I am sure you might already be aware of the Tor Browser and how to use it, and if you don’t, it is actually a browser that lets you browse the internet anonymously and also the dark web, which is the other side of the web that no one really talks about.
While I am not sure why would you use the Tor browser to browse the dark web, if you don’t want to indulge in illegal activities, let’s talk about its other features, that is, browsing the web anonymously.
Tor is short for The Onion Router (thus the logo) and was initially a worldwide network of servers developed with the U.S. Navy that enabled people to browse the internet anonymously. Now, it’s a non-profit organization whose main purpose is the research and development of online privacy tools.
Who is the Tor browser for?
If you are someone who wants to hide their identity while browsing the internet, like, if you are journalist in an oppressive country or a hacker who doesn’t want to get in the eye for the government, or maybe you are an activist who uses the internet to pass on sensitive information to bust a racket, the Tor browser can be useful.
Now, let’s talk about how it works and why it is called a secure browser so the activities we mentioned above.
The Tor uses several of its tor servers and encrypts your traffic so that it becomes tougher to track since it becomes tougher to trace it back to you.
In plain English, it is the Incognito mode on steroids.
How to use Tor?
You simply need to download and install the Tor browser just like you install any other software on your Computer. And then start using it.
Since the connection between you and the website is made after going through several serves, it makes browsing slower than you might experience in Google Chrome or any other browser.
So, its definitely not the fastest browser or a browser meant for participating in flash deals, it’s a nice secondary browser you might require when you are browsing something you don’t want to be associated with.
Is the Tor browser for you? the Normal Everday casual Browser?
Maybe not, if you are looking to browse a few websites anonymously, like, you don’t want them to be saved in history or you don’t want advertisers to retarget you by showing products related to your browsing, you can use the incognito mode of your browser.
The point here is to understand the difference between the Tor browser and the tor network.
The Tor browser is the window that lets you access the Tor network, which majority of us wouldn’t be interested in at all.
The Tor network or the Dark web is the universe of websites for various things. It’s a place for finding older versions of a software, maybe a rare book that has been wiped out from our Internet, it can be found in this other side of the web.
Interested in reading more about Tor? Check it out here