While we all love the internet, it is very easy to be apprehensive about our safety online. After dealing with scandals like Cambridge Analytica and becoming so aware of how we are tracked and how our data is used, many of us have become cautious. The way some of us see it, the only way to safely browse the web is to be anonymous.
And while the idea of being an anonymous internet crusader is appealing, can it be done? The following explores internet anonymity and how feasible it is for the average consumer.
How You Are Tracked Online
The first thing to keep in mind is that your activities are constantly being monitored when you are online. Your internet service provider and your browser developer know what sites you’ve been visiting and what you’ve been doing on them. This is why your browser history can be pulled up at any point. Even when you opt for incognito browsing mode, your activities are still visible, they just aren’t being stored in your browser history. Even certain apps and sites you visit can track your activity on other sites, which is how targeted ads are developed.
The simple truth is that anonymity online is very hard to pull off, though there are ways to be more private.
How to be Anonymous
If you want to get as close to anonymous online as possible, here are a few steps to take:
Anonymous Platforms
If you don’t want your data used without your consent, you’re best off giving away as little of it as possible. This is best done by using anonymous platforms. These are sites that allow you to access their services without asking for any of your vital information, like your name or email address. And believe it or not, these do exist. Take the iGaming space, for example. Usually, you would have to show a government ID and provide your bank details and other such information to get started.
But if you use an anonymous betting platform, you can skip all of this hassle. These anonymous platforms allow betting with crypto, so you only need to connect your wallet to get started. As Darcey Conley explains, Anonymous betting sites have become very popular among consumers, and you might want to leverage them to preserve your privacy.
VPNs
By now, you’ve probably seen at least a few ads for Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) floating about. These tools let you mask your IP address or use one from a different region while browsing online. Using a VPN means that no one, not even your internet service provider, can track your activities, and this massively helps protect your privacy.
VPNs are easy to get a hold of, with both free and paid ones available online, so consider using one. It also helps if you use geo-specific sites like betting sites and have to travel. That way, you can continue to use your favorite site even if you go to a different country.
Private Emails and Encrypted Messaging
Much of our time online is spent messaging others, and this is a crucial avenue through which our activity can be tracked. To be safe, only use messaging applications like Telegram and WhatsApp that have end-to-end encryption, making sure that even the developers cannot spy on your messages. Similarly, you can sign up for a private email service, which is better for a privacy-seeking consumer than a regular email provider. Also, if you’re using a site for things like betting, look out for encryption labels, as these will protect you as you play.
Ad Blockers
A tried and tested way to avoid pesky online ads and protect your privacy is to use ad blockers, which are a must for anyone trying to stay anonymous. Not only do you get to avoid ads but ad blockers will stop sites from tracking your activity online. On top of installing ad blockers on your web browser, you should also disable cookies on your device. This can be done by navigating to your settings and disabling cookies. That way, when you’re using gaming sites, you won’t be inundated with ads for a million other sites.
Tor
Tor stands for The Onion Router and is a free online tool that helps to route your web traffic through a multi-server network. By doing this, your web activity and history will be virtually untraceable because it will be buried in an endless mass of other web activity data. One thing to keep in mind about Tor, however, is that it can slow down your device when in use.
Watch Your Connections
The world around us is full of free Wi-Fi to connect to; airports, shops, restaurants, schools, and other public places tend to have free Internet connections. But constantly using these connections can make your device and data more vulnerable to attack. It is generally advised that you only connect to public wi-fi using a VPN or not at all. If you’re looking for online anonymity, this is a must.
