It’s becoming big business nowadays, for years our privacy has been disregarded but some companies are beginning to realise that many of us have had enough. The anonymous internet browser is something many people want.

So what is an Anonymous Internet Browser

Well to be honest there isn’t really one – but things are starting to improve the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox all have lots of features centred around privacy and secure browsing.

Let’s take Chrome for instance, Googles Web Browser it has quite a neat feature called Incognito mode – which allows you to surf without any traces of your surfing appearing on the computer. It is meant to be a complete anonymous internet browser. What it does is stop web histories, cookies and all sorts of other little signs of the web sites you visit being left on your PC.

It’s quite a good idea and could help keep your browsing a little more private from other people who use the same computer. Both Firefox and IE 8 all have similar functions, and in most browsers you can simply delete the history and remove all cookies, etc on your PC.

Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with these new features anything that gives users back a little more control over their information and details is a good idea. The problem alas is much, much bigger than merely registry entries and cookies on your PC.

It’s what happens on the rest of the internet that worries me, we surf using a language or protocol called HTTP which is completely insecure, it basically operates in clear text. Every web site we visit, every email we send in fact everything we do is already logged at our ISPs. In Europe ISPs have been mandated to keep this information for up to two years just in case someone needs to check something.

Many Governments are implementing plans to go further than this and have all our online activity put onto central databases so it’s easier to access. How do you feel about having someone tracking your every move online and storing this data so it can be accessed by anybody with the right permit! Combine that with them deciding what we can and cannot read – makes the freedom of the internet feel a little restrictive.

Furthermore your browsing is also logged by every web server you visit, each router you pass through. Then there’s identity thieves scanning wireless connections, hotel or airport hotspots, internet cafes etc, etc.

The anonymous browser might help protect your privacy locally but it’s really a drop in the ocean. Every Government in the world realises the potential for surveillance on the internet. The worrying aspect is that freedom of speech and privacy will be completely ignored in the name of ‘fighting crime and terrorism’ – which is the usual excuse for monitoring internet connections.

An anonymous Internet browser is not enough we need much, much more.