Understanding Privacy Mode
For months, Microsoft and bloggers have been discussing the added privacy features Internet Explorer 8 offers to its consumers. In many ways, these changes are similar to Mozilla, Safari and other browsers have offered to the net surfers for a time. IE8 centered its attention around the security and ease of use to users. Some of the added features include InPrivate Browsing, Delete Browsing History, InPrivate Blocking, and InPrivate Subscriptions. Other areas to include improvements in RSS, cascading style sheets, and AJAX (the information exchange). Simply stated, IE8 is promising a safer environment for the surfer.
InPrivate Browsing puts you in control. You have the option to allow Internet Explorer to save your browsing history, cookies and other private data exchanged on the net. By having the ability to Delete Browsing History, you are able to manage whether or not websites that you have visited are saved. While saving your website history may appear to be an added convenience for later use, this is not exactly a safe way to operate from a privacy perspective.
InPrivate Blocking and InPrivate Subscriptions rely upon each other. InPrivate Blocking advises you about any potentially harmful outside source that is in a position to view your browsing history. Once the information has been relayed to you, you are given an opportunity to block the outside source. This feature is Internet Explorer’s version of Privacy Mode, commonly referred to as “porn” mode. InPrivate Subscriptions are a list of websites that you have created and named safe or unsafe. If there is a site that you question security, you have the option of adding it to the blocked list.
Do you really feel safe? For years, companies have taken advantage of the fact that web surfers will always be just that. The Internet is being used by many for more than just research. Consumers do their banking online and even purchase items. Each time a keyword has been typed into the browser, companies had the ability to retrieve this information and use it to their advantage. Stating that these features have been added and improved is almost like the feeling of when Mom would give you a cookie, pat you on the head, and tell you that everything is okay.
How safe are you exactly? Reality is that all of these additions are only bandaging the real issue…..privacy. Even though these features are in place and functioning your IP address may still be shared. There are solutions.
One of the features that should be taken into consideration when the privacy mode of net surfing is in play is the IP address. How many times have you gone to a website and been blocked. They know you by your IP address. The entire Internet works in this fashion…..do not make the mistake of thinking otherwise.
There are options that allow for anonymous surfing. This really seems to be the way to go. To be in true privacy mode while surfing the net an anonymous proxy is required.
There are a couple of ways to assure that what you search on the net remains completely anonymous. One way is going through a Private Proxy. Of course, when you do find what you are looking for and download the information a trace is left behind.
