the browser?)

wiping flat:
lack of experience with phones puts me off this

one touch clearing:
similar to what I've been doing

what sites:
ones that I've recently visited

browser settings:
I've been doing this

incognito tab:
I'll do some tests on this

Further info:
I've been using the Chrome browser, and it keeps saying it is out of date. I've selected the update, but still keep getting the message. The suggestion is that the phone is so old that it won't accept the current version of Chrome.

dan958

If you are on a website on your phone, and then clear the cache, the website will most likely still be active when you go back to the app. Please make sure all tabs are closed and then clear the cache in your browser app.

Frozen_up_north

There are two privacy issues overlooked here... unless you use a VPN, your mobile network provider will be recording every web site you visit and for how long. Also, whenever you enter a website address, your DNS provider will be logging too. You can avoid the latter snooping by setting your browser to use DNS over HTTPS.

On top of that, good old Google (Chrome) will have a slice of the action, as will the “better” anti-virus packages that check web sites prior to you seeing the content.

It’s not so much big brother, but big neighbourhood.

Trains

How about using CCleaner everytime you close the browser?

https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner-android