In the Internet privacy world, who can you trust?

This is a difficult question to answer. Of course, Internet privacy should be a major concern to anyone who boots up a computer and checks their e-mail. With modern technology comes a new generation of criminals and misfits who will use it with bad intentions.

Even if criminal activity isn't involved, some of the sources you, as an Internet user, think you can trust will let you down. Internet Service Providers (ISP), search engines, and marketing companies all use this technology to track your IP address and slowly build up a profile about your surfing habits so they can advertise more effectively...that is correct, your own ISP keeps tabs on your internet habits.

You can safely assume that you have zero privacy while surfing the Internet, and privacy protection goes above and beyond the latest Norton update. Privacy on the Internet is not given to you. As an Internet user, you must proactively search ways to protect your Internet Privacy while online.

This brings us to the million dollar question...who can you trust?

Many places offer Internet privacy tools, but what do they have in mind? Is it a company that cares about your privacy? Knowing who you can and can't turn to is important. Internet privacy tools can be found just about anywhere, but this is an area where you get what you pay for. Would you trust a stranger on the streets to walk up to you and give you a brand-new television? Then why would you use a tool that is meant to protect your privacy without knowing who is behind it?

While you can never be truly anonymous, you can be protected. Some company will always have your information, especially since have to pay your bills. In the case of using a company's protection tools, the important thing to know is how will they use it? Will they sell it to the highest bidder, or will they follow their privacy policy and not jeopardize your information. The point of using their products is that they stand behind them and guarantee them to work. I feel strongly about knowing who is taking my money and I want to have a face and a name to stand behind the product. I want to know the people who I am trusting with my personal information.