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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Take the Internet for example. Kids, every day, converse with each other online. This has become the primary form of communication among the youth of America; rare is the case when a group of friends will actually go out and meet in person when it is so much easier to do so on the computer. With this virtual existence though, one can argue they lose who their friends really are. While this is meant in a sentimental, profound fashion, the literal meaning applies too. Without seeing their faces and hearing their voices, how do you know the person typing is the one actually typing? It would be easy and plausible enough that the friend they are exchanging personal information with is actually a hacker who is trying to lure them into a real life encounter. This is sobering news, but sadly it happens often.

These false identities online can be harmful. A poll was recently posted on the hot new social networking site FaceBook with an insidious title: “Should President Obama be killed?” The poll was open with four options, and almost seven hundred and thirty people navigated to the site to post their response. While this can quickly be written off as a joke due to the ease of posting a poll and the fact that anyone can do so, it is still entirely possible this was the doing of some sociopath looking for support.

The poll was quickly investigated by the Secret Service and was promptly shut down. Consider the implications of this: if the Secret Service pounced on it so quickly, it was obviously no laughing matter. While these people are doing their crimes secretly on the Internet, others are invading your privacy. In a mock contest to give away a certain amount of money, Netflix investigated nearly all of their user’s browsing histories to determine what kind of movies they would like, and market to the customers appropriately.

Anonymity on the Internet isn’t always a bad thing though; only when put into the wrong hands. If everyone on the Internet was anonymous, these privacy issues would not occur. If you plan to protect yourself and ensure anonymous browsing online, you have to utilize an anonymous proxy. By masking your IP address, it hides you from the rest of the hacking and tracking 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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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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The demand for Internet privacy got to be so strong, that there began to be a market for it. People would pay for the services they provide, and would do so willingly. At first, these companies charged ridiculous amounts for their services, but today they are often dirt cheap.

Anonymous Proxy usage became more and more important. These are programs or web sites that actually alter your IP address, which is a virtual nametag showing location, browsing history, etc. The programs then allow you to surf on their encrypted networks to be sure all of your information is encoded upon you sending it. Then, they actually go and retrieve the websites you wish to visit for you, allowing you to bypass blocks set on work and school computers (or possibly an oppressive government) and enjoy the sites you want to. They will allow no traces of data such as cookies or cache to stay on your computer, allowing no one to see your browsing session. All your employer or teacher would see is the name of the anonymous proxy over and over and over again. If this isn’t good enough for you, professional fee-based proxies offer a “delete session information” function that completely deletes history of your browsing for that session, leaving no traces anywhere.

There are two major types of proxies; a software based proxy and a web based proxy. We’ll focus on the web based one first.

The web proxy is activated by going to the proxy site. From there you put in the site you wish to visit, and your IP address is changed and you are now anonymous. These are often free and are readily available on the Internet. These will also help you get by those filtering site programs at your work or school. These have some downfalls though; they are often very slow, can be unsecure, and are very finicky. First, you are traveling on one network with many different people, and using a lot of bandwidth. This makes you travel quite slow. Then, who knows if these web proxies are scams or not? Bandwidth costs lots of money, web proxies use a lot, and keep in mind the owner of the proxy can still see all of your data. Maybe they dip into some customer’s unknowing bank accounts to extract some money…

A fee based software proxy is a much better bet. These offer all the advantages of a web-based proxy, but are often lightening fast, much more secure, and offer encryption services, which are essential to true Internet security.

The decision is obvious, and the real-world axiom applies in the world of privacy as well. Web proxies are okay to use on a public computer, but definitely not for home use. Using a fee-based anonymous proxy can keep you completely safe and ensure anonymous browsing while online; and you don’t have to break the bank!

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Although out Internet is as free as red, white, and blue can be, freedom can bring about some bad things. Criminals and identity thieves roam the Internet; hackers and trackers prey on innocents. As technology increases, these criminals up their arsenal and still have some tricks up their sleeve. Some people may feel comforted by the security systems and firewalls installed on their computer, but this is just the same as a child hiding under the covers; what are the covers actually going to do?

These preliminary defenses are a piece of cake for a hacker of even the most rudimentary talent. The truth is, even if these defenses worked, they still wouldn’t fix the main problem: the IP address. This virtual nametag your computer wears is shown to every website, and contains your location. If someone got your IP address, all they would have to do is copy it into a Google search, and they would have your location.

Although the IP is completely public, it can be hidden using anonymous proxy software. This will actually mask your IP, and allow you to travel anonymously and securely on the web. The proxy will change your IP address to one it uses, and this way, you will not appear as you, but as the proxy.

There a variety of these services to choose from. Web proxies are the most common, and most widely used, often because they are free. All these entail is going to a website, hitting in the address you wish to visit, and the proxy will act as a middleman, and retrieve the information for you, so it’s like you never even visited the site.

The other type of proxy server is the professional, fee-based server. These will offer the same services as a web proxy, but often add in an additional layer of security. Although people feel safe with a web proxy, the truth is they offer no security and are sometimes run by hacker to steal people’s information. Fee-based proxies offer encryption services, which will encode all of your data so that it will appear as hieroglyphics to any hacker or interloper.

Don’t be disillusioned by total freedom; you are not always safe. The systems that protect you and come stock on your computer are not enough to combat the perils of online life and browsing. There are criminals who, every day, make an illicit living on people who are unprotected. Don’t be one of them! Protect yourself by using an anonymous proxy and ward off any intruder to your Internet space. Most importantly, don’t let anyone locate you through your IP address, use an anonymous proxy and gain the peace of mind that comes with complete safety.

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Though they may seem almost inhuman with their selflessness, these are just ordinary people. They love family, freedom, and happiness just as much as anyone else. While traveling or being stationed internationally, some military members can get homesick. This is perfectly normal, and happens to some when leaving on a leisurely vacation. Imagine the anguish of having to leave your country, and go off to some faraway land to fight!

Watching some familiar American T.V. is a great way to stay in touch with old Uncle Sam. Unfortunately, a man can‘t exist on “I Love Lucy” alone, and must supplement their viewing diet.

Internet T.V. to the rescue! Imagine the joy of a lonely soldier when he or she could access an entire cultural reservoir of familiarity. They could just catch up on the affairs back home, or maybe just see who J-Lo is marrying this week. Alas, it was too good to be true.

Media companies began to realize that out of U.S. viewers began to crop up everywhere. Their paid advertisers began to protest against this wide audience who couldn’t even buy their products. Their whining persuaded the media companies, and soon enough, non-US IP addresses were blocked.

A private proxy server turned out to be the answer. These servers actively change your IP address, and allow for complete anonymity on the Internet. These military personnel used these proxies, and soon enough, they were back in business. The proxies changed their IP addresses to look like US ones, and the media companies were fooled.

Military stationed around the world are already using this technology. In the countries they are in, censorship governs and actively suppresses any content the government doesn’t deem fit for its citizens. Many American sites are blocked, and the people’s right to surf what they want is completely voided. It is one thing if the civilians are up to criminal business on the net, but it’s another if they are just updating a MySpace page.

The anonymous proxies burrowed right through this censorship. The proxy will allow you access to the site, acting as a middle-man. Then, as you are surfing these banned sites, you need not worry; upon sifting through your communication logs, all they would see is the proxy site visited over and over again. If the proxy offers an encryption service, then all the ISP would see is complete mush. No evidence you committed the deadly sin of browsing YouTube!

These military members are also business-minded while overseas. For some, trading stocks online is as therapeutic as is chatting with friends on a networking site. They stay up to date on the stock market, local politics, and especially how the U.S. dollar is doing. Some may even do banking online, and this is where security and anonymity a proxy provides is essential; they don’t want some foreign interloper sifting through their bank statements.

The Internet is a great channel for soldiers to enjoy themselves, relax, and reconnect. Homesickness is not a fallacy, and every person who has served their country overseas can relate to it. The endless days away from home can be more bearable and pass more quickly if they have some lifeline to what they left behind. Unfortunately, censorship, ridiculous laws, snooping eyes, and other deterrents can keep the military personnel away from this potent technology.

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First of all, there are free proxies. “Free” is a bit of a subjective term here. In the eyes of most, “free” means no money needs to be shelled out. This is true of a free proxy. Keep in mind though, that you pay in attention. There are ads all over sites, and the proxy makes money by you clicking on them.

Web proxies are the most common type of proxy on the Internet. They cloak your IP address and allow you to remain anonymous on the web. They can also bypass firewalls and other virtual blockades by masking the sites you are visiting, and just having it appear that you are visiting their site.

A Private Proxy is often fee-based. These are the best; (a little money goes a long way) great surfing speeds, secure encryption, and are much more trustworthy all around.

Hacked proxies are the ones run by the bad guys. Even though you are hidden from the rest of the Internet when using a proxy, you and all of your information is still visible to the owner of the proxy. So this means a hacker just watched your whole online banking transaction…. Yikes!

Not having your entire web history stored at an ISP is a good feeling, and so is being completely anonymous on the Internet. A private proxy is your best option for this safety, and will allow you the best value for your money. Always be wary of free proxies, because you never know where hackers are lurking!

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When one uses an anonymous proxy server, they can truly travel the Internet in total privacy. The proxy will be the IP seen entering the site, and not yours! This eliminates all possibility of being tracked, and the proxy can go even further. It can delete all logs of your activities off of its logs, and then truly it will be like the web session never even happened. The only thing to worry about is whether the website will recognize that the proxy is indeed a proxy, and it would block you from visiting. If you are using a professional proxy that requires some kind of fee though, rest assured this should not happen to you.

Anonymous proxies are the essential staple of Internet security. They can even bypass government instated censoring on the Internet! These proxies can also be charged to keep track of cookies, and with no cookies as evidence that a web session even occurred, they can delete your browsing history altogether.

Web proxies are simple to use; just type the website you wish to visit into the proxy’s input box, and off you go. Anonymous surfing is so simple to do, and in today’s Internet community, completely essential. However they tend to be slower than software based proxies.

Both types are useful.  Privacy Partners offers a software proxy called “Private Proxy”. For a web proxy, we recommend Proxify.

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