How to protect your identity and privacy on Internet

Dictatorships and Internet companies collect all kinds of data. Many Internet users are unable to use the Internet freely. Know how you can stay safe on the Internet and also avoid censorship.

How do you see someone on the internet?

Basically every activity happening on the Internet can be viewed by every person who has access to the servers through which these activities go through. Just like a postman can read any postcard.

ALSO READ: Human Rights Watch Report Exposes Anti-Muslim Sentiment Of BJP Govt

A lot of data can reveal your identity. First of all, your computer has an IP address, but nowadays consumers are also identified by other data of their computer, such as unique properties of browser plugin, screen resolution, window size, language, time etc. Very subtle traces of consumer usage can be made, with the help of which a server can identify someone up to 98 percent correct, without an IP address.

If a government blocks some websites, can they still be seen?

Until recently, only static proxy surveyors were used. Often it was simple IP addresses that would forward most Internet traffic. This worked until the sensors detected the proxies. But nowadays many governments have started blocking the proxies which they do not like.

ALSO READ: Kashmir: Rising Suicides Trend In Indian Army

Proxies can also be used to hide the websites from where the website is being viewed. For this, you can also use 'Anonymous' or other services like that which are used to hide identity.

How can a tunnel be created on the Internet?

A virtual private network (VPN) is like a tunnel over the Internet. Usually, companies use it to create a secure connection between their staff and the company's internal network spread across the world, in which no one else can peek.

This tunnel can also be used to freely access the Internet from areas where restrictions are in place. But banning agencies can see that it is a VPN connection and who is running it. Now-a-days banning mechanisms have become more cautious than before and block static proxies quickly. Apart from this, proxies do not keep your identity secret. VPN networks are also often forbidden. In such a situation, you have to find a new way, such as the Tor network. 

ALSO READ: 2 J&K Policemen Killed In Srinagar Militant Attack, 2nd Attack In 3 Days

What is Tor?

Tor means 'onion router'. It comes like an onion, in layers. Zor helps you keep your identity a secret. You do not connect directly to the server from which you are seeking information, rather Tor connects you to other routes, which are called Tor nodes.

Each Tor node offers its own layer of encryption to the work being done on the browser, so that it cannot be seen by other nodes. This makes working on the Internet very safe.

Can all types of web pages be viewed with the Tor browser?

Some specialized Tor websites offer such layers of services. Deutsche Vale also offers one such service. These services are very safe. You can also view all the common websites from a tor browser. At that point, you exit the Tor network and privacy is limited to some extent, but the website you are visiting will not be able to see your IP address or information about your browser. 

ALSO READ: China Admitted, For First Time, Its Soldiers Died In Galwan

Your identity has become confidential

A sensor can view Internet traffic broadly but cannot extract information from it. That's why Tor has evolved. To avoid censorship, Tor has created devices called 'Pluggable Transport'. It shows internet traffic completely by hiding it as it really is. For example, if someone is looking at a website, this 'pluggable transport' will show it by creating a video conference, email traffic or something. It also keeps changing constantly, due to which it becomes more difficult for the sensors to keep on surfing.

You can connect with Ground Report on Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp, and mail us at [email protected] to send us your suggestions and writeups.