Anonymous Proxy

An anonymous proxy server is a very useful tool for people who want to maintain a level on anonymity when browsing the internet. When surfing the internet your IP address can be viewed as a sort of online fingerprint which you leave behind yourself, this makes it possible for you online activities to be tracked by your IP address. However, an anonymous proxy can conceal your IP address when online services are accessed through one making it more difficult to trace the user. For this reason online trouble makers will frequently use an anonymous proxy to protect their identities.

People who want to access illegal material or engage in some questionable online activity will also be likely to use an anonymous proxy to help cover their tracks. However, some people use an anonymous proxy for less subversive reasons and they are frequently used to get around internet censorship, for example in country like China when the web is heavily censored people could use an anonymous proxy to access sites they would otherwise be unable to.

An anonymous proxy server cannot guarantee you one hundred percent anonymity when using the internet and it is possible to find out the IP addresses of people who have accessed a site through an anonymous proxy. Also, there are many disadvantages to using an anonymous proxy. For example, many websites who have experienced a high level of spam will block access from a known anonymous proxy. An anonymous proxy will also typically run incredibly slowly, so accessing web pages through an anonymous proxy can be extremely tedious.