Protect Your Privacy While Using the Internet

Protect Your Privacy While Using the Internet

Whenever you visit a web site on the Internet, you leave traces on your computer's hard disk that make it possible for someone to find out exactly where you have been. To protect yourself when accessing online resources such as this website, you should use a computer at your local library, or even at a friend's house. If neither of those options is available to you, here are instructions for deleting your web browser's cache, history and cookie files.

Please scroll down below for instructions for the following operating systems and browsers:
Windows 95/98/2000/XP
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5 and newer
Netscape Navigator versions 5 and newer

Macintosh OS 9.x
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5 and newer
Netscape Navigator versions 6 and newer

Macintosh OS X
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5 and newer
Netscape Navigator versions 6 and newer



WINDOWS 95/98/2000/XP

For Internet Explorer 5 and above, follow these directions to delete your Temporary Files, Cookies and History:

1. Open Internet Explorer and click "Tools" in the menu bar
2. Select "Internet Options"
3. At the "General" tab, locate the "Temporary Internet Files" section in the middle of the window
4. Click the "Delete Files" button, and when prompted, select "Delete all offline content"
5. Click "OK"
6. Now click "Delete Cookies," and then "OK" at the prompt
7. While at the "General" tab, locate the "History" section at the bottom of the window
8. Click the "Clear History" button, and when prompted, select "Yes"
9. Click "OK" to close the "Internet Options" window

For Netscape Navigator 5 and above, follow these directions to clear your History, Cookies and Cache:

1. Open Netscape Navigator and click "Edit" in the menu bar
2. Select "Preferences"
3. At the "Preferences" window, click "History" in the left-hand menu (under the Navigator" heading)
4. On the right-hand side of the window, click both the "Clear History" and "Clear Location Bar" buttons
5. Next, click the arrow next to the "Privacy & Security" heading in the left-hand menu to expose the sub-menu
6. Click "Cookies" in the sub-menu list, and then click the "Manage Stored Cookies" button (on the right-hand side of the window)
7. When prompted, click the "Remove all Cookies" button
8. Click "Close" to exit the "Cookie Manager" window
9. Finally, click the arrow next to the "Advanced" heading in the left-hand menu to expose the sub-menu
10. Click "Cache" in the sub-menu list, and then click the "Clear Cache" button
11. Click "OK" to close the "Preferences" window

Mac OS 9.x

For Internet Explorer 5 and above, follow these directions to delete your History, Cache and Cookies:

1. Open Internet Explorer and click "Edit" in the menu bar
2. Select "Preferences"
3. At the "Preferences" window, click "Advanced" in the left-hand menu list (under "Web Browser")
4. First click the "Clear History" button, and then click the "Empty Now" button (just below) to clear your cache
5. Next, click "Cookies" in the left-hand menu list (under "Receiving Files")
6. In the "Cookie Settings" area, locate the name(s) of the sites you wish to erase, and click the "Delete" button
7. Click "OK" to close the "Preferences" window

For Netscape Navigator 6 and above, follow these directions to clear your History, Cookies and Cache:

1. Open Netscape Navigator and click "Edit" in the menu bar
2. Select "Preferences"
3. At the "Preferences" window, click "History" in the left-hand menu (under the "Navigator" heading)
4. On the right-hand side of the window, click both the "Clear History" and "Clear Location Bar" buttons
5. Next, click the arrow next to the "Privacy & Security" heading in the left-hand menu to expose the sub-menu
6. Click "Cookies" in the sub-menu list, and then click the "Manage Stored Cookies" button (on the right-hand side of the window)
7. When prompted, click the "Remove all Cookies" button
8. Click "Close" to exit the "Cookie Manager" window
9. Finally, click the arrow next to the "Advanced" heading in the left-hand menu to expose the sub-menu
10. Click "Cache" in the sub-menu list, and then click the "Clear Memory" and "Clear Disk
11. Cache" buttons
12. Click "OK" to close the "Preferences" window

Mac OS X

For Internet Explorer 5 and above, follow these directions to delete your History, Cache and Cookies:

1. Open Internet Explorer and click "Internet Explorer" in the menu bar
2. Select "Preferences"
3. At the "Preferences" window, click "Advanced" in the left-hand menu list (under "Web Browser")
4. First click the "Clear History" button, and then click the "Empty Now" button (just below) to clear your cache
5. Next, click "Cookies" in the left-hand menu list (under "Receiving Files")
6. In the "Cookie Settings" area, locate the name(s) of the sites you wish to erase, and click the "Delete" button
7. Click "OK" to close the "Preferences" window

For Netscape Navigator 6 and above, follow these directions to clear your History, Cookies and Cache:

1. Open Netscape Navigator and click "Edit" in the menu bar
2. Select "Preferences"
3. At the "Preferences" window, click "History" in the left-hand menu (under the "Navigator" heading)
4. On the right-hand side of the window, click both the "Clear History" and "Clear Location Bar" buttons
5. Next, click the arrow next to the "Privacy & Security" heading in the left-hand menu to expose the sub-menu
6. Click "Cookies" in the sub-menu list, and then click the "Manage Stored Cookies" button (on the right-hand side of the window)
7. When prompted, click the "Remove all Cookies" button
8. Click "Close" to exit the "Cookie Manager" window
9. Finally, click the arrow next to the "Advanced" heading in the left-hand menu to expose the sub-menu
10. Click "Cache" in the sub-menu list, and then click the "Clear Cache" button
11. Click "OK" to close the "Preferences" window