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Key Takeaways

  • Proxy servers act as a middleman between you and the websites you visit, enhancing your privacy.
  • You can use proxy servers for country-restricted website access and workplace monitoring.
  • Remember that proxies can't hide browsing history, protect from ISPs, or encrypt data. For better privacy, use a VPN.

People use proxy servers to enhance their privacy as they surf the internet. But what is a proxy server, and how do people use them to browse the web and protect their privacy?

What Is a Proxy Server?

A proxy server acts as a middleman, sitting between you and the website you want to visit. Instead of visiting the website directly, you tell the proxy server to connect to it for you. The proxy server connects to it, gets the data from it, and then relays it back to you.

This is like hiring a messenger to deliver mail to someone. If you don't want your recipient to know the letter is from you, you can give it to a third party who delivers it on your behalf. That way, you can get the message sent and not worry about revealing who you are.

What Is a Proxy Server Used For?

Proxy servers are useful to have, but why do people use them?

Using a Proxy Server on a Personal Level

Websites can tell where you're connecting from by looking at your IP address. If a website has blacklisted your country and you try to connect to it, it will identify what country you're connected from via your IP address and deny you access.

Proxy servers are an excellent option for people who want to visit websites with country restrictions, typically due to rights agreements. For example, you can watch TV shows on BBC iPlayer using a proxy server located in the UK and connecting to iPlayer through it.

When iPlayer checks your geographical location, it sees the proxy server's IP instead of your own. It recognizes the proxy server as a UK-based source and permits the server to access its data. This data is passed onto you, allowing you to watch Doctor Who no matter where you are.

Using a Proxy Server on a Business Level

Due to their "middleman" nature, proxy servers can also monitor connections going out to the internet. As a result, it allows businesses to monitor employee network usage to ensure they're not misusing the internet.

Whenever a worker wants to visit a website, it goes through the proxy server, which checks to ensure everything is fine. If the employee is found to be browsing a blacklisted site, the proxy server redirects the user to a webpage, informing the user that they can't access it.

What Proxies Servers Can't Do

Proxy Server Connecting to a Residential Laptop
Image Credit: Pixabay

Proxy servers are useful but are not a silver-bullet solution for all your needs. There are some things proxy servers can't do that you need to keep in mind.

Proxy Servers Can't Hide Your Browsing History

Proxy servers only affect the connection you're on; therefore, it doesn't alter anything on your computer or browser. While proxy servers are great at hiding your identity from websites, they don't hide your browsing history on your browser.

Every website you visit will still get logged in your browsing history, so be sure to employ your browser's private browsing feature if you want to do some secret gift shopping.

Proxy Servers Can't Protect Your Data From Your ISP

Unlike a VPN service, a proxy server doesn't hide your browsing habits from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). While the sites you visit won't be able to identify you, your data has to go through your ISP to reach the proxy server. As a result, proxy servers are a poor choice if you want privacy from a prying ISP.

If you want to do this, you're better off with a VPN. VPNs create a "tunnel" between you and the VPN's servers, which stops your ISP from peeking at your data. It's also great for protecting your connections from spying in general. For example, if you're using an unsecured Wi-Fi connection and don't want people peeking into what you're doing.

Proxy Servers Cant Encrypt the Data You Send and Receive

Because nothing changes between your computer and the proxy server, so all data sent to the proxy server doesn't go through any extra encryption, unlike a VPN. Therefore, proxy servers aren't a solution for protecting your data from prying eyes over unsecured connections.

See our comparison of proxies and VPNs for more info on the differences.

golden auction hammer and palette

Unfortunately, using a public proxy server does carry its risks. These risks can either affect your privacy or your computer security.

For the former, cast your mind back to when we discussed business uses for proxy servers. We mentioned that the server owner can monitor connections and data passed through the server. Likewise, someone who owns a public proxy server can see connection data, which can make them a privacy risk.

Also, free proxy servers require a lot of advertising to keep things going. Usually, free proxy server providers don't wish to inflict harm on their users, but some advertisers will use ads that lead to malware, a trick known as "malvertising." If the free proxy server provider doesn't screen their ads properly, you may end up getting something nasty from the ads they serve you.

The best way to prevent this is to use a private proxy service or make your own online proxy server. Once set up, you can browse the web without any fear of spying or bad advertising.

Fortunately, setting up and using a proxy server is legal as long as you're outside of China, Iran, North Korea, and other restrictive countries.

Where to Find a Proxy Server?

Now you know about proxy servers, where can you find some good proxy servers to use? As you might expect, there are heaps of proxy server sites, but here are five of the best proxy server sites you can start using immediately:

Kproxy
  1. KProxy: A free, user-friendly proxy site that doesn't require installation, with an option for a paid plan to eliminate ads and improve service.
  2. Whoer.Net: Offers a web proxy and VPN service that requires downloading tools for IP and DNS changes, with a paid subscription available for full functionality.
  3. HMA: Previously a popular free proxy, it now also offers a VPN, focusing on privacy improvement, offering a web proxy extension and a 30-day money-back guarantee for its VPN.
  4. Zyte: A smart proxy and web scraping solution for businesses, requiring API integration and offering plans starting from $29/mo.
  5. GeoSurf: Provides over 3.5 million residential IPs for enterprises to bypass geo-restrictions, with plans starting at $300 per month.

While they're not a perfect solution to all your privacy concerns, proxy servers can be a great aid if you want to perform simple tasks. There are even free servers out there you can use; however, you should act cautiously and ensure you're not connecting to a malicious one.