Do you want to hide your identity online and become fully anonymous? If yes, this guide will help you learn how to be completely anonymous on the internet.
Undoubtedly, the internet has become an essential part of our daily lives. We use it for almost everything from shopping daily necessities and communication to entertainment and education. However, with the increasing threats of cybercrime, government surveillance, and online harassment, most of us are concerned, confused and feeling lack of control over our personal information.
Because these days, your personal information, location, browsing history, and online activities can be easily tracked and monitored by various entities to target you with personalized ads, malware, and even cyberattacks. That’s why it’s crucial for all of us to know how to protect your identity online.
And the best way to protect your privacy online is to be completely anonymous. Yes, I agree that being anonymous on the internet can be a daunting task, but it’s not totally impossible. In this article, we will explore some of the easy and effective ways to be completely anonymous on the internet. So, let’s begin.
13 Best Ways Be Completely Anonymous on the Internet
In today’s digital age, achieving 100% anonymity on the internet is a difficult task, but there are several steps you can take to increase your online privacy and reduce the amount of information that can be traced back to you. Here are some of the most helpful ways to hide your identity online and stay completely anonymous:
Use a Privacy-Focused Search Engine
When you search the internet, your search history is often recorded by the search engine and can be used to track your online activity. To avoid this, it’s important to use a privacy-focused search engine that doesn’t record user data.
Some of the most popular privacy-focused search engines include DuckDuckGo, StartPage, and SearX. These search engines are known for their privacy-focused approach (they do not track your searches or collect your personal information) and have become popular alternatives to more mainstream search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
I personally like using DuckDuckGo, because it has clean interface and it blocks hidden trackers on millions of sites.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, is a tool that can help you stay anonymous online by encrypting your internet traffic and routing it through a remote server. By doing so, your IP address is hidden, making it difficult for anyone to track your online activity.
Additionally, VPNs can help you bypass geo-restrictions and access content that may be blocked in your country.
When selecting a VPN app, it’s important to choose one that has a no-logs policy, which means that they don’t keep any records of your internet activity. Some of the best VPNs on the market include ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, and CyberGhost.
Use the Tor Browser
The Tor Browser is a free, open-source browser that uses the Tor network to help you stay anonymous online. The Tor network works by routing your internet traffic through a series of servers, making it difficult for anyone to trace your online activity.
Along with being a blazingly fast web browser, the Tor Browser blocks trackers and cookies, further enhancing your privacy online.
While the Tor Browser can be slow, it’s an excellent tool for those who want to stay anonymous online. However, it’s important to note that the Tor network is not foolproof and can be compromised by determined attackers.
Use Encrypted Messaging Apps
Messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Signal, offer end-to-end encryption, which ensures that only you and the person you are communicating with can read the messages.
In this sense, messaging apps with end-to-end encryption can help increase your privacy and anonymity online, as your messages cannot be intercepted or read by third parties, such as hackers or government agencies.
Avoid Using Social Media or Use it With Caution
If you want to maintain your anonymity online, you must use it with extra caution. All the popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram collect vast amounts of personal data that can be used to track your online activity and identify you.
In order to stay anonymous while using social media, follow these important steps:
- Always use a pseudonym instead of using your real name or a nickname.
- Avoid sharing personal information such as your actual address, phone number, or email address.
- Avoid sharing photos that could reveal your identity, such as pictures of your face or identifiable locations.
- Adjust your privacy settings and limit your profile’s visibility to only your trusted friends or followers.
Use an Ad Blocker
Using an ad blocker is a great way to maintain your anonymity online. Advertisements can often track your online activity, collect personal information, and target you with ads based on your interests and behavior. By using an ad blocker, you can prevent these ads from loading on your device and minimize the data collection that occurs.
And when it comes to using an ad blocker, make sure to choose a reputable one and keep it updated. There are many ad blockers that have been known to collect user data themselves, which could compromise your anonymity.
Use a Secure Operating System
Your operating system can also affect your anonymity online. Windows and macOS are popular operating systems, but they are not the most secure.
Instead, consider using a Linux-based operating system like Tails, which is designed for anonymity and privacy. Tails runs from a USB stick, so you don’t have to install it on your computer, and it routes all internet traffic through the Tor network.
Use a Secure Email Provider
Email is one of the most common ways that people communicate online, but it’s also one of the most vulnerable. Many email providers store user data and can be compelled to turn over information to law enforcement.
To protect your identity, it’s important to use a secure email provider that offers end-to-end encryption and doesn’t store user data. Some of the most popular secure email providers include ProtonMail, Tutanota, and StartMail.
In my opinion, consider using a secure email provider like ProtonMail, which encrypts your emails and does not log any data. And the best thing is, ProtonMail is based in Switzerland, which has some of the strictest privacy laws in the world.
Use a Disposable or Temporary Email Address
If you need to sign up for a website or service that requires an email address, but you don’t want to use your primary email address, you can use a disposable email address. A disposable email address is a temporary email address that is used for a specific purpose and then discarded.
There are many websites that offer disposable email addresses for free, such as Mailinator and Guerrilla Mail.
Use Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security feature that requires you to provide two forms of identification before accessing an account or service. This can help protect your accounts from hackers and other unauthorized access.
Many online services offer 2FA, and it’s important to enable this feature whenever possible. Some of the most common forms of 2FA include SMS verification, authentication apps like Google Authenticator, and hardware tokens like YubiKey.
There are many websites that offer disposable email addresses for free, such as Mailinator and Guerrilla Mail.
Use a Password Manager
A password manager is a tool that helps you generate and store strong passwords for all your accounts. By using a password manager, you can avoid using weak, easily guessable passwords that can compromise your online security.
Additionally, many password managers offer two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security to your accounts. Some popular password managers include LastPass, Dashlane, and 1Password.
Don’t Use Voice Assistants
I personally don’t use voice assistants, and you shouldn’t as well! While voice assistants can be convenient for many everyday tasks, it’s best to avoid using them for activities that require anonymity.
All the popular voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple’s Siri are designed to learn your voice and recognize your commands to provide personalized services. They are also connected to the internet and transmit your voice data to the cloud for processing, which can be a privacy concern.
Don’t Go Online
If you want to stay 100% anonymous online, don’t go online! Yes, I know it’s almost impossible to avoid going online altogether.
Avoiding internet is not always a practical or feasible option in today’s world where so much of our daily activities and communication are conducted online. However, there are few steps you can take to minimize your online presence and maintain your anonymity:
- Focus on essential tasks and limit your time spent browsing the internet.
- Use alternative communication methods that don’t require you to go online.
- Use offline storage such as a hard drive or a USB drive to store personal files.
- Avoid using public or shared devices that could compromise your anonymity.
Can You Remain Completely Anonymous and Hidden Online?
As we discussed earlier, it’s nearly impossible to be 100% anonymous on the internet, as most online activities leave some kind of digital trail that can be traced back to the user.
Of course, there are some amazing tools and techniques (such as virtual private network (VPN), the Tor browser, and disposable email addresses) available in the market to increase your anonymity online but even these measures are not foolproof and can be circumvented by determined individuals or organizations.
So, the most important takeaway is that even if you take all the necessary steps to protect your anonymity, your online behavior and actions can still have consequences, and you should always be mindful of what you post and share on the internet (specifically, on your social media profiles).
You may also be interested in checking out:
- 15 Best Websites to Send Anonymous Email For Free
- 14 Fake Email Generator to Get a Temporary Email Address
- 10 Best Android Apps to Send Anonymous Text Message