As you browse incognito, and carefully curate your online presence, a chilling reality lurks beneath the surface: your digital anonymity may be nothing more than an illusion.
In a world where every click, purchase, and message leaves a trace, experts warn that true online invisibility might be a thing of the past.
What is online anonymity?
“Online anonymity is the perception of being unidentified and untraceable when interacting (surfing) the Internet and its applications and services,” Morey Haber, the Chief Security Advisor at BeyondTrust told Arabian Business.
“It’s the concept that your navigation, actions, communications, authentication, and interactions can occur without revealing your real-world identity or geolocation. Conceptually, it’s like wearing an invisibility cloak that blocks the collection of tracking information while on the internet, allowing you to browse, communicate, and express opinions without being directly tied to your identity and computer in the real physical world,” he said.
Echoing the sentiment, Karthik Anandarao, Chief Technical Evangelist at ManageEngine explained that today, many users “prefer” to maintain anonymity through the use of “pseudonyms or hidden identities through third-party apps, while accessing social media websites or any application through these devices.”
It is ‘impossible’ to be 100% percent anonymous online
Anandarao further explained that achieving complete anonymity is a formidable task, adding that it is “impossible to be 100 percent anonymous online,” as websites are aware of an individual’s activity through cookies.
“Search engines and ad-makers usually track you using keywords. Laws have been enforced to track and trace user activity, which do not conform to cyber security standards. Hence, you can limit the amount of information about yourself rather than being completely anonymous,” he said.
According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 86 percent of users have taken steps to mask their digital footprints and 55 percent have tried to avoid specific observers, the majority (59 percent) believe complete online anonymity is impossible.
Users report various security issues, including account compromises, relationship troubles due to online posts, and theft of personal information. There’s a widespread belief (68 percent) that current laws inadequately protect online privacy, with half of the users worried about their personal information online—a significant increase from previous years. Despite these concerns, people strongly desire control over their digital information.
BeyondTrust’s Haber added that “every action online, from sending an email to visiting a website, generates data (mostly in the form of logs) that can, in theory, be traced back to you even when advanced forms of obfuscation are implemented.”
So, how does your IP addresses affect anonymity?
Both experts emphasise the crucial role of IP addresses in online identification, however, Haber said while an IP address alone does not reveal a user’s identity, it can give away the individual’s geolocation – which can be used to trace their activities to themselves.
“Your IP address is your unique identifier in private and public networks. It is conceptually similar to your mobile phone number in the real world. It’s the ‘address’ that lets websites, apps, and services know where to send the information you request. This makes it a key component in the battle for online anonymity,” he said, adding that online tools aim to hide users’ IP addresses.
Haber explained that even if routes disappear after use, logs exist that can trace requests to their source – this means IP addresses are never anonymous.
The nature of networks requires identifiable information for communication, making true online anonymity impossible.
Is using a VPN more effective?
VPNs offer robust protocols and high-level encryption, but they aren’t invulnerable. Their protection doesn’t extend to cookie tracking, viruses, malware, or phishing scams.
Data breaches remain a possibility. Crucially, a VPN’s security hinges on the trustworthiness and competence of its provider. Moreover, VPNs do not actually make you “anonymous,” ManageEngine’s Anandarao said.
“A VPN encrypts your data, shields your IP addresses, and protects you from online trackers. However, a VPN cannot guarantee full anonymity. When a cybercrime is reported, the VPN provider must mandatorily provide all information that has been gathered about the user.”
Users in the UAE should be aware that the use of VPNs still require followed guidelines stipulated by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) on prohibited content categories.
Haber added that “your VPN provider still knows your real IP address (based on logs) and can be compelled by law enforcement to reveal it.”
However, when it comes to social media Anandarao suggests that anonymity is possible but advises users to “follow the ethics of being anonymous on social media.” He further warned against “bullying, derogatory comments, phishing, fake IDs, pornographic content” while using anonymous accounts.
Haber, on the other hand, warned that being anonymous on social media is “challenging” due to the platform’s data collection practices.
“Social media platforms are designed to collect and share data even for businesses. That is their business model.”
“Even if you use an alias, your activities, friends, and the content you interact with can give away your real identity, if an account is compromised,” he explained.
How can I be more anonymous online?
Today, technological advancements have made online anonymity harder to achieve, especially as the concept of online anonymity and related laws are constantly changing, according to Anandrao.
“It started off with email anonymity, followed by IP addresses and users. With more technological advancements, the concept of online anonymity keeps changing, so do the laws that govern cyber security and data privacy. Anonymity is ethical as long as it doesn’t cross the boundaries of security and privacy,” he said, adding that there are a few mistakes users make that reveal their identity online.
“Your unsuspecting behaviour of online information through ads, website links, email attachments, web forms, gaming applications, etc., is responsible for revealing your online identity. Staying online for hours together across multiple devices is one of the primary reasons to steal your identity. Laptops without reliable anti-virus software and a firewall, mobile devices with untrusted and free VPNs, other personal devices without a security update – all these make you vulnerable to reveal your identity.”
Haber explained that tracking technologies, data breaches, social media, mobile devices, and IoT have created a more interconnected world where anonymity is difficult.
“Simultaneously, there’s been an outcry for greater transparency and accountability online for any type of tracking, driven by concerns over political misinformation, illegal activities, and social discord, that have driven governments to enforce online exposure of identities that participate in these activities,” he added.
Nevertheless, both experts advised on enhancing online anonymity.
“There are a few ways that can be helpful in making a user stay anonymous online. Using a trusted VPN, using secure ad-free email services, using an encrypted messaging app and browser does help users to stay anonymous. More advanced ways of doing this could be by using secondary email for necessary subscriptions, using an encrypted online storage could enhance online anonymity. Using ad-blockers can also be effective in boosting anonymity. Using a proxy while exploring social media websites could also be effective,” Anandarao said.
Haber’s recommendations include “blocking cookies, using a secure browser, and if needed a third-party VPN.”
He also advised users to “consider regularly clearing your browser history and consider using search engines that don’t track your queries, like DuckDuckGo. Avoid sharing personal information online and use different usernames and email addresses for different accounts, so your identity is not easily linkable. Finally, be mindful of the metadata you generate, such as location tags on photos, and limit the use of social media to only trusted devices.”