Turn On "Private" Browsing: All major browsers offer a "private browsing" mode to limit cookies.

WSJ: How to Outsmart Tracking Cookies on the Web

So you might want to use private browsing selectively, such as when looking at health-related information.

WSJ: How to Outsmart Tracking Cookies on the Web

It deletes cookies each time you close the browser or turn off private browsing, effectively hiding your history.

WSJ: How to Outsmart Tracking Cookies on the Web

Professionals are also choosing private browsing and communication.

FORBES: Students, SnapChat, Wickr: Staying Private and Productive Online

Private browsing doesn't block cookies.

WSJ: How to Outsmart Tracking Cookies on the Web

Private browsing isn't selective.

WSJ: How to Outsmart Tracking Cookies on the Web

What our man Pascal Brisset did is design a Linux system around a Gumstix Overo Fire computer-on-module, a Vuzix VR920 head-mounted stereoscopic 640 x 480 display (complete with 3D tilt sensor and 3D magnetic compass), WiFi, and Bluetooth modules -- the whole shebang resides in (and on) the eyewear, just the thing for secure telepresence and augmented reality applications (or just extra-private web browsing).

ENGADGET: Homebrew head-mounted Linux system for telepresence, looking silly

But the private nature of Nextdoor assures random users won't be browsing the network.

WSJ: Nextdoor Review: Social Network Brings Neighbors Together

Similarly, Facebook and Twitter send login credentials over a secure line and then revert to an unsecure protocol. (Users of those social networks can add an "s" after "http" to force the systems to encrypt their browsing.) Social networking sites are where people increasingly conduct private conversations, whether through Facebook's Messages or Twitter's Direct Message feature.

CNN: Why Google's data collection snafu could be good for Gmail