Online Security - Browsing Anonymously for a Safer Internet Experience
Anonymous browsing is increasingly becoming the norm given the dangers lurking online. It always pays to be protected online because personal information and banking information can be stolen, personal online activities can be tracked and even specific keystrokes and clicks can be monitored illegally. Anonymous browsing should be the standard for those who want to securely use the internet.
Anonymous Browsing is Not Private Browsing
Before going further, it's important to differentiate private browsing with anonymous browsing. The former is often referred to as "incognito mode" on a browser and this type of privacy is used often by those who use public computers. With private browsing, passwords and other online information will not be stored in the browser. Private browsing will not protect your online activity from the ISP and network administrators.
On the other hand, anonymous browsing helps in completely shielding your online activities from everyone including web administrators and ISPs. The right tool for anonymous browsing can protect the user from any type of monitoring.
Understanding the Methods of Tracking
Tracking comes in various forms online depending on how you use the internet. The most popular method of tracking is through the use of cookies. These are information stored in your browser after visiting a website. These cookies are stored in the browser so that the website will load faster with your preference on the next visit. These cookies could come from the website itself or from a 3rd party with previous agreement with the site owner.
But it doesn't end there because websites also track your location through your IP address. They also take full advantage of analytics to determine your favorite parts of the website. There are also websites that add widgets that often come from various social media sites. These widgets can also track your activity even though you don't use them. As long as you are logged in with your social media website, the widget can be used to track your activity. This is the reason why the ads on your social media website are personalized based on your browsing activity even though the browsing happened outside the social media.
There are also unique tracking methods employed to track online activities. For example, a web beacon could be added to an email and this is used to determine when the email was opened and the location of the receiver. Fingerprinting on the other hand, is a very notorious tracking method because it doesn't just focus on your location or actions. With the use of fingerprinting, a user's hardware, browser and more are being monitored.
How to Browse Anonymously
Anonymous browsing takes some conscious effort with the right tools. It may cost a little bit but staying anonymous online is worth every penny.
It all starts with a good VPN. There are a good number of VPNs that you can use right now, however you need to find a VPN that offers no-log services - ensuring that the VPN is not logging your activities. You may have to spend a little bit for premium services to enjoy faster internet speed (free versions are capped) but they get the job done with additional benefits.
Another smart way to browse without any form of tracking is to use a browser that focuses on privacy. Tor may have a bad rep but the reason why they have such a bad rep is due to the fact that they offer complete anonymity to their users. You can also pair a safe browser with a safe search engine to avoid any tracking from other search engines such as Google or Bing. If you want to stay with your browser, change your browser settings to enforce the highest privacy setting. Always clear your cookies, browsing history and more because they are only there for tracking purposes.
Always be conscious of your online security especially when you transact with sensitive information online. Use the right tools and settings to prevent any security concerns that may cause data exposure.
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