Whether you want to avoid those annoying targeted ads for things you googled two days ago, or you don’t want to be geo-restricted when browsing on the web, you should start surfing, downloading, or streaming more anonymously.
For that reason, we’ve gathered the best tips to help you stay anonymous online.
The Best Methods for Anonymous Browsing
If you want to keep your online activity to yourself for whatever reason, you should know there are a few ways to do so. Each of these methods provides a different degree and type of online anonymity, so choose the one you need.
Use Private Browsers
Mainstream web browsers like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox include a private feature that prevents storing local data when browsing websites. This way, you can visit any site without worrying your browsing history will be stored on your computer.
Although this will also block third-party cookies, it won’t hide your IP address, meaning sites can still track you for tailored ads. That’s why you should opt for dedicated private browsers like Tor, Epic, or SRWare Iron.
These web browsers are untraceable and prioritize your privacy. They mask your location and prevent data sharing, so they are without a doubt a better option than the private mode on your regular browser.
Use Proxies
Using quality proxies is one of the best ways to conceal your online identity and activity. They are servers that act as a middleman between your system and the sites you visit. They have their own IP addresses which are used when connecting you to other servers, thus keeping your actual IP anonymous.
Since your IP address identifies your location and device, proxies allow you to visit any site without revealing this identifying information. This also allows you to bypass geo-restrictions and access sites that are blocked in your region.
By using, let’s say, static us residential proxies, sites you want to access will see you and treat you like another user from the US. This type of proxy provides the highest degree of anonymity as it uses IP addresses from real users and real IPs.
Although they are totally worth their price, you can use free proxies for activities like bypassing geo-restrictions. You can find a good free proxy list on this website.
Ask Sites Not to Track You
Do you even know there’s an option in your browser’s settings called “Do Not Track”? Well, if you dig through it, you’ll find it and you can turn it on. Although it won’t stop sites from tracking you completely, it will let them know you don’t want to be tracked.
It’s an easy way to ask them not to track you, but the answer would still depend on the sites. Unfortunately, the number of sites that respect this option is small. But, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try as there are some sites that hear you loudly and clearly that you’re feeling uncomfortable being tracked by them.
Although this may not be the best solution, it won’t cost you anything to try it.
Have an Anonymous Email Account
Nowadays, almost every site and service asks for your email in one way or another, and in return, they give you free start guides, e-books, templates, memberships, and many other free things that are hard to deny.
But, giving your email address to all these websites means getting an increasing number of junk emails, some of which can be phishing emails. Email phishing is one of the many types of phishing attacks that tricks people into believing the email they get is from a legitimate company.
Once you click the link provided in the email, you’ll see the “company’s” website that asks you to fill in your personal or financial information. This way, your sensitive information goes straight to the scammer.
That’s why you need to open a new anonymous email with either a proxy or a dedicated private browser and set up an account without any connection to your personal or business email account.
In Conclusion
With so many data breaches and scams, online anonymity is more important than ever. Using any of these tips will help you browse the net more anonymously, but combining them all will give you the highest degree of anonymity on the internet.
