An Introduction To Anonymous Surfing
Author: Katerina Mitrou

Privacy is a right most people practice everyday. It's why
bathrooms have doors and locks, cubicles at the library are
constructed to block out the glances of other patrons, voting
laws that allow you to cast a ballot anonymously exist, and
commuters don't sit on your lap in the subway (unless it's
really crowded, of course!) So it's no surprise that people
expect a certain amount of privacy when surfing the Internet.
In fact, many people think their online activities are entirely
anonymous – after all, no one can see you in the World Wide Web,
right?

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Internet browsing is not
necessarily anonymous, even though it may seem to be. First of
all, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) has the ability to
log all the sites your IP (Internet Protocol) address visits.
Your IP address is how your computer is identified every time
you log on to the Internet. Secondly, the actual websites you
visit can easily track your IP address and log it for future
reference. Your IP address doesn't specify your actual name,
but it's not difficult for the owner of a particular website to
link your IP address to your ISP.

It's safe to assume most Internet surfers value anonymity
online because that is what makes the Internet a unique
experience. For the first time in history, people from around
the world with access to a computer have been able to connect
to each other, communicate, and share information without
having to disclose personal information. On the Internet your
alias is your identity. It is this opportunity to remain
anonymous that has allowed many people to practice freedom of
speech and use the Internet as a tool of expression.

If used for legitimate activities, the Internet creates a forum
in which the average person can correspond with other people who
share similar interests and discuss issues that might be cause
for embarrassment, reprimand, or persecution in other circles.
For instance, using a pseudonym allows the individual to be
creative, lets concerned citizens voice discontent over
corporate practices, and makes it possible for mistreated
minorities to express their feelings and discuss topics related
to their experience without fear of reprisal. As a source of
information, the Internet is also a good place to research
sensitive topics, such as hair loss, without having to reveal
your identity. It's easy to see why people might want to
protect their anonymity in the virtual world.

You might want to remain anonymous online for other reasons as
well. Some people require protection from the government,
employers, or corporations. Businesses use anonymous surfing to
research their competition incognito, while lawyers use it to
visit websites that will help him/her make a strong case for a
client without disclosing their conduct to the party under
scrutiny, which could compromise a case. The average person
wants to surf anonymously just to avoid the prying eyes of nosy
websites and aggressive marketing companies.

So how do you surf anonymously? The only way to keep your
browsing habits under lock and key is to hide your IP address
using anonymous web browsing technology. Anonymous web browsing
entails the use of a proxy server, which is placed between you
and the website you are visiting. Essentially, your web browser
"talks" to the proxy server (instead of directly to the website)
and the proxy server then "talks" to the website, shielding your
IP address from view. The website only sees the proxy server.
Just make sure you choose a proxy server you trust because the
proxy server will know your IP address.

Although all methods of anonymous surfing involve the use of a
proxy server, there are several ways to go about it. The first
method works through another website. You simply visit the
website of the proxy server and then type the URL of the site
you want to browse. You'll then be taken to the website through
the proxy server.

Another method requires that you download a client application.
This is a program that handles everything, regarding the proxy
server, on your behalf so you don't have to worry about
anything except browsing.

An anonymous web proxy service is another way to remain
anonymous online. With this method you have to configure your
browser to point to an anonymous web proxy, but once this has
been accomplished your browsing experience should be relatively
hassle-free. These services are public and exist for the sole
purpose of anonymous surfing by proxy.

You can also set up your web browser to surf through your
choice of an anonymous server – the difference here is that an
anonymous server does not advertise as a web proxy service.
Instead, you can find lists of these servers published on the
Internet. Another difference: you might not know who is running
the service, and as a result, the server could potentially
record your web traffic.

If you choose to employ a web proxy service, here are some
things to look out for:

1. A reputable service should set up a TLS or SSL tunnel for
you. This means network sniffers won't be able to eavesdrop on
your surfing habits.

2. Choose a service that supports the protocols you want to
use. Some services offer FTP, while others only support HTTP.
Some also offer HTTPS, but not all.

3. A good proxy service should do more than just hide your IP
address. It should also remove traffic such as cookies,
scripts, pop-ups, banners, and referrer information. Just make
sure you have the option to configure these elements so that
websites for which you need to use cookies and pop-ups won't be
rendered unusable.

No matter how you choose to surf the web anonymously, you'll
surely rest easy knowing that your privacy isn't being
compromised every time you log on.


About The Author: By Katerina Mitrou sponsored by
http://www.free-web-browsers.com/ . At
http://free-web-browsers.com, you'll find tools for safe
internet surfing such as alternative web browsers
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when using this article.