Infographic byWordStream Internet Marketing

Take Control of Your Internet Privacy

Here are  3 simple steps to control your privacy on the Internet:

1. Never post personal information on the Internet.  Once information is on the web, it can be copied and shared without your permission.  Once posted, you’ve lost control over where it can appear.  What may seem harmless can lead to the wrong people having your information.
2. Use an anonymous proxy to hide your IP address.  Your IP address is one identifier that can lead back to you.  By hiding it you can throw would be stalkers off your trail.
3. Clear your cookies.  While normally cookies are not harmful, they do provide information back to websites you visit about your habits on their website.  This may or may not be something you care about.  It depends on the websites you visit.

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Anonymous Proxy usage is on the rise. This is because an anonymous proxy can help you bypass Internet restrictions or Internet censorship. An anonymous proxy is an Internet server that you connect to and that appears to be your ISP’s Internet server to any site that you visit. The websites that you visit when connected to an anonymous proxy see the proxies IP address and not the IP address of your ISP, or employer. This helps bypass restrictions based on IP address. If your IP address is banned or blocked, then by using the IP address of the anonymous proxy, you are bypassing the ban.

Anonymous surfing is slightly different. In addition to hiding your IP address, anonymous surfing is the process of being invisible on the web. With an anonymous proxy that encrypts your website traffic, you make virtually impossible for someone to monitor your Internet surfing. All they will see is the encrypted traffic which is almost impossible to decipher.

When you surf anonymously by using encryption, then the data that you send not only can’t be read, its hard to block. Let’s say that you are in mainland China and researching democracy. By encrypting your searches, the Chinese government won’t know what you are looking for. This bypasses the block on those searches. Let’s also assume that the New York Times website is blocked by the Chinese. Again, the URL that you enter into your browser is encrypted so it cannot be monitored. This also means it can’t be blocked.

Anonymous Proxy and Anonymous Surfing are keys to being safe on the Internet. Safe from hackers and thieves. And safe from repressive governments.

For most of us, we don’t worry about being anonymous because we don’t live in a repressed society. However, governments aren’t the only ones watching you. Hackers and thieves are watching you too. Using an anonymous proxy can also protect you from would be thieves.

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Anonymous Proxy to avoid identity theft

Although we did not know it the abstract concept of a grassroots link between users would be manifested to the tangible, yet paradoxically intangible, Internet. This system allowed people to set up their own sites via the WWW service, and brought about many great things. Unfortunately, it is through the Internet that we find ourselves the victims of some of the most creative criminals.

The creation of MySpace, FaceBook, and other social networking sites where people can communicate to one another through personalized profiles and comment, blog, and rate each others own pictures brought about a social revolution. People became addicted to these sites, and soon enough criminals began to notice and try and exploit the general public’s naivete regarding Internet safety. Through the wonderful power of deceit the Internet provides, these ingenious crooks posed as friends of some people, and lured them into the real world to steal, abduct, etc. The more sophisticated criminals even earned themselves a special title of reverence: a hacker. These hackers manipulated computer infrastructure and security systems to go right into people’s documents or bank accounts and take whatever they want.

Some criminals have learned the enigmatic arts of intercepting online conversations, and using the possibly embarrassing information as a blackmail tool, to get the person to pay up or their sensitive secret is spilled to everyone. The zenith of criminal achievement through the hacker is by far identity theft. These hackers, by accumulating certain identifying and personal pieces of information from a person, can actually exploit the power of the Internet to, online, become that person. Very useful if they wish to buy a variety of expensive items online but do not have the money to do so themselves.

What the public doesn’t know and the hackers wish to keep a secret is the anonymous proxy server. This private proxy will enable you to surf the Internet incognito, and have high bit encryption services cover all of your tracks,, so that some hacker cannot get into anything of yours. Surf anonymously online through an anonymous proxy and circumvent even the most creative criminal!

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In the first place, remember that the term itself is short for “Internet Protocol.” This is a label that has been applied to allow you to connect to a wider network, and if you are on the Internet, you are using an IP address to get there. Remember, though, that you are looking at something that has several functions. For instance, websites have IP addresses too; from your computer’s point of view, they are both a pathway as well as a location. When you are thinking about the way your computer interacts on the network, remember that it should act as your passport. If you are not getting an IP address, you are not going to be getting online at all. Your IP address is something that is granted to you by your Internet service provider, or your ISP. In many cases, you will be able to simply plug your computer into the wall or into your cable modem, depending on what your service consists of, and you will be able to get online right away. In many cases, you will first need to deal with authenticating yourself to your ISP, and you need to verify that you have service with them, but it usually takes very little time at all. With a greater interest in convenience and speed, there are companies which are deliberately working for plug and play Internet, where you can plug your computer in and simply start surfing as you please. This can make a huge difference to the way that you connect.

When you are thinking about your IP address, remember that things that are not your ISP that can still hand out IP addresses. For example, take a look at your wireless router, whether you use it at work or at home. You are only going to be getting one IP address through the router, but the router arranges the information so that multiple devices can use the connection at once. Remember that the IP address that is given out by your ISP is going to go through your router and then the router will generate an IP address for your computers. An IP address that begins with 192.168.1.0 or 192.168.1.1 is a sign that you are being given an address by a router rather than a direct connection.

When you want to learn more about networking in general., you need to look into being able to tell the difference between an IP address and a MAC address. Though people often confuse them, the truth of the matter is that they do not have a great deal in common. At the most basic level, a MAC address is simply a twelve character long string of numbers and letters; typically, when they are written down, they are divided into pairs through the use of dashes. If you have a device that can connect to the Internet, that device will have a MAC address. A MAC address can be used to identify a machine on the system and you will find that this can be an important security feature. When machines go through a router, the network as a whole can only see the MAC address of the router, not the machines behind it. Take some time and learn how to find your own computer’s MAC address. You will discover that one way to secure a network is to make sure that it is only open to a certain list of MAC addresses; as all devices have different MAC addresses, this is a more secure way to take care of a network.

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Use an anonymous proxy to stay safe overseas.

So what would a soldier want to access on the web. Believe it or not, one of the things they do is watch TV online. They can catch their favorite programs or watch hockey. Most of the TV networks put their some of their latest episodes online. For others, they can access media sites that aggregate content. Another source for media is the online newspapers like the New York Times. Or maybe they want to read their home town newspaper online. Today most, if not all papers, have an online version. So between TV, sports, and newspapers, they can catch up on the latest US media and news.

Instead of TV, they might be on social networking sites like FaceBook or MySpace. For those who have not served in the military, you can’t imagine how much of a gift these sites are to lonely young men and women far from home. With a click of the mouse, they can see friends and loved ones. They can catch up on the latest happenings in their families or circle of friends. They can see videos, pictures and general updates. And maybe, just maybe, some of the loneliness might go away. Sure, they are still at the front. Sure they are still in harm’s way. But they have a connection back to their normal every day lives. Unfortunately, they can’t always connect back to these US sites. You’d think the web is available everywhere.

The purpose of companies streaming their television shows onto the internet is so that people will see them, and eventually decide to buy them on DVD. People outside the country however will not be able to buy these because they are simply unavailable. Companies decided that they were actually losing money because such people couldn’t get a hold of their products! They didn’t seem to consider all of the people IN the United States that were buying. After all, what could it hurt if a few foreigners watched an episode of The Office, or even Stargate Universe? Well you wouldn’t think that it could hurt at all, but the production companies didn’t quite see it that way. For this reason they started to block IP addresses outside of the United States. The same went for several social networking websites because they suffered from the same advertisement problem. This however did not stop the military personnel from viewing their favorite websites. They instead turned to proxies.

For those who don’t know, a proxy is a server that one can connect to. This server will then connect you to the internet via it’s own connection. What does this accomplish? It provides you with a new IP address which is based in the United States. You are not visiting websites via your own connection, but instead you are using the ISP that the proxy subscribes to. What you’re dealing with there is surfing the internet using a computer across the ocean. The moral aspect is up to you, but if you get a proxy with decent encryption, the ISP you use overseas will never know the difference. This is also a great way to protect your privacy. By using a proxy you will be able to hide your identity while catching up on your favorite shows. The one thing you don’t want to do in a war zone is broadcast who you are and what you are doing. With that in mind, start shopping for a good proxy today. Once you arrange a good one, you will be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite shows.

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This is far from accurate though. While the government certainly does, and this is no secret, record things about the American people, it is certainly only for our safety. Ever since the 9/11 bombings, our country has stepped up security three-fold. This is most noticeable in the airports; the conduit for the brutal attacks. Where you used to go through security with pretty much just a visual check and a quick metal detector, you now spend quite a bit of time. It is not uncommon to see a person having to take off coat, shoes, and belt to be searched and patted down, to make sure they are not a threat. To most though, this is just an annoyance and means they have to wake up even earlier for their flight lest they miss it due to a convoluted security check.

Annoying as they might be, these time consuming practices help our country stay safe every day. The Patriot Act is a bill enacted by the government that essentially gives them free reign to look over any communications and intercept and listen to them, whether it be public or private. While most Americans support the government, especially if the government is just trying to look out for the people’s safety, the Patriot Act raised some eyebrows. People were worried that it would be the coming of Big Brother and the government would watch them do everything.

This is hardly true, but it is important to be knowledgeable and enjoy some privacy. Start with your Internet connection. Use an anonymous proxy server and surf the web anonymously and safely. Your private proxy will make you untraceable to any interlopers wishing to follow your online data trail.

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While the idea of being watched sounds bad, it really is not. It depends clearly on the type. When you are being watched for your own safety, as these video cameras are doing for the citizens, sometimes it is necessary to make some privacy sacrifices to ensure your protection. The only question that arises is what exactly is “anti-social behavior”? If this anti-social behavior means a man waiting outside someone’s house looking to see if anyone is home, and then trying to break the door down or open a window, then it goes without saying that we would all be okay with these cameras. Sometimes these cameras can snoop into places we don’t want them too, and they then abandon their public service. This is the bad kind of being watched, a voyeuristic viewing of your life and its details. It doesn’t have to be the actual watching of your person though or what you are doing; this illegal type of surveillance expands into the extension of your self, except online: your social security number, your documents, your emails, etc.

This kind of surveillance is obviously the aforementioned bad kind. It usually has one defining characteristic; it is done through technology. Somebody snoops on you using some high tech device, breaking through the meager defenses you have on your (it is oftentimes) computer. You always have to be wary of your computer; it can be a great addition to your life and make many things easier with the power of the Internet, but it can be dangerous as well. Most computer are not secured and protected properly, and surf the web “without their seat belts on”, if you will.

Don’t fret; getting a secure Internet is easy. Anonymous proxy is what you need to look for, and once you find a good one, look no further. An anonymous proxy can enable you to surf the web anonymously and keep you hidden from the prying eyes of those wishing to commit this “anti-social behavior.” Find a reliable private proxy and stick with it, and you will be perfectly secure on the Internet.

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This situation happened recently with a couple of high school football players. When they joined the team, they signed a contract with their coach saying that they would always abstain from drugs and alcohol and that they would maintain a good image, for their image reflected the entire football team’s. About halfway into the season, after a major and crushing victory, the team in question had a party to celebrate. The football players who had previously signed the contract started drinking, and actually ended up getting pulled over for underage drinking and driving under the influence. The coach immediately, even though they were the star players, cut them from the team. Ever since, many jokes and puns have been made about the team and their partying habits; they could never be taken seriously again.

While these players directly violated a contract they had forged with their coach who had trusted them, often times the circumstances have some mitigating factors that are rarely considered. Whether or not this is the case is not important, it is the principle of the matter. While these guys did something wrong, many people are illegally “searched” via their computers every day for information.

While the Patriot Act is something started by the government, spy ware is not. These programs are used by hackers who are trying to break into your system for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they want to find out what you do in your spare time, try and steal personal information from you, or try and find something to incriminate you with. Don’t let these hackers hurt your reputation unjustifiably; use an anonymous proxy server and browse anonymously to prevent being hacked and stolen from. These criminals are skilled and it will take more than average defenses to keep them out, but an anonymous proxy server will do the job and then some.

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The premise is simple; give people ads that they might actually consider. Imagine a dainty young woman into flowers, teacups, and all things cute and cuddly. If while on a beauty website, she encounters an ad for a protein shake that is guaranteed to put on fifteen percent more muscle in one week, she probably isn’t going to even think about clicking it. On the other end of the spectrum, if a muscle-bound college kid is managing his fantasy football team, and an ad for a miracle garden solution pops up, he probably won’t think twice before exiting it out.

These may be a bit extreme, but everyone has had something like this occur. One can see two sides of the coin to this new behavioral advertising; one is good and puts ads that you may actually consider on your screen, and another is bad and completely invades your privacy without permission.

While these invasive ads may seem to violate privacy laws, they actually don’t. The ISPs will allow them to do so on their customers because the ads will pay them a percentage of their profits. This still doesn’t quell the public’s concerns… someone is getting into their personal and private browsing history and compromising their anonymous browsing experience online. Although the people are outraged and concerned, there truly is little they can do.

Well, little they can do in the form of laws and regulations anyway. If you want to avoid these advertisers and their hands-on tactics, try using an anonymous proxy server. When you download your private proxy for just a few dollars a month, you will quickly see it was money well spent.

This useful piece of software actually changes your IP address, which will thwart any possible hackers or trackers, as your IP address is the key to any data you have on your computer. The best anonymous proxy servers will actually have an encryption service built right in, which can encode all of your Internet traffic so it looks like hieroglyphics to any snoopers.

This serves two purposes; first, it protects you from hackers and other criminal scum, and secondly, it scrambles all of your data so the behavioral advertisers can’t read any of it. If they can’t read it, they can’t try and forcefully solicit their products to you. An anonymous proxy is the perfect remedy for a situation that will plague the public for quite a while before somebody finally does something about it. Don’t let your ISP give away your information for a profit, secure your browsing with an anonymous proxy now and never let anyone in on your documents again.

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We were able to fend them off for some time, and did so quite well. It wasn’t until the 911 attacks that we faltered. These terrorist attacks jaded our nation and knocked down our confidence. It was similar to the Titanic; the impossible and the impenetrable was broken down. America seemed like a huge fortress, but some ramshackle terrorists were able to infiltrate it and deal us some swift damage. This woke the government up, and made them protect America even more diligently, and think of many new ways to do so.

Some of these ways have been met with some controversy from the very people that is sought to protect. Perhaps the most noticeable and complained about is the ridiculously tightened  up security in the airports, where the 911 attacks originated. Instead of just having to go through a casual bag check, you now have to go through a long line waiting for the x-ray machine to be scanned. On top of that, people must remove shoes, purses, and sometimes even belts in order to be patted down.

Another aspect of security is not so blatant. The fact that the government can view or intercept anything that we do or say via the Patriot Act concerns many privacy advocates. While it is indeed the government doing so and not some malicious hacker with the intent to steal an identity browsing through your documents, and it is safety’s sake, it still is a bit worrying to know we are being watched in a Big Brother-esque manner.

While there is not much to do from having the government perform surveillance on you, you can stop your snooping neighbors, or an identity thief. Using a private proxy server will allow you to surf the Internet anonymously, and with strong encryption software, there will be no way anyone could intercept your transmissions!

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