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THE TOP 7 ANONYMITY NETWORKS FOR IMPROVING ONLINE PRIVACY

By Elvis Gwaro
Published 2 days ago


Various technologies can help keep your data private online. Here are some of
the best ways to stay anonymous.


Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our
site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.

Online privacy is essential. Besides the increase in cybercrime and censorship
incidents, safeguarding online reputation has become more critical, considering
that the internet never forgets.

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While VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are the most popular solutions offering
users online privacy services, they could be better. Luckily, several other
platforms are filling the gap...




1. TOR



Tor, short for "The Onion Router," is a privacy-focused technology designed to
enhance online anonymity and security. It operates on the principle of onion
routing, where data is encrypted in layers, much like the layers of an onion.

When users connect to the Tor network, their traffic is randomly routed through
nodes operated by volunteers. Each relay peels back one layer of encryption,
making it impossible for any single relay to decipher the user's complete path
or content. This multi-layered approach ensures anonymity by obscuring the
origin and destination of the data.

Using Tor allows you to enjoy protection against traffic analysis, access to
censored content, and end-to-end encryption besides concealment of your IP
address.

However, you'll have to contend with slow connection speeds due to the multi-pom
routing process. In addition, Tor is not immune to attacks from adversaries with
significant resources, i.e., governments.





2. HYPHANET



Hyphanet, formerly known as Freenet, is a peer-to-peer platform designed to
address the growing concerns surrounding online privacy, censorship, and
surveillance. It boasts a decentralized structure, robust encryption, and an
innovative approach to online privacy.

Unlike traditional internet services, which depend on centralized servers,
Hyphanet involves users who contribute bandwidth and storage space, creating a
less vulnerable network to censorship or surveillance. It also employs onion
routing, making it difficult for anyone to trace or intercept communications.

Hyphanet is a popular solution for disseminating censored information in
countries with oppressive regimes. It offers file storage, chat forums,
websites, and a "darknet mode" where users can connect exclusively with trusted
individuals and build private networks that are hard for governments to block or
monitor.



However, Hyphanet can be slow and consumes a lot of resources, so it's
inefficient for real-time communication and low data usage.




3. I2P



The Invisible Internet Project (I2P) is a privacy-focused, fully encrypted
peer-to-peer overlay network designed to provide users anonymity, privacy, and
security. It creates a decentralized and peer-to-peer internet that eliminates
concerns about internet service providers monitoring and controlling user
traffic.

I2P uses a combination of technologies, including public key cryptography, IP
steganography, and message authentication, to improve online privacy. It
encrypts all data transmitted within the network and uses transport protocols to
conceal traffic being transported over its tunnels. Peers participate in routing
the traffic to enhance anonymity and make it resistant to censorship.



Notably, I2P does not provide access to the regular internet, an attribute that
enhances privacy within the network. I2P is suitable for users who want to
network online anonymously.




4. GNUNET



GNU is an online platform offering a better, more secure, and decentralized
internet that prioritizes user privacy. GNUnet is rooted in academic research
and seeks to replace the insecure internet.

A significant flaw of the internet is metadata leak, which could be as bad as
exposing the actual content of communications. GNUnet uses privacy-preserving
cryptographic protocols to address this issue. It also employs a decentralized
infrastructure, making it efficient and sustainable, and gives users control
over their data.

GNUnet is open-source, allowing users to study how it operates, distribute
information, and build applications on top of it. This attribute aligns with the
principles of a free and open society. However, due to the system's complexity,
users must be tech-savvy to install and use GNUnet.





5. ZERONET



ZeroNet is a decentralized web platform that enables users to create and access
open, free, uncensored websites. It achieves this by using Bitcoin's
cryptographic principles, Namecoin's domain naming system, and the BitTorrent
network.

ZeroNet operates on a peer-to-peer network that uses visitors' devices to host
website content. Ideally, users accessing ZeroNet websites act as seeders for
the network. That means website creators don't need to pay for hosting services.
In addition, this distributed infrastructure creates resilience against
single-point failure and government censorship.

Using the ZeroNet platform is relatively straightforward. Simply download and
run the software on your device. It provides privacy and anonymity using Tor and
enables offline browsing of sites seeded on your device.



The concern with ZeroNet is the high chance of coming across broken links since
it heavily depends on the active user participation of seeders. Unless a site is
popular, you're likely to encounter many dead ends or unavailable content




6. NYM



Nym is an online privacy technology that protects communication patterns, IP
addresses, and metadata. It offers privacy by rerouting traffic through a
decentralized mixnet, which makes it difficult for anyone to track users' online
activities.

On Nym's MixNet, user data and metadata are cryptographically transformed into
cyphertext and mixed with other users' data through several layered relays
before reaching the destination. This makes it almost impossible for an observer
to trace the sender and receiver of data packets. In addition, it uses
zero-knowledge proofs technology to enhance users' anonymity.



Nym operates in a decentralized client-server infrastructure, making it
resilient against single-point failure and censorship. It's native token, $NYM,
is used to power the MixNet infrastructure, share rewards, and incentivize
active participation.

But since Nym uses MixNet technology, you may have to contend with latency
issues, considering data has to go through numerous layers and nodes before
reaching its destination.




7. HOPR



Hopr is a decentralized privacy project that enhances online privacy by
addressing the issue of transport layer privacy in Web3. Transport layer
protocols are responsible for metadata leaks that expose users' identities.

Hopr uses a MixNet to shuffle data packets, making it impossible for outsiders
to determine communication patterns. In addition, it uses a peer-to-peer
decentralized network of independent nodes, making it highly scalable and
resistant to single-point control. It offers a native token, $HOPR, used to
incentivize participation.



Its most practical applications include safeguarding sensitive medical data,
preventing the exposure of crypto and DeFi users' IP identities, and preventing
price manipulation in decentralized energy markets.

By design, though, Hopr requires peers to share personal information with random
strangers on the network, which could compromise privacy if an adversary takes
control of a significant potion of the network.




DO YOU NEED ANONYMITY NETWORKS?

Whether you need an anonymity network or not depends on your online privacy and
security needs. Sure, if all you do is browse the internet, watch videos, and
use social media to network with friends and family, a VPN would be enough to
offer you online anonymity.

On the other hand, if your online activities warrant attention from
adversaries—for instance, whistleblowing—you'll need to upscale your online
privacy. Regardless of their shortcomings, the platforms we've discussed can
help you achieve your goals.


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Related Topics
 * Security
 * Internet
 * Technology Explained
 * Online Privacy
 * Privacy Tips
 * Anonymity
 * Tor Network
 * Encryption
 * Internet Censorship

About The Author
Elvis Gwaro • Contributor for Tech Explained (51 Articles Published)


Elvis Gwaro is a technical writer specializing in crypto and Web3 content. He
actively invests in and advocates for the adoption of crypto and Web3 projects.


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