Understanding & Using Proxy Service

Proxy Service and Online Privacy

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know of how widespread government surveillance is in the United States. Revelations from Edward Snowden as well as top level Congressional investigations have revealed the extent to which individuals online are being monitored, tracked, and having their information stored.

For those who enjoy their right to privacy and wish to continue it in an online setting, then there are options. While no service is fool proof, proxy service can provide a great deal of protection against surveillance by both governments and individuals. Lets take a moment to better understand what proxy servers do and how they can help you remain anonymous.

How Proxy Servers Work

True to their name, a proxy server is a go-between. Adding an additional step to your web browsing, you connect with a proxy server that changes your IP address. Your IP address is how people find you, and by using a proxy server, all requests afterwards are logged with the IP address of the proxy server, instead of your own. With many people using a proxy server, it can be a very big challenge to for others to figure out what you are looking at.

Kinds of Proxy Servers and Networks

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) is a common way that people secure their information when searching online. Connecting directly with a network, all search requests go from the network instead of your IP address. Another kind of proxy network is an open proxy. The open proxy will pass on requests from one source to its destination using the proxy to hide the IP address. Another simpler and more straightforward proxy service is a web proxy. Requiring nothing more then your browser, you can access sites like Proxy Turbo and have all future searches have their IP address used instead of your own. In using any of these services you better protect your data and make your online fingerprint that much harder to identify.

Why Bother With A Proxy Service?

Using a proxy service sends a very clear message that you do not want your information tracked online. It makes the point that law abiding citizens want the freedom and privacy that is expected and that when this freedom is taken away, people will take action. In addition, for those who simply enjoy not being tracked by things like advertisements, proxy servers can help ensure a better Internet experience.

Leave a Reply
