A couple years ago Elon Musk said a phrase that picked up quickly: people do not realize they have already become cyborgs. Since the 90s, mobile phone has literally become a vital part of the human hand: these days you just can’t function without stable internet access.
You might never think about it, but on the internet you’re being tracked all the time. Whatever you do online leaves a certain mark called digital footprint. You exchange your personal information for free services and convenience: just login via Facebook and click “Accept all cookies” — bet you do that multiple times a day.
In case you need even a basic level of anonymity to protect your personal data, you need to know certain rules.
First of all, being private is not being anonymous. Cookies and IP address are well known, but they are only the tip of the global tracking iceberg. While cookies may be easily erased and IP address location hidden by a basic VPN service, there are other parts in your online data track.
Your everyday browser tracks and stores your actions into a big profile on a more sophisticated level — and it can’t be easily seen or dealt with, like cleaning cookies.
When you surf through websites, your browser creates a unique canvas of your actions that later might be easily used as your authentic buyer behavior. Your physical location, OS, software, device model, hardware parameters and even apps you use are also saved.
These might seem unimportant to you, but they make a great difference when a unique picture of your identity is built. A complete set of these parameters is called browser fingerprint.
So, why does someone want our data?
Browser fingerprints are widely used in various areas: for example, in online ads targeting. If you have ever set up Facebook Ads Manager or Instagram for a basic promotion, it’s no surprise for you that corporations know every single detail about their every user.
Larger players like Google and Meta may seem to have a great reputation, but in reality they’re far from being saints: it’s just business. Google Chrome and Instagram are forever-free, but they earn fortunes collecting and selling your personal data to anyone interested.
Interpreting digital data you leave behind, online marketers find out exactly what you wish to buy. That’s one of the reasons why user information databases are collected and sold for enormous money. Bank websites use browser fingerprinting for safety reasons to prevent fake identity logins. And there’s not much that can be done: turns out being anonymous is not as easy as it might seem.
And while most people consider sharing personal data normal, for some it might be a serious issue. Anonymity is a choice that everyone has. This matter becomes critical if you live in a censored country, worry for your own personal data safety or simply run a business that needs multiple digital identities (we’ll cover it a bit later).
Not all governments support freedom of speech (even those who declare it!), and not all major corporations have clear intentions. It’s just how the world works.
Collecting and managing your personal data (browser fingerprinting) is widely used all over the Internet, and unfortunately sometimes our personal data is misused, sold to data brokers or even stolen in massive amounts, leading to unpredictable consequences. Even working with well-known internet giants is not completely safe.
So, how can you go completely anonymous? Fortunately, the answer is quite simple: use an anonymous web browser. They are quite simple, and there is a good choice of these for any occasion, both free and paid. We will talk about the best ones and how to use them later in a series of articles.
But how does it work? Is it safe and legal to use? And how do these differ from common browsers?
Here’s a quick explainer on anti-detect technology. Your browser fingerprint consists of a whole lot of information, which could be separated into five classes:
It includes even the smallest details, like your graphic card model, your fonts and extensions and even your zip code.
Launching an anonymous web browser, you won’t even notice the difference at first: it looks just like the normal one. But before you start surfing, an anonymous web browser will let you set up or choose a completely new digital identity to continue with — so that websites naturally identify you as a different person.
It takes all of the parameters from your common browser fingerprint and replaces them, creating a unique digital profile you can work with. Older anonymous web browsers used to simply erase your digital fingerprint before work, but that method is already ceasing to exist in today’s environment, as major website engines quickly evolve to stop suspicious activities.
“Blending in with the crowd” isn’t that easy technically. You can’t just shuffle your parameters and move on: they all have to be both unique and logically corresponding to each other at the same time.
Anonymous web browser creates a profile completely different from your own, yet as normal as possible to not stand out from the masses. In other words, it literally blends you in. Browsers carry this task out with various methods, which is good and bad simultaneously: even the best ultimately have flaws in them, and the most natural browser fingerprint can be finally identified at some point.
Even the most famous confidential browser Tor is also not a perfect option: most governments and corporations have been well aware of it for years. Their systems simply recognize its users as Tor users, meaning they automatically draw attention to whatever they’re doing. Up to this day, Tor’s deeply connected with darkweb, which is called dark for a reason.
Still, the privacy market is growing quickly — and gaining trust. For example, ProtonVPN has recently topped a list of 40 Skyrocketing SaaS businesses in 2023. As we’re diving fast into internet dependency, there are no signs for these browsers to decline in the nearest future.
Here’s the main point: these new digital identities will not overlap or connect with each other in any way. Every new profile needs to be completely different from all previous ones, yet looking perfectly “normal”.
It’s the main and the trickiest task an anonymous web browser has to fulfill. It’s a kind of art. Good commercial browsers are able create thousands of these, and with each profile being absolutely authentic, market platforms and social networks will not ban them.
It’s called multiaccounting. This feature is not just convenient — it’s the flesh and blood for a certain kind of businesses:
social media marketing
online advertising
affiliate marketing
traffic arbitrage
dropshipping
e-commerce merchants
crypto enthusiasts
web scraping
software developing and testing - and many, many more.
There is one good, simple reason why anonymous web browsers are so widely used: they create digital identities that don’t get banned by websites, social media mechanisms and market platforms.
The biggest use case for anonymous web browsers remains purely commercial. They give one person an ability to safely and easily multiaccount on platforms that do not allow it, like Amazon and Google.
Some of their use cases are not always ethical (like arbitrage), yet anti-detect technology is completely legal. The EU and USA laws do not mention it as suspicious or dangerous. Anonymous web browsers help thousands of marketers and enthusiasts successfully maintain their regular businesses everyday. They also help to support basic anonymity — a critical life aspect we have almost lost with the appearance of the Internet.
If you feel concerned about your personal data, treat sensitive information or try to evolve your ads and social media, here’s a simple advice for you: try an anonymous web browser. Look for a trusted one: these provide unrivaled personal data protection.
It’s a well-made, universal tool for online privacy or for use in countries that have closed or censored the internet, as well as for commercial use. Unlike VPNs and proxies, these browsers provide true anonymity.
Personal data safety is a right everyone still has.
Interested in checking out the technology? Try using GoLogin yourself and sign up for a free plan here.
Also published here.