Online anonymity seems to be harder and harder to achieve. Every day, it seems like we’re bombarded with news stories about data breaches and how apps and companies are tracking us to collect our data. The truth is that online anonymity is difficult to achieve, but it’s not impossible. By doing a few simple things and being mindful of how you use the internet, you can browse safely while staying anonymous. But where do you start?
In this article, we’ll look at how users are tracked online and why. We need to know what our data is being used for to protect ourselves. Then we’ll also be looking at a few different ways that you can stay anonymous online, such as using a residential proxy and private browsers. Keep reading to find out what you need to do to stay safe and private online.
How Are You Being Tracked?
The easiest way for websites to track you and collect more data about you is through your IP address. Your IP address is a unique identifier that labels your network. This IP address is critical in communicating with websites and isn’t something that the internet can function without at this stage. However, your IP address contains a lot of information about you and can be tracked by websites so that they can monitor your browsing behaviors.
Websites can then use this data to provide the best browsing experience. Search engines also track your IP address to get an idea of your preferences and search behaviors in an effort to personalize search results and show you the most relevant content.
Your IP address can also give away a lot of other information about you – from your operating system, the devices you use, and more. IP tracking can even reveal which shops you visit, which doctors you see, and even where you spend the night. Needless to say, businesses and even unsavory characters such as hackers can use this data in a number of different ways, from improving browsing experiences to more negative uses such as online stalking and phishing.
How To Stay Anonymous Online?
While most businesses track you with a good reason in mind, such as improving their user offerings or your browsing experience, there’s no denying that you can also be tracked with malicious intent. If companies sell you data for a quick buck, how do you know how it’ll be used? Or whether it’s safely stored? As such, it’s critical to stay anonymous online and avoid tracking altogether.
What Is P2P IP Sharing?
One surefire way to stay anonymous online is through P2P IP sharing. P2P IP sharing is a network that consists of multiple users sharing their IP addresses and using each other’s devices as proxy servers. This type of network was initially used to make sharing files easier, but soon users discovered its uses in hiding IP addresses and keeping your identity anonymous when browsing.
There are even businesses that would pay users to join a P2P IP sharing network. Since the workload of any activity is shared between all users on the network, rather than a central server having more users would increase processing speeds. However, simply joining a network for money may not be the best or safest idea.
Other Ways To Stay Safe Online
There are also other ways that you can protect your online anonymity. One of the easiest ways is using residential proxies. Residential proxies hide your IP address behind the address of another real device that’s part of the providers’ pool. This means that websites and such won’t be able to track you as they’ll never see your real IP address.
Another way to ensure anonymity while browsing online is to use a private browser. No, we don’t mean Chrome’s Incognito mode. We mean a truly anonymous browser that really doesn’t track users. You may wonder if such a browser exists, and you’re in luck because it does. Tor browser is one of the few truly private browsers. Built on the Onion routing concept, this browser routes traffic through multiple servers, encrypting it every step of the way to ensure the information cannot be tracked.
Final Thoughts
Online privacy is becoming more important, so people are looking for ways to hide their identities while browsing. The only way to achieve this is by hiding your IP address through a P2P IP sharing network or using residential proxies. Furthermore, private browsers like Tor keep all your browsing private. Give Tor a try to experience true private internet browsing.
