Could you imagine why anyone should want or need these IP hiding software? Well actually you may be surprised but there are actually lots of reasons but let me provide you with a small sample.
- There are lots of countries where you actually risk your safety if you speak too freely online
- Many of us resent consistently being spied on and having their privacy intruded on
- Cybercrime and Identity theft are very common crimes
- Lots of individuals object to the fact that absolutely everything you do online is logged and monitored by your ISP
Needless to say there are plenty of people using the greatest innovation (the Internet) of our time for criminal activities. Just as they use other communication mediums like telephones, faxes and the postal service! The irony is that when governments and their agencies monitor internet connections, it’s only the innocent they spy on as the criminals and terrorists all block them.
This is one of the most annoying parts of the ‘well if you’ve got nothing to hide’ – why do you care – type arguments against anonymous surfing. It’s then just that some of us who are subject to the spying and surveillance that is carried out by even the most relaxed western governments. The European Directive instructs ISPs to record and log all the web sites, emails and electronic communications of it’s citizens for up to 2 years.
However it is also worth reminding people that just using a simple IP hiding software, or some super elite proxy you found listed on a web site is not really going to help your privacy. Most of this software does very little, remember HTTP is clear text protocol and that’s where most of your browsing and details are passed. The IP software protects your privacy from the web server you visit but that’s it. But every other details of your browsing is in the clear and traceable to your IP address, sitting in your ISP is a list of virtually everything you’ve ever done online over the last two years or so.
The very worst hide IP software is the little software front ends that search for free proxies when you start them up. They then route all your web browsing through the fastest, free proxy that they find available. It wouldn’t matter if the proxy was being run by a gang of identity thieves (which many of them are) purely to harvest user details, the software would still send you there. You would be much more secure using nothing than one of these.
Also available on YouTube here.
Simply staying secure online actually does take some work, far too many people are misled by tales of free proxies and they actually put themselves at huge risk. You need to use secure private proxies, you should know who is responsible for them and ensure that the logs are deleted instantly. Any proper security product will also ensure that all your browsing is encrypted as otherwise your details and IP will be visible all along it’s route.
Surf safely, protect your privacy,