So …you’re writing your novel or short story and you need some detailed information …
- You’re looking for the best way to hide a body.
- You want to deactivate a homemade bomb … or you want to build one.
- You want to slowly poison someone, but you’re not sure if rat poison is the latest trend.
Google and the Internet are your friends, right? Or are they?
As authors, we all often need to research topics that may garnish unwanted attention at one time or another.
Search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Bing are common starting spots for research.
However …
But as we’ve all heard, these search engines maintain a digital trail, or history, of your search terms and websites you’ve recently visited. And, if you believe it … sometimes law enforcement can find out where you’ve been and what you’ve been looking for.
Not always good for us authors.
I have a friend—an author friend—who’s written many books. He began way before the Internet was but a twinkle in Al Gore’s eye (actually, even before computers were commonly used and most people wrote books using an IBM Selectric typewriter). He recently told me about a time in his early writing career. While working on a book, he needed to know how to build a bomb. Neither Encyclopedia Britannica nor the World Book Encyclopedia contained the necessary information.
Nor did the public library.
So … he called the local F.B.I. office.
While he was talking on the phone with the F.B.I. agent, several F.B.I. and local law enforcement officials in black vehicles showed up at his front door!
Long story short, once they realized he was an established author and only researching information for his book, they left … without telling him how to build a bomb.
I still use Google as my primary search engine. However, there are times when I must remain anonymous, so I use other alternatives. I don’t want anyone to know I’m researching a particular topic, company, or … a specific TLA (“three-letter agency”) government agency.
I’m sure you have your own unique methods of conducting Internet research. The focus of this article is not on how to use the Internet for research. Rather, the focus is on how to remain anonymous while using the Internet for research. It’s not that difficult, and the more you use it, the more confidence you’ll have that you can truly remain anonymous on the Internet. I’ll try not to get too technical, but no guarantees.
My disclaimer: There is never 100% complete privacy on the Internet … ever. Not even by using the following methods and technologies. That said, they will significantly reduce your exposure.
Virtual Private Networks (“VPN”)
Most people are aware of what’s commonly called a browser’s “Private” or “Incognito” mode. This feature opens up a new browser window, lets you do your research, then erases your browsing history and cookies when you exit that browser session—but only for that session … on your computer.
However, it does not keep your online research private. The Internet Service Provider (e.g., AT&T or Cox Communications) can still access that data as well as their advertisers (“partners”), search engines, websites, and, if requested, the government (local, state, or federal).
A VPN is an encrypting technology that makes the data unreadable from the time it leaves your computer to the secure website you’re accessing, and back. Think of it as a direct point-to-point connection from your computer to the Internet site. Basically, it hides your IP address, concealing your identity. It actually displays a different IP address so you can’t be tracked.
We’ve all heard of the potential “man-in-the-middle” hackers at public Wi-Fi hot spots, like airports, hotels, and even places like Starbucks and McDonald’s. A VPN will thwart those hackers looking to exploit these open and public networks.
If I use my personal computer in a public place, I always access the Internet through my installed VPN. I personally use McAfee VPN on my computer, my tablet, and my phone. It’s included as part of my McAfee subscription and covers up to five devices.
There are other VPNs; some are free, some are costly. I’ve listed a few at the end of this article. But be wary of anything “free” on the Internet.
Tor Browser
“The Onion Router” browser enables anonymous communication using the Tor network. Basically, it conceals a user’s location and usage from anyone conducting network surveillance. It does this by utilizing more than 6,000 “relays,” that is, other worldwide volunteer overlay networks.
From a user’s perspective, using the Tor browser is probably the safest way to avoid detection. There are many “layers” of networks (i.e., the volunteers), hence the analogy to an onion. It lets users remain anonymous online and protects them from being tracked by hackers, ISPs, and even governments.
Technically speaking, if someone was snooping for your Internet searches, they would only find the last Tor node (the “exit node”), rather than the sender (i.e., “you”) as the originator.
Because of the multi-layers technologies utilized to remain anonymous, using the Tor browser is slower than other browsers like Google, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. And some of the web services will purposefully block Tor users.
Some countries also block the use of Tor. Why, you ask? Think about it … there are regimes in this world that don’t allow free speech or the ability to communicate freely and openly. They simply don’t like journalists reporting on corruption and don’t want dissidents or activists to organize against political repression.
Best of all, the Tor browser is free–my favorite price.
DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is basically another Internet search engine. Unlike Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Bing, it emphases protecting the user’s privacy. DuckDuckGo doesn’t collect user data and track you when you search. It doesn’t associate what you look for online with your IP address. That means they won’t bombard you with personalized ads.
Since DuckDuckGo doesn’t use these “filter bubbles” and “personalize searches,” it lacks the “auto-suggest” function like other major search engines. It may be slightly slower, but it doesn’t keep a list of your search history.
DuckDuckGo is the default search engine for the Tor browser.
Virtual Machine
Think of a Virtual Machine as an application running in a separate window on your computer. You’d run a separate operating system within that window, and it would behave like a fully functional, stand-alone computer.
Techies may install a Virtual Machine to try out new operating systems (such as Linux or Unix or, if needed, an older version of Microsoft Windows, like XP).
Like Las Vegas, everything you do in the Virtual Machine “stays in the Virtual Machine.” When you’re done, you can delete the Virtual Machine and everything stored there, including your Internet search history.
Summary
Working backwards, if you want optimum security when researching on the Internet, build yourself a Virtual Machine, install the Tor browser, access the Internet via a VPN, and use Duck-Duck-Go as your search engine. When you’re done, exit all and delete the virtual machine. Voila–you’re completely anonymous.
Can you remain anonymous without building a virtual machine? Of course. I don’t have the time to build a Virtual Machine every time I do research. However, I always have the VPN installed, and I’ll launch the Tor browser and search with DuckDuckGo. I feel pretty safe in my own anonymous little Internet search world.
Links to resources:
VPNs:
[Editor’s note: WAG would love to see articles on any and all topics of interest to writers. Please send your ideas or finished pieces to Cynthia D. Bertelsen at BlogEditor@writersalliance.org for consideration. Remember: these posts are more than just posts, for they are actual articles and can be cited in your CV/résumé in the same way you would a short story, essay, or any other writing credit you may possess.]
