BBC Russian

‘Hide this site’ button - what is this?

If you click on this button it will immediately take you away from the Action Line site to the main BBC website. If you are using a computer in a public place, or somewhere that someone might see what website you are visiting, you can use this button to hide what you are doing quickly.

Keep your visits to bbc.co.uk/actionline private

Please note, the following information is for guidance only and may not completely cover your tracks.

Whenever you go online, you leave a trail of information about yourself and the websites you've seen.

Each time you visit a web page your browser stores a copy of the page on your computer. When you go back to that web page your computer uses that copy so that it loads up more quickly. These copied pages are known as your 'cache', which is stored on your computer and, if accessed, they can show where you have been on the internet.

Most computers also have a 'history' function which helpfully finishes off typing a web address in your browser when you type in the first few letters. Your computer remembers the addresses of all the websites you've been to and gives you the option to select the whole web address rather than finish typing it in full.

Many websites also like to know what you've been doing online, and they often send a little file called a 'cookie' to your computer when you visit them. The cookie then tells the web page whether you've visited it before. A cookie from a particular website will sit on the hard drive of your computer and wait until the next time you visit that site.

To view the web anonymously, you should consider getting rid of your cookies and clearing your cache and history.

Note: It's important to state that there is a risk involved in removing data from your computer. For instance, if someone else uses online banking and has a saved password, then if you clear the cookies on your computer they will realise you've done so, because their password will no longer be saved.

For information on how to get rid of cookies and clear your cache and browsing history, please visit the relevant browser support page below;

Chrome

Find out more on the Google Chrome clear cache and cookies support page

Find out more on the Google Chrome clear browsing history support page

Safari (mobile devices)

Find out more on the Apple Safari User Guide: clear history and cookies on a mobile device support page

Safari (Mac)

Find out more on the Apple Safari User Guide: clear browsing history support page

Find out more on the Apple Safari User Guide: manage cookies and website data support page

Internet Explorer

Find out more on the Microsoft Internet Explorer support: delete and manage cookies guide

Find out more on the Microsoft Windows support: delete content of Temporary Internet Files folder guide