Now more than ever, your online privacy is under attack. Your ISP, advertisers, and governments around the world are increasingly interested in knowing exactly what you’re up to when you browse the web. Whether you’re a political activist or simply someone who hates the idea of third-parties snooping around, there are plenty of tools available to keep prying eyes off of your traffic.

I’m going to highlight 18 ways to increase your online privacy. Some methods are more complicated than others, but if you’re serious about privacy, these tips will help you remain anonymous on the open Web.

Method #1: The Onion Router (Tor)
If anonymity is what you’re after, The Onion Router (Tor) is what you need. It uses a vast network of computers to route your Web traffic through a number of encrypted layers to obscure the origin of the traffic. Tor is a vital tool for political dissidents and whistleblowers to anonymously share information, and you can just as easily use it to help protect your privacy.

Without a doubt, the easiest way to get started is by downloading the Tor Browser Bundle. This customized branch of Firefox automatically connects to the Tor network, and includes some of the privacy-enhancing browser extensions discussed later in this post. This package has everything you need to use Tor successfully, but you’ll also need to change your web surfing behavior to retain as much anonymity as possible. You need to make sure to abide by the Tor warnings, and remember that this isn’t a magic bullet for internet privacy. It still has weaknesses.

Download the Tor Browser Bundle: https://www.torproject.org/download/download.html.en

Method #2: Virtual Private Network (VPN)
If you're really concerned about your anonymity, consider investing in a VPN solution like TorGuard or Private Internet Access. These services essentially allow you to disguise your traffic. Your real IP address will be hidden from the world, and your traffic will remain indecipherable to nosy ISPs or governments.

Even if your government is actively on the lookout for VPN traffic, you can still benefit from so-called “stealth VPNs.” TorGuard offers its stealth VPN service at no additional cost, and it will make government detection and interference much harder to accomplish. For those of you being held hostage by your government, VPNs are by far the best bet for bypassing censorship and snooping.

Visit TorGuard: https://torguard.net
Visit Private Internet Access: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com

Method #3: DNS leak testing
Even if you’re using a privacy service (like a VPN) to hide your IP address, it’s still possible to give away clues to your identity via your DNS traffic. Thankfully, it’s easy to detect if your configuration is leaking your DNS information. Simply head over to DNSLeakTest.com, and run the extended test.

If the results show the third-party DNS service you’re using (like your VPN service), you’re set. If your ISP’s DNS info shows up, you have a DNS leak. Follow the steps listed on the “How to fix a DNS leak” page.

Visit DNS Leak Tests: https://dnsleaktest.com/

The above methods are just some of the many ways in which a user can enhance their privacy.

If you want more information and more methods visit:
http://www.extremetech.com/internet/180485-the-ultimate-guide-to-staying-anonymous-and-protecting-your-privacy-online/1