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Safer Browsing - Anonymity and Circumvention

Credits Lindsay Beck, Chris Walker, Carol Waters   Last Updated 2015-05

This module covers specific browsing practices and tools for remaining anonymous online, and circumvention for accessing blocked or censored content online. Many tools and strategies to circumvent Internet restrictions are in existence today; however, some tools offer more security features than others, and may be better for your unique needs for security than others.

Learning Goals for Participants

  • Understand how Internet censorship works, and at what levels it can occur;
  • Understand what Anonymity is and isn’t, as well as what it provides users;
  • Likewise, understand what Circumvention is and isn’t, and how it’s different from Anonymity;
  • Understand the difference between a Proxy, a VPN, and an Anonymizing Proxy (such as Tor);
  • How to access blocked content, and prevent websites you visit from knowing your location.

Important Notes

The number of countries where the use of encryption is illegal has decreased, but legal concerns are still very real for some participants. Before a training, review the laws of where your participants live and work, as well as the laws of where you’re conducting the training, to confirm that the use of technologies highlighted in this session, including the Tor Browser Bundle, is allowed.

Additional Materials

You may also find the content from the Security Education Companion on Censorship Circumvention And Encrypting Your Traffic With VPN and the Browser Extensions To Make You Safer to be useful.