How To Use Tor Browser (And Why You Should)

If you want the highest level of privacy and security with your web browser, you should be using Tor.

A while ago I wrote a piece on the best way to ensure your privacy with a web browser. A part of that advice was to use the Tor browser. In simplest terms, you cannot get more privacy and security from a web browser than when using Tor.  

The Tor browser uses the Onion network to ensure privacy and security. What is the Onion network? First off, Tor is short for "The Onion Router." When using the Onion network, all traffic is encapsulated in layers of encryption, which is transmitted through a series of nodes called "onion routers." As the traffic passes through a node, it peels away a single layer that reveals the next destination for the data. This makes it very difficult for a third party to trace your internet activity (more than any other browser).

Both the Tor browser and the Onion network are free-to-use for anyone and the Tor browser is available for Android, Linux, MacOS, and Windows. And although Tor is a web browser, using it is slightly different than using browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Brave, Safari, and Edge.