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Privacy Strategies for Digital Anonymity. Why You May Want to Say Anonymous Online.

The evolution of technological innovation, the speed of data, transactions, communication and our growing symbiosis with technology -are a very different ball game today. We’re surrounded by ever present devices that prompted the industry to prioritize smartphones, 5G and the Internet-of-Things (IoT) industry.

We’ll be looking into what this new internet world means for your online presence, and why you need to protect your anonymity.

Our Old Friend, The Internet?

Call it what you will; the World Wide Web, the internet, or cyberspace -this ubiquitous communications system that billions of us access daily has been growing along with us. The internet is alive, like an enormous rainforest. With constant transitions, innovation, and evolution, our habits and ultimately how we think has adapted to the internet. 

What we really didn’t expect is that our lives now revolve around sitting in our (hopefully) comfy chairs facing our screens, waking up every morning in our homes, and checking e.g. our email/messaging apps to catch up and organize our day. With office commutes, business meetings, and team-building lunches in the physical sense now in the past, it’s a different world -one where the Covid-19 pandemic has paused all of humankind’s usual facilities. We are now working and socializing from home in stasis, isolated from our fellow humans; trusting the internet and our devices to support, sustain and entertain us. So, what are the implications of all of this on your online presence?

Why is Online Anonymity Such a Hot Topic?

Since our relationship with the internet has never been as intimate, internet safety has been the number one concern under the spotlight. Why? Well, the 2010s have been the decade of rising cybercrime. As everything became more digitized (governments and businesses relying on the internet) cybercriminals are now everywhere as a result looking to steal and increase their profits. Not only that, but our data is being shared without our consent (remember the Edward Snowden case?). With that, our trust in the internet is not what it once was and the need to be ever more anonymous and safe on the internet is universally acknowledged.  

Anonymity and privacy are blanket terms that are interrelated. Both relate to the general umbrella term that is internet safety (cybersecurity). The difference is that anonymity specifically means you and your data cannot be correlated, and you do not exist. Whereas, privacy is more content related. However, since we are going to look at how to stay anonymous online, here are some fundamentals to cover:

• Using tools that ensure internet anonymity
  
• Email security with proper encryption
  
• Browser security on your devices
  
• Smartphone settings that result in anonymity
  
• Tips for your other internet-enabled devices
  
• Diagnosing and testing your online anonymity
  
• General safety practices on the internet
  

Why should we pay attention to being anonymous online? For one, your personal safety, and two: access to your data. There have been many large data breaches recently that involved state-of-the-art ransomware. Hackers have even disrupted the medical industry. These events on their own are worrying, but what about security for the everyday individual? Listed below are only some of the social engineering tactics cybercriminals used to target people;

• Identity theft and account breaches on social media platforms
  
• Malicious phishing emails with the end goal of stealing sensitive data
  
• Social engineering schemes designed to gain people’s trust and then exploit them
  

Other than just social engineering tactics, cybercriminals are always on the lookout for;

• Financial data such as usernames, passwords, and passkeys
  
• Login information for your email or social media
  
• Your personal details, from your name to your address
  

There are situations where anonymity should be prioritized. Let’s think about people with sensitive medical conditions or activists, for example, who risk losing a lot if their anonymity is breached. So, you aren’t focusing on your anonymity exclusively due to cybercrime. 

You should also know that your personal information (such as what you are browsing, your IP address, and the specifications of your PC) is also stored to be used or sold by;

• Ad companies
  
• Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
  
• Tech giants such as Google or Facebook
  

It is no secret that ‘third-parties’ are buying and selling data (like cookies) either from the big tech companies or just by pestering you with ads all the time (that can contain malicious code). Think about this, we live in the ‘ad age’. You can no longer watch a YouTube video without ads. Even still, have you noticed that most times you visit a website you have to agree to some tedious privacy setting concerning your cookies? More and more websites are taking precautions not to fall into ‘privacy’ loophole scandals. 

The Public Opinion

Let’s look at what people think about the need and desire to stay anonymous online. There are some telling research results below, conducted by Pew Research and Statista. 

In the research summed up in the image above, Pew Research asked people what they think about the word, ‘privacy’. What we can see from this is that the number one concern is indeed what “others” are able to access or see -underlining the growing need for anonymity.
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