Online anonymity is a topic of substantial debate. Some experts feel there is no need for such a trait, whereas others feel user privacy needs to be protected by all means. But new academic research goes to show there does not seem to be such a thing as online anonymity. Digital breadcrumbs can be found everywhere on the Internet, even for people who use Tor or VPN connectivity.
Anonymity on the Internet is all but an illusion these days. While there are tools that offer additional privacy and masking, these networks become the target of state-sponsored hacking attempts. The FBI infiltrated Tor quite some time ago, and they continue to use undisclosed tools to bring down onion-routed platforms on a regular basis.
Social Media Is The Downfall of Online Anonymity
New research by a team of academics goes to show they can reveal a user’s identity by using the links clicked on their Twitter feed. Even when people use anonymity tool relying on social media can be a downfall. The researchers put together a Google Chrome extension – aptly called Footprints – which looks through user’s browser history for these Twitter links.