Privacy, anonymity, and threat models
Privacy often means hiding activity from some observers while still using stable identities. Anonymity (unlinkability) aims to prevent relating sessions or payments to a real person. Few stacks resist a well-resourced global adversary; most readers need proportional controls: reduce IP correlation, limit account linkage, and harden the browser.
Network controls
- Tor Browser: onion-routed circuits; exit sees cleartext unless you use HTTPS; path selection and guard design matter for long-term unlinkability.
- VPN: moves egress IP to the POP; provider sees tunnel metadata—evaluate legal jurisdiction and engineering claims, not marketing alone.
- WebRTC / DNS / IPv6: close bypass paths; see disable WebRTC and verify DNS stays inside the tunnel.
- Fingerprinting: IP is one signal among many; see fingerprinting vs IP.
Accounts, payments, and behavior
OAuth logins, phone verification, and card payments re-identify you regardless of IP. Use separate profiles or machines for sensitive personas. Cryptocurrency is not automatically anonymous when exchanges apply KYC.
Sanity checks
After any change, confirm the public IP and DNS exit you expect: how to find your IP address. For VPN selection criteria, how to choose a VPN.