Anonymous Surfing Software vs Web-based Anonymous Proxy...which is better for your Internet privacy?

As an Internet user you face many dangers online ranging from cyber criminals trying to steal your identity to marketing companies and ISPs tracking and logging your IP address. As a lot of web surfers know, one of the best ways for protecting personal information and maintaining Internet privacy is to use a proxy server. While many useful proxy servers can be found on the Internet simply by searching "proxy" on Google, the age old question that many Internet users have difficulty answering is: What is better to use, anonymous surfing software or free web-based anonymous proxies?

Web-based:
These are quite easy to use and require nothing on your part besides an active Internet connection. These web anonymizers require you only to enter the URL of the site you wish to visit and give it a click. Your IP address is hidden and replaced with the IP address of the site's server. This is a great example of proxy avoidance and will get you onto a blocked website, but only offers minimal, if any, data protection and encryption services. The main purpose of the web-based anonymous proxy is to get on a website such as MySpace, that would normally be blocked by an IT Department. Another downside is that this type of proxy can't gain access to sites that use Secure Socket Layer or Secure Shell encryption, such as banking sites.

Software-based:
A software-based proxy will run with your current browser and allow you to surf freely without having to go back to a homepage to enter a new URL. After installation it should only require 1-click to run the program and surf anonymously. A good software proxy will cost you a few dollars a month (nothing to break the bank over), which is a downside compared to the free web proxies. There is usually a fee associated because you are getting what you pay for...software proxies offer anonymous surfing, but also encrypt the data being transmitted. This means that in addition to your IP address being masked, your data and the transmission between networks is also secure (which is not the case with a web proxy).

Ultimately, both methods of protecting your IP address and Internet privacy have their pros and cons. At the end of the day if you only need a quick fix to get onto a blocked website that requires no personal information (such as a log-in, e-mail, or password) then a web proxy will work for you. Using a software proxy whenever you surf, even if only for a few minutes, would be highly recommended. It is still easy to use and offers much more protection and freedom to surf without the worry of just how protected you are. The advanced protection alone makes software proxies your best bet.