Keeping Online Anonymity: How to Become Invisible Online
Preserving internet anonymity is not really a simple thing. The internet service economy, which is fueled by advertising and heavily analyzes users’ behavior, seeks to achieve the exact opposite outcome. Governments and corporations are always looking to learn as much about people as they can, no matter the reason. Trying to deceive them into believing that they’ve lost your trail is going to be a challenging task. Keeping your identity, a secret has several advantages and disadvantages.
Freedom comes with being unable to be identified or located. In addition, one must be willing to make sacrifices. Many of the most valuable features of the modern web have been developed via profiling, tracking, and analyzing user activity. Here are a few strategies for keeping your online identity a secret.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Encryption of all a device’s internet traffic before passing it through an intermediary server that is situated in an area that the user designates is known as “virtual private network.” VPN. The ultimate result is that the device’s IP address is masked, limiting traffic monitoring by third parties such as internet service providers. Shared IP addresses are the default setting for most VPN servers throughout the world.
More than a few people can be served simultaneously by a single Internet Protocol (IP) address. So, it’s nearly impossible to track an individual. By using this program, users are able to mask their IP address. This is because it is easy to use, a vast number of network users take advantage of it. As long as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) has been installed on a computer, no one can tell where the traffic comes from.
Proxy server
Anonymous proxies, which are also commonly referred to as proxies or just proxies, are computer servers that are situated in several regions across the globe. The web traffic generated by users is directed through these proxy servers, which also perform the role of relay stations. Any request that starts from the device that is being utilized by a user is directed to the proxy server rather than the web host of the website that is being targeted by the request.
After the request has been delivered to the anonymous proxy server, the server will then send it along to the web host that is in charge of the website that is the intended recipient of the request. After receiving the request, the web server that is responsible for hosting the website that is the target will respond by sending the web page that was requested back to the proxy server.
After such actions have been completed by the proxy server, the web page will be delivered to the user. Following these steps will enable you to conceal your identity from the web host, who will instead be provided with the IP address of the proxy server rather than your own. This will ensure that your privacy is protected.
Tor Browser
If you’re concerned about the security of your online communications, you may want to consider using a Tor browser as an additional layer of protection. Tor is majorly used for fun and entertainment purposes. It was designed from the ground up with anonymity in mind. As a result of the network’s more people volunteer-operated relay links, the user’s communication can be encrypted and anonymously routed.
Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, as well as your online activity and traffic, will remain anonymous thanks to this high level of encryption. There is, however, a price to pay for preserving this level of obscurity. When compared to using a browser that isn’t Tor, Tor’s complex relay mechanism might make going online feel painfully slow. Tor should be used in conjunction with a standard browser for dealing with data that does not necessitate the utmost level of security.
Message encryption
Customers place an immense value on the privacy of their communications and want to protect it, hence many messaging services offer end-to-end encryption. Encrypted instant messaging platforms provide both the sender and recipient of a message with public and private keys, which are used to decipher the message. As a result, they can decipher the message and keep it out of the hands of others. With this strategy, network connections and data flow are always protected.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) and encrypted instant messaging services both feature a wide range of options, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right product to keep your communications secure and confidential.
Additional layers of anonymity can be found in other email systems, such as Gmail, Yahoo, and others. It’s also possible to get temporary email accounts or messages that will be deleted after a predetermined period. You can use these “burner” email services to give an extra degree of security when you’re online.
The Pros of Being Anonymous Online
- One can have a Free speech
- To maintain personal safety
- Enhance freedom of movements
- Maintains an online persona
- Private companies won’t collect your data
The cons of being anonymous online
- Encourages online abuse and sometimes contributes to toxicity in social media
- People will be perceived to be lying or suspicious.
Conclusion
There is an increasing number of people using the internet to conduct business, make purchases or simply interact with one another. There has been a shift toward more people working from home during the last few years. Considering this shift, we are now sharing massive amounts of data across the internet. Unencrypted traffic might be a disaster waiting to happen, increasing the risk of a victim of cybercrime. Encrypting all of your internet traffic is one of the most effective ways to ensure the safety of your personal information while it travels over the internet.
Among the many reasons to enhance your online privacy is the simple fact that it is the right thing to do. Many government organizations are tracking people’s online activity, which is then sold to third parties to generate revenue. While browsing the internet, you can feel more secure knowing that your traffic has been encrypted.
