Online privacy is a real concern these days and if you’re not worried you’re not paying attention. If you are interested in hiding your Internet activity for whatever reason, you should check out the following ways in which you can browse the web anonymously.
Why Hide Your Internet Activity?
Browsing the web anonymously isn’t just for criminals seeking to cover their tracks. Sometimes it’s simply about protecting your privacy. For example, you may be uncomfortable with ad networks tracking your search history or may not want sites seeing what you’ve purchased and later sending you spam emails. If you’re browsing the web at work, you may not want your employer knowing you’re searching for a new job. And you certainly don’t want hackers to get ahold of your device history and use your Web browsing habits to their advantage.
Whether you are wanting to hide your Internet activity from other people for your own privacy or you want to keep your personal information private from ad networks, telemarketers, and hackers, browsing the web anonymously can greatly mitigate your risk of having your private information fall into the wrong hands. And if you don’t think it’s an issue today, wait until more and more companies share data…
How Your Information is Tracked
Your Internet activity is tracked through your IP address. An IP address is like a phone number but for your computer. It’s what allows you to receive data (like graphics and text) on the proper device. Problem is, your IP address can be easily tracked by ad networks, the government, and more. Hackers can also use it as an entry point into your computer.
Anonymous web surfing by masking or changing your IP address adds a layer of privacy, and therefore also of security between you and the Web so your activity can’t be tracked. There are three basic ways anonymous Web surfing can be accomplished: VPNs, proxy servers or relay networks like Tor.
1. Virtual Private Networks
A virtual private network, or VPN, is an Internet connectivity scheme commonly used by corporations to help protect sensitive data. By layering atop existing networks, they also help add security over public Wi-Fi and hotspots to reduce the risk of a cyberattack.
VPNs work by routing your Internet data through the provider’s servers before sending the information on to the rest of the web. This enables point to point encryption, which means that if your data was intercepted while in transit (perhaps by an open wifi network that someone’s analyzing for passwords), hackers couldn’t access the information sent or received. Further, a VPN replaces your IP address with one provided by the service. That way, your personal IP address also can’t be tracked for Internet activity.
Because VPNs hide your IP address, they can also appear to change your location to that of where the VPN servers are located. This method can be used to get around geographical Internet restrictions, allowing you to access websites that are blocked in your country, for example.
VPNs have many benefits when it comes to Internet security and privacy. A VPN can be set up privately, although this is usually done by large corporations. Individuals can subscribe to VPN services for a small monthly fee or sometimes even for free. For the everyday user, VPNs are a good Web privacy and security solution, though identifying the “best vpn program” might be a bit tricky as there are a number of good choices.
2. Proxy Servers
Proxy servers work similarly to VPNs, but there are a few differences worth highlighting. Proxy servers retrieve web pages for you, so the server sees the proxy’s information rather than yours. Proxy servers can be easily accessed online through an Internet search and are generally free to use.
Unfortunately, proxy servers come with drawbacks. You’ll need to route your data through the server every time you start up a new session, which can be time consuming if you’re wanting to browse anonymously all the time. VPNs, on the other hand, route all your data without having to set anything up each time. Also, proxies only work from your browser while a VPN can work with every program you have running, even games, and, depending on the VPN provider, with your mobile apps as well.
Another downside of proxy servers is that they tend to slow your Internet speeds while VPNs don’t. It’s also not unheard of to run across malicious proxy servers, so it’s important to research which ones you’re using and make sure they’re reputable. Although proxy servers have their downsides, they can still be a quick, viable and no-cost solution for one-time use or public machines where you can’t install software.
3. The Tor Network
The Tor network is a type of proxy server netwo
Tor is a free open source software program run by volunteers around the world. The Tor browser can be downloaded from torproject.org. It’s been used by people who encounter censorship restrictions in their country, journalists who don’t want their research tracked, individuals wanting to keep their Internet activity private from advertisers, and more.
Tor does come with its drawbacks, however. Though someone may not be able to see what you’re doing through the network, they may be able to tell that you’re using it. This can make you a target for investigation. Also, it’s important to note that while the network itself provides anonymous browsing and security, but the browser can be hacked into, meaning “man in the middle” attacks are still possible using this method. It may also slow down your Internet connection.
With so many reasons to browse the web anonymously, it’s good to know there are solutions out there that can help you keep your IP address, web browsing history, and geographical location private. What’s important is doing your research to determine which option is best fit for your situation.
Note: This is contributed content.