How to Choose an Online Privacy Tool

In a previous Hubpage I outlined how you would go about removing yourself from the internet. In this Hub, I will talk about how you can actually stay online and maintain your privacy. The internet includes tools that offer you additional security and privacy features so that you can remain more anonymous.

Private Browsing

Most internet browsers include the option of private browsing, which only goes so far as not collecting cookies or saving your history. This might be enough if all you want to do is prevent anyone else in your house from knowing that you love shopping online, looking at porn, or going into questionable chat rooms. These are the least discreet options available. While free providers do exist, paid VPN services are also available.

Virtual Private Networks

The second way to shield yourself from third-parties is to use what are called Virtual Private Networks or VPNs. Some of your choices include CyberGhost. This is initially free with a 1GB limit after 6 hours. After that, the purchase price is $6.02/month, which isn't bad if you enjoy your privacy. This ranked #6 in CNet's editor's ratings. WiTopia is another VPN service whose $49.99/yr. price tag runs a bit lower than CyberGhost. Then there is BlackLogic, the most expensive of the three at $8/month. Finally, you can look at a list of user-generated reviews of additional VPN providers to see what is more popular among other privacy seekers.

Firefox Plug-In

Firefox offers a free plug-in for their browser called Cocoon. This is for the conspiracy theorists who think that Big Brother or The Man are out to get them. It claims to eliminate viruses, spam, and protect your privacy, all in one place, Firefox! It routes traffic through remote servers and scans them for viruses and malware.

With so many options, there is no reason why you can't stay online AND maintain a modicum of privacy at the same time! Happy surfing!