How to become anonymous on the Internet

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The era of permissiveness and anarchy in the network is rapidly coming to an end. The new order must be met prepared and armed.

All recent years have passed in the trend of ever increasing state control over its citizens. This process is progressing especially successfully on the Internet, to which Snowden's revelations so successfully opened our eyes. Considering that not only the United States is doing this, but all countries, to one degree or another, the picture is even more depressing.

In light of these developments, it is only natural for citizens to want to ensure the security of their confidential data and to loosen control over their personal lives. One of the measures for this is to counteract their identification on the network, that is, to ensure anonymity. You will learn how to do this in this article.

First of all, it is worth dwelling on the question, why is anonymity on the Internet necessary at all?

Yes, indeed, anonymity is a personal choice of everyone, and many do not need it, and some, for example, public figures, simply cannot afford it due to the nature of their activities. For other people, it may be urgently needed, for security purposes, for the implementation of their social, civil or political activities. In addition to these polar opinions, there is a vast majority of users who are simply unpleasant that they are being spied on.

Is online anonymity possible?

I want to upset you right away - complete anonymity on the Internet is practically unattainable. Each computer has its own ip-address, which can be used to identify the owner and his actions. Yes, the identification process can be significantly complicated, but it is almost impossible to completely avoid it, without special technical means inaccessible to mere mortals. Keep this in mind.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that one should give up. The situation is similar to protection from thieves. Although there is no lock that would be impossible to open, it is in our power to make this process so difficult and time-consuming that no burglar, unless urgently needed, will take it. Let's see what we can do.

Organizational measures

1. Get yourself another account

Today, email has evolved into the universal identity of a network user. Therefore, first of all, it is worth taking care of the second (third, fourth) email address. This can be just an additional Gmail account, or one of the special mail services described in this article. After that, register new accounts on social networks and other necessary services for it. Never mix your public and private profile.

2. Do not use domestic services

I have nothing against our search, mail, social sites, in many ways they are even better. They are worse only in that, if necessary, interested people or structures can quite easily scratch out the information they need about you. Therefore, do not use the services of the country in which you live.

3. Change the place of connection

If you want to further complicate the work of potential pursuers, then do not sit at home, but take a walk in the neighborhood. An attentive and thoughtful search will tell you dozens of available cafes, computer clubs, libraries from which you can use the services of the Internet without risking exposing your real and network address.

Software methods

1. Proxy servers

Quite simply, a proxy is a service or program that acts as an intermediary between you and the site you are requesting. It turns out that all your surfing requests will be addressed to only one server, and it will already send them where necessary. In addition to the banal network search for open proxies, which are quite enough, including free ones, you can use this technology with more sophisticated methods, which we wrote about in the following articles:

• How to access sites unavailable in your country
• 4 free proxy servers to block ads
• How to use Google services to access prohibited sites

2. VPN

Virtual Private Network is several technologies and methods that allow you to create a special encrypted and inaccessible channel between the user and the Internet. This allows you to hide your real IP address and become anonymous, as well as encrypt your traffic. Within the framework of this article, we will not dwell on deciphering the features of the operation of various VPN protocols, we only note that this method, in general, is quite reliable and easy to use. You can learn about its practical application from our following articles:

• ZenMate - Free VPN for Google Chrome
• Three Easy Ways to Read Blocked Sites in Your Country
• TunnelBear - the easiest VPN on your Android
• Hotspot Shield - Internet without borders

3. TOR

TOR is a network of routers and software designed specifically to ensure user anonymity. Roughly speaking, when using this technology, your request to the site and the response from it go through such a tortuous and complex path through a chain of proxy servers that it is almost impossible to figure out the client. Now rumors about the unreliability of TOR technology are actively circulating, but there is no solid evidence of this and, quite possibly, these rumors are launched by interested government organizations.

• Pirate browser from the creators of The Pirate Bay
• OperaTor - anonymous browser based on Opera

Conclusion

This article does not list all the methods of maintaining anonymity on the network, but even they are quite enough to significantly complicate the task of your ill-wishers, persecutors or regulatory authorities.

But the most important defense mechanism is located, without a doubt, in your head. Think, think and think again before posting photos, posting information about yourself, downloading something or uploading to the network. Because Miranda's rule is

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in court."

- this is not only about American films, but also about the modern and, especially, the future Internet.