In this article, I’m more interested in the home-user case that usually connects to the internet through an ISP.   I think this is the most “dangerous” situation if you really want to protect your privacy. Why is that?

Let’s first compare it to the situation where you’ll be connecting from a public Wi-Fi hotspot. At least, all that is asked from you on those Wi-Fi hotspots is to pay for some credit then you can surf: you’re not asked to provide personal information as long as you are willing to pay. Well, yes, your computer will keep some other personal information that can be “shared” online, but that’s another story that we’ll cover in a different article.

Back to the home internet connection, let’s see how dangerous it can be.

First, let’s see some practical example. Most of the time, your computer will try to be more permissive when it comes to the sharing feature once you set it into “home network mode”. I know for example that whenever you add a new network connection on a Windows machine, it asks you to set if it’s a public or a home network connection.

Most users would choose “home connection” when they are actually working from home, but do you know that this will set your firewall as well as some privacy features to be a bit more “open” so as to allow your computer to share things with other devices you have at home. Supposing that your computer is updated, it’s not sure that the firewall rules actually prevent your personal data to be spread on the internet.

Your ISP knows a lot about you

Now, as if that threat weren’t enough, there’s another more important threat: your ISP knows a lot about you. When you signup for a contract with them, you usually have to inform them about your current physical address as well as some other sensitive information (contact, payment information, …).

I do admit that that information is harder to break through while they are stored in your ISP’s database – but the fact is: you can be tracked should the ISP be obliged to reveal that information. Coupled with the fact that your ISP always knows the IP address associated to your account whenever you use the internet, it’s just a matter of asking your ISP which user is associated to an IP address and then couple that with the ISP’s customer database, and one can know exactly where you are.

How to protect your online privacy when connecting from home

Now, since a lot is revealed about your browsing computer when you are surfing, it’ll be easy to know that you did some “prejudice” from your laptop rather than from the desktop (I’m oversimplifying but this is more than feasible)

So, indeed, if you want to get some privacy online while doing some specific things, it’s a good idea not using your home-based internet connection. And if you are really obliged to do so, use VPN solutions. We’ve used a lot o them and we recommend you choose from HideMyAss, ibVPN, NordVPN or PureVPN.

How do you protect your online privacy when connecting from home? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Zero online privacy

The spokesperson of OnlineAnonymity.org proclaimed that internet users have virtually zero online privacy. This is because extremely detailed ISP or Internet Service Provider logs are kept, which tracks every single movement you perform on the web. These recorded logs might be accessed easily by law enforcers, and government entities without your prior knowledge. Practically, all of your activity online is meticulously logged by your ISP.

Because of this, a good number of internet users are searching for ways to protect their online privacy when browsing the Internet. One typical technique for this is the use of proxy or VPN-based software that allows users to hide their IP address and true location.

Online privacy protection

Along with online privacy protection, one major reason for making use of VPN is to unblock access to websites situated overseas. For instance, the BBC offers a wide array of free TV shoes which you can watch with your iPlayer. The service is available solely to UK residents and visitors who are using UK IP addresses, so those who hold a US IP address are blocked from accessing the free online content. IP masking services such as these have the potential of allowing visitors to appear as if they are actually located in the UK, and so allowing them to enjoy UK TV while in the USA.

The utilization of an IP masking software is a perennially debatable question. Folks may think why people would want to hide their IP address? In the same vein, web users need not have their every movement on the cyberspace tracked. Reiterating what OnlineAnonymity.org adheres to, there ought to be an equilibrium in protecting the online security of people and safeguarding their privacy, as opposed to the unnecessary need for surveillance.

Many see privacy on web as big issue, survey says

More than 90 percent of U.S. citizens polled in a recent TRUSTe survey said that online privacy is a “real” or “somewhat” important issue, and just 28 percent said they were comfortable with advertisers using behavioral targeting; more than half of respondents said they were not.

More than 75 percent of respondents agreed that the Internet is not well regulated, and said that naive users are at risk.

In February, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revised its suggestions for behavioral targeting rules for the advertising industry, including that Web sites should disclose when they are participating in behavioral advertising and ask users for permission to use their browsing history.

FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz warns that intervention will be needed if the industry does not respond to the new suggested regulations.

“Put simply, this could be the last clear chance to show that self-regulation can–and will–effectively protect consumers’ privacy,” Leibowitz says. More than half of the respondents in the survey said the government should be “wholly” or “very” responsible for protecting individuals’ online privacy, although 75 percent of respondents also said that people should be wholly or very responsible for protecting their privacy.

What do you think? How would you be your life with no online privacy?