A hardware filter called Winston that users plug into their modem to protect their data has launched, in response to mounting concern over digital privacy and surveillance.
Created by US start-up Winston Privacy, the filter promises to prevent online tracking and profiling for every member of the household where it is installed, and across every device on the network.
This includes smartphones and smart-home products like connected fridges and speakers.

By scrambling, encrypting and anonymising the flow of data, Winston eliminates a raft of intrusive or annoying aspects of online browsing.
One of these is airline price bumps, where ticket prices rise after a user's initial visit to a website to entice them into panic buying. Another is price manipulations, where retailers show different prices to different customers based on their past online behaviour.
Although there is an existing patchwork of software that can perform similar functions, Winston is different in that it is designed to be a simple, plug-and-play solution that anyone without tech knowhow can use.
It is effectively virtual private network, anti-spyware, anti-malware, firewall and ad-blocking software in one.
Users plug it in between their modem and router, and one minute after they turn it on, the device should be effective.

Winston Privacy identifies big tech companies, advertisers, data brokers, governments and hackers as parties its users would have an interest in blocking.
Founder Richard Stokes came f...