Every week, a new story is published about how Internet companies track down your data everywhere.It is therefore not surprising that
people are looking for ways to be anonymous online.It is extremely
difficult to achieve complete anonymity, but privacy is a continuum.By
making informed decisions, you can limit how much of your
personal information is collected and shared.In this way you can make
your surfing even more private.
For those of you who really want to leave the surveillance network, this New York Times story describes the steps a person has
taken to prevent anyone from accessing identifying information.For
anyone who can not afford the measures they've taken (such as buying a
bait house), this article will help you find the services and tools you
need to maximize your online privacy with minimal inconvenience
Anonymous web browser
As a tool that connects to and displays websites, your browser has access to a set of data, from your browsing history to your IP address,
to the make and model of your device.Once your browser has your data, it
can share it with websites and other online trackers.Visit webkay to
see what data your current browser is collecting (and possibly
sharing).Considering this level of access, choosing your browser can
have a significant impact on your online privacy.Gebay.com.The most
common is the web browser.It encrypts your traffic three times and
then forwards it through three separate servers, called "relays" or
"nodes." Each relay removes the outermost level of encryption.This way,
only the first relay knows your true IP address and only the third
relay which site you visit.Tor also gives you access to special onion
pages that are harder to monitor and shut down than regular websites.
Tor is safe to use and your best choice if privacy is paramount.However, it is also complicated to set up, does not work with
all website functions and is slower than a standard internet
browser.Other, more user-friendly browsers also offer privacy.However,
these browsers protect you from the trackers that advertisers and
websites use to track you on the Internet.These browsers are not
anonymous and do not hide your IP address like Tor.
Firefox is the second most popular browser in the world.It has advanced privacy features, such as advanced tracking protection, that
make it difficult for online trackers to track their activity on the
Internet.Brave is another option.It's an open source browser that
automatically blocks all ads and trackers by default.You can even access
the Tor network via the private tab (the Brave version of an incognito
tab).For iOS and MacOS users, the Safari browser also offers several
strong privacy features.
Google Chrome, the world's most popular browser, is also the least private.However, by adjusting the activity settings in your Google
Account, you can at least limit the amount of data that Chrome can
capture.
Browser add-ons that protect your privacy
Choosing a browser that focuses on privacy is a great way to anonymously surf the Internet.However, there are still some steps
left.Even good-privacy browsers like Firefox can share information about
your location and device with online trackers.That's why browser
add-ons are so important.You can supplement the protection of the
browser and disguise some of the information it may provide.
One of the easiest-to-use privacy add-ons is Privacy Badger.Privacy Badger was developed by the non-profit organization Electronic Frontier
Foundation and learns over time which services and cookies you track and
block.You simply download it and let it do its thing.
An add-on that makes blocking trackers more thorough is uBlock Origin (also available for Chrome).There are several comprehensive lists
of trackers and cookies that can be blocked.Experienced users can also
customize these lists and add new services they want to block.Best of
all, uBlock Origin is efficient and blocks elements much faster than
similar add-ons.
To prevent your browser from sharing information about your location, system, and device, you should use NoScript (also available
for Chrome).It only allows trusted sources to run plugins like Java
or Flash.While this protects your data, it may take a few tries and
errors to figure out which plug-ins will help break some sites.
(It should be noted that the Tor Browser contains HTTPS Everywhere and NoScript is already integrated.)
Trustworthy VPN
A VPN routes your online traffic through an encrypted tunnel, preventing your ISP or any
attackers from monitoring your online activity. It also redirects your
traffic through a VPN server, which masks your IP address and the
physical location of your device from websites. While no VPN service will ever be as anonymous as Tor, it also does not have the limitations
that come with Tor. A VPN provides fast connection speeds, works with
any browser, and allows its users to stream videos and share files over
P2P networks.
However, by routing your online traffic through its server, your VPN provider essentially becomes your ISP. It can see all your online
activity and your IP address. That is why it is essential that you only
use trustworthy VPN services.
RitaVPN has a strict no logs policy, which means that it does not record any of your online activity.
It also comes with advanced security features, like Kill Switch, which
immediately shuts down your Internet connection if you are disconnected
from your VPN server, and Tor over VPN, which allows you to connect to
the Tor network with a single click.
Anonymous search engines
Google monitors and records every search query it receives to build up a profile on each of its users. Even if you’re not logged in to your
Google account, it can use information about your IP address, your device, and your geographic location to single you out from other
users. It uses those profiles to determine which ads to show to whom.
Considering how much people rely on search engines to navigate the Internet, your search history is almost as revealing as your browsing
history. While there are steps you can take to prevent Google from
linking your searches to your account, like adjusting your Activity
settings or logging out of your Google account before typing in your
query, it is much easier to use a search engine that protects user
privacy by default.
The most popular anonymous search engine is DuckDuckGo. It does not collect any of your personal information or connect your searches to
form a profile on you, making it impossible to track your activity.
Startpage and Qwant are two other search engines that do not collect
personal data.
Advanced steps
Once you start going down the rabbit hole of trying to limit access to your personal data, it can be hard to stop. So many organizations
have access to the data of the average person. For those looking to go
the extra mile to be anonymous online, there are some additional steps
you can take.
Turn off location tracking: Websites can get your location from your laptop or smartphone. Turn off the location tracking on your device,
and don’t forget to clear your device’s location history. Here are some
guides that can help you turn off location tracking (and other data
collection) for Android, iOS, and Windows 10.
Avoid social networks entirely: Obviously, anything shared over Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter is public and can reveal substantial
amounts of information. A photo of the meal you just cooked will show
the GPS coordinates of where it was taken unless you have turned off
location tracking. Even if you do not post anything, Facebook and
Twitter closely monitor your activity on their site to build up their
databases.
Share files anonymously: Avoid using Google Drive and Dropbox. We have already discussed all the privacy issues that come with using a
Google service, and Edward Snowden called Dropbox “very hostile to
privacy.” If you need to share files with someone, use the open source
and anonymous Onion Share.
Do not use your credit card: Every time you pay for a purchase using your credit card, your purchase is recorded. Even if the data is
anonymized, attackers can identify you using the totality of your
purchases. Moreover, to make a payment with a credit card online, you
must give the website your name and address. To protect your privacy, do
not use credit cards on- or offline. While purchasing items with
Bitcoin is a more private option online, the most anonymous way to
conclude any purchase is with cash.
Use a privacy-focused operating system: Tails is to operating systems what the Tor browser is to web browsers: it is the most private
and anonymous solution currently available. You can use it on any
computer without leaving a trace.
Minimize the personal data you expose offline: To achieve true anonymity, you must also consider which organizations have access to
your data offline as well. Most of the steps in the New York Times story
mentioned at the top of this article involve removing your information
from public databases, like the Department of Motor Vehicles. While this
individual went to extremes (not everyone is going to create their own
LLC), some of his strategies, like using a basic GPS device (not your
smartphone) for directions, making phone calls using temporary phone
numbers from a second phone number app, and encrypting your devices, can
be used by everyone to protect their private data.
https://www.ritavpn.com/blog/is-your-email-safe/
https://www.ritavpn.com/blog/how-to-clear-cookies-in-chrome/
https://www.ritavpn.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-vpn/
