Internet Privacy and You

There are many reasons a person might want to have Internet privacy when surfing the next. You might want to hide who you are when making comments, or be uneasy about the whole “Homeland Security” issue and feel like you have a right to protect yourself from spying eyes. Not everyone wants to be a hacker. Still, sometimes Internet Service Providers say they will give information to authorities simply if requested. In the US no warrant is required to acquire this information. So, it makes sense to be concerned about your right to Internet privacy.

The fact is ever since the World Wide Web came into being, there have been ways to surf anonymously, usually by using an online proxy server. Basically, you go to an anonymous proxy website and tell it the web address you want to visit by typing or pasting in the link. The proxy server then pulls up the page and shows it to you through their site. So, any info the visited website receives isn’t from you, but from that website. Any scripts, images, cookies or other tracking ware is blocked from access to your computer.

It sounds good in theory, yet every silver lining has a cloud and the use of anonymous proxy servers for Internet privacy is a double-edged sword. Your information may not go to the website you are visiting, but ALL of your information is made available on the anonymous proxy server logs, so even they aren’t completely secure.

Free proxy servers don’t encrypt data, so it’s there for any prying eyes with access to see and use. In the case of legal issues, your information could be turned over to the courts and consequently, you could be located. Not very good Internet privacy when you think about it. In addition, there’s the info left on your own computer from using the proxy server.

The good thing is there are a large variety of Internet privacy software programs you can install directly on your computer that can help you surf anonymously and get rid of the tracks you leave behind. They can also offer secure tunnel connections and rotate IP addresses to further increase online protection. Having these kinds of options depends entirely on how good the software you purchase really is once installed.

Again, this option for Internet privacy is for the ordinary individual who just wants to protect himself during his daily web browsing from the usual intrusions of scripts, cookies and malware. This is not for those individuals who plan to try to use this technology for any illegal activities. If you take that route, law enforcement will definitely make a concerted effort to find you. So, another good way to ensure your Internet privacy is not to have the government looking for you! Utilize your online time legally.

Take out the time to research the Internet privacy software that’s available. Read reviews and comparisons. The ordinary surfer will find them an invaluable aid to protecting both privacy and peace of mind.

Anonymous Surfing for US Military Personnel

Using an anonymous proxy is important for U.S. Military Personnel around the world who want to maintain connection with the U.S. This is because they cannot expose their identity over the Internet for obvious reasons.

The Internet has become the main medium of communication in today’s digital world. U.S. Military Personnel should look for the safest way to use this connection. This is why many have discovered that they can use an anonymous proxy that has an IP address in the US in order to access US websites safely and securely.

An Internet Protocol (IP) address identifies a specific device or machine when it participates in an Internet communication. It is composed of four groups of numbers separated by dots. An example of an IP address is 216.27.61.137. Today, there are two systems of IP address - the 32-bit and the 128-bit systems. The 32-bit system is the original one and is named Internet Protocol Version 4 or IPv4, while the second one is called Internet Protocol Version 6 or IPv6.

This IP address can be used to track the Internet activity of any US military personnel around the world, or for that matter, any user. To avoid this risk, anonymous surfing using an anonymous proxy has become the safe and more secure option.

For U.S. Military personnel outside the U.S. who want to watch US TV on the Internet, access US websites or communicate with loved ones back home, using a proxy with a U.S. IP address is an added benefit. With a U.S. IP address, sites that would be blocked with a foreign IP address would be accessible.

The Internet is a dangerous place. With a simple Javascript tracking code, a malicious website can expose a surfer’s identity - the IP address, the computer operating system, the web browser used, the surfer’s geographical location, and practically almost all of the user’s information.

By using an anonymous proxy, you are protected from attacks and fraudulent websites because your IP address is hidden from the specific website that you access.

The above situation can be avoided by using a proxy. In its simplest sense, when you connect to a website, you actually connect to the proxy and it is this computer that connects you to the web site. In short, the web site does not know your identity, what is known is only the proxy server. However, you should be careful when choosing a proxy web server. Since it knows who you are, you should choose one that can be trusted. Chances are you might end up with even greater problems if you fall in the trap of unscrupulous proxy sites.

US Military Personnel can choose an anonymous proxy that has an IP address in the US. This way, they can safely and securely access US websites, communicate with loved ones back home, and even watch US TV on the Internet through anonymous surfing.

Anonymous Proxy use for Business

With more and more people earning a living using the Internet, the competition is becoming more intense. Whether you have a web based business or a non web based business with a web site, you should consider using an anonymous proxy.

In our article titled Anonymous Proxy use for Business, we outline some of the reasons why you need to surf anonymously for your business. In summary, your competitors can find out who you are and block your view of their web sites. Competitive intelligence is one of the keys to being competitive whether you are a pure web based business or not. Being blocked from competitive web sites gives your competitors an advantage, one that you can not afford.

Anonymous Surfing is more than using an Anonymous Proxy

Last week I uploaded a video on anonymous surfing and why hiding your IP address is not enough. Basically, you need to follow these simple steps as outlined in the video to protect your Internet Privacy.

Anonymous Surfing Involves More Than Using an Anonymous Proxy

This Squidoo lens features information on Anonymous Proxy surfing. It was written by our VP of Marketing and provides tips on how to stay anonymous on the Internet. I'll post one of her tips below, but click the link for the full article.

E-mail Addresses
If a site requires an e-mail address, or the e-mail address is part of your post, then you might want to have multiple e-mail addresses. They are easy enough to set up and if you do it correctly using an anonymous proxy server, then your e-mail identity is masked. Let's use Google Gmail as an example. If you use one of our servers, let's say the one in Tempe Arizona, set up an account with Google. Then, when you use Gmail, the header information in the e-mail will show an IP address from Arizona.

US Websites and International IP addresses

For a number of our American customers who travel abroad, the desire to stay in touch with US culture is not that odd. As a society Americans are somewhat insular. We value the familiar and can feel uneasy in different countries. One way to keep that connection is to watch American TV.

For years when I traveled I marveled that I Love Lucy was on TV in so many countries. Reruns of many popular shows from the past would be on during prime time. Unfortunately nostalgia is not a substitute for a current connection. Watching anything current was out of the question.

Then came the Internet, and watching TV on your laptop. Over the years however, many media sites started restricting access to those in their geographic location. It's easy enough to do with an IP address look up. So what was a traveler supposed to do?

The answer is use an Anonymous Proxy to change your IP address from a non US IP address back into an American IP address. This is however, only part of the answer. The proxy also has to have speed and not be recognized as a proxy. Using a software based proxy like Private Proxy put all the pieces of the puzzel together so US travelers can access US Interent web sites from other countries.

The 7 Worst Mistakes People Make Online

Online business, activities and transactions are increasing exponentially each year. That means that a ton of money is flowing through this virtual world, and where there is a lot of money, usually, there is a lot of greed as well. Some people will do anything to make a quick buck, so the average consumer needs to be on guard. Unfortunately, many people are still in the dark when in comes to staying safe online. Everyday, there are more and more people who become victims of internet fraud and scams because they have neglected to take online security seriously. Here are the 7 worst mistakes that people make online, which could easily be avoided.

• Entering personal information on social networking sites for the entire world to see - This is a very common mistake made by many people, especially the unsuspecting youth. If you enter your personal information like your home address or your telephone number on a public site, and you aren't careful about whom you accept as friends, then it can potentially be misused or you could become a victim of harassment.
• Using unsecured, internet protocols for financial transactions - This puts your financial information, in particular, your credit card numbers and bank account numbers at serious risk when you purchase products online. Be sure to use a notable processor like PayPal or make purchases at the big-name, trusted sites.
• Using similar usernames and passwords for different accounts - It's simply risky, because if one of your accounts is somehow hacked, then the security of the rest of your accounts is also at risk.
• Accepting cookies on the internet from unfamiliar sites - This may make your online experience a little easier, but it can also be a great threat to your privacy. That innocent cookie could actually be a piece of spyware that records your keystrokes. Your account ids and passwords could be at risk of being exposed.
• Ignoring the importance of anti-virus and anti-spyware programs – As previously mentioned, spyware and related malware programs can send sensitive information about you to a third party. These can automatically install themselves without your knowledge while you are browsing the net. Therefore, make sure that you have an anti-spyware program installed and also, be sure to have the latest updates for your chosen program.
• Storing account ids and passwords, passport ids, bank account and credit card numbers, or other ID numbers and passwords on your hard drive – This type of information should be stored on a USB memory stick or copied to a CD. Although archaic, even just writing that information on a notepad and keeping it in a safe place in your home is safer than having it on your computer. I don't think that the hackers have written a program yet that can grab your sensitive information off our desk!
• Not monitoring the online activities of your kids – Everything that your children do online should be monitored. If it turns out that a family member is engaging in unsafe behavior that threatens your privacy and online security, take immediate action to inform them of the recklessness of their actions before it's too late. Put boundaries in place to minimize the risk.

With the increased number of online transactions everyday, the level of security has to keep pace with the level of online activity. Don't take online security lightly. Get educated about the risks online, and follow the measures that have been addressed in this article to keep you and your family safe.