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I tried using the internet anonymously for a week, but I caved after a few minutes

Antonio Villas-Boas

2015-12-29T17:22:00Z

underground city cave

There's a web browser called Tor that lets you use the internet completely anonymously.

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Tor lists all kinds of reasons why regular people would want to browse the web anonymously, like protecting their web history, records, and data from companies that collect and sell information about you to anyone who pays for it.

But it turns out you have to give up some of the best parts of the internet if you want to be anonymous online. I barely lasted a few minutes.

Check out what made me give up being anonymous:

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This is the Tor browser. To be anonymous, everything that needs an internet connection like browsing and streaming music/video needs to go through Tor.

tor browser

It doesn't record my history and doesn't let websites record any of my data. It's also the most "usable" option at the "lowest" security setting.

tor low security default

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Tor even warned me that I shouldn't make the browser window full size because websites can figure out the size of my computer screen if I did, which can be used to identify me.

tor window resize warning

Tor also hides my own computer's location and identity by channeling my web activity through three random IP addresses (computers, basically) in three randomly selected countries.

tor browser IP country vpn

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It basically camouflages you like the sniper in this picture while everyone else wears brightly colored clown suits.

Camouflaged sniper

So, I was browsing the web, reading tech articles, and watching cat videos like I normally would. Sites load a little more slowly, but it's a small price to pay for being anonymous.

tor cat videos on youtube

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But it began to fall apart when I couldn't access Netflix. Tor sometimes makes it look like I'm browsing from countries where Netflix isn't available yet, like Romania.

tor netflix

I changed the countries where Tor channels my web activity to Sweden, where Netflix is available. Phew.

tor netflix internet routing

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Then I needed the "Silverlight" add-on, which lets web browsers play Netflix videos. But Tor doesn't support Silverlight.

netflix silverlight install download

So I tried a Tor-approved Silverlight add-on, but I never got Netflix to work.

tor no netflix

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To soothe my agony, I tried listening to music with Spotify. But it wouldn't work even though Tor made it look like I was browsing from Sweden, where Spotify was created.

spotify using tor

Perhaps some retail therapy on Amazon would alleviate the pain, but I constantly encountered annoying captchas and never got past them.

amazon captcha

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That's when I gave up. I'd rather be seen than ditch online services I enjoy using.

Camouflaged sniper found tor netflix

One of the main reasons people use Tor is to buy illegal products, like drugs, weapons, and stolen credit card information, on the Dark Web.

tor alphabay marketplace

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