How do I surf anonymously on my Android phone?

The need for anonymity while surfing the internet, but also generally when using your Android phone, is widespread, feasible, and offers many advantages.

Your anonymity/online privacy is often violated without a right, or at least a credible reason.Whether through websites, apps, or even unauthorized parties that want to access data stored directly on your smartphone or data stored on your cloud storage via your smartphone.The aforementioned also often involves obtaining your location, i.e., your GPS data (satellite location data) or your IP address (internet connection data), without a legitimate reason for doing so.

Since Android itself does not offer many (or any) options, we will look at three key factors and other ways to implement more anonymity in the daily use of your phone.

First steps: Claim and solutions

Before I choose a method to increase the anonymity when using my Android phone, I define my requirements and when I want to use it (and when not) and then choose from the available options the one that provides a high level of coverage of my requirements today and in the future.

First define the claim

For which uses of my smartphone is maintaining my anonymity important to me?

then select solution

What solutions meet my requirements, when can the solutions interfere, and how can I use or omit the solutions depending on usage?

Key factors

Selecting the Internet browser and its configuration

Like any app on a smartphone, the internet browser should be specifically tested before installation/use. The following sources can help you choose a suitable internet browser:

Information in the details of the Internet browser (the respective app) in Google Play

1. "About this app" – "Shared data"

Less is more here. Is it understandable to you why something should be tracked here, if not, is there an alternative app that doesn't want to know so much about me?

2. "About this app" – "Data security"

There are legitimate requirements, e.g., "collected data – location," but only while using a map in an internet browser, for example.

Now, this can only be turned on and off for the app via the permissions in the settings, which is cumbersome. Perhaps that's why it would make sense to be able to choose your location as needed. See more about this below. Less is more here.

3. "About this app" – "Security measures"

If the app collects information about my device, my behavior, my location, etc., is this information at least encrypted when transmitted to the app provider, and does the provider share my data with third parties?

4. "About this app" – "Data deletion"

Can I have the data collected by the app developer deleted?

Get information from independent sources

Research online and take some time to compare independent sources, e.g., consumer protection organizations.

Configure the Internet browser according to your needs

Check your Internet browser settings and research the meaning and consequences of the settings online. So can you choose settings that provide a good user experience and, wherever possible, take into account your online privacy.

Use the protective features of the Internet browser

A good internet browser (not just on your phone) offers features that protect you while browsing anonymously. The most widely used is the incognito mode (private browser mode) that removes local traces (such as cookies, etc.), but does not offer comprehensive anonymity. Use these features.

Use VPN connections

VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that allows you to use the Internet anonymously by hiding your actual IP address (the address of your device on the Internet) and encrypting online data, making it much harder to monitor your data traffic. The flexibility, easy installation, and simple operation make a VPN a good choice.

VPN services are usually paid and the selection is very large. However, it is largely unclear which companies, company networks, and interest groups are behind these offers. Since the VPN provider knows the IP address of your device and you may pay for the service with a credit card, it makes sense to carefully choose a VPN provider, for example, one with a rigorous no-log promise and proof of this through independent audits. Unfortunately, most VPN comparison sites on the internet are sponsored by individual VPN providers and are therefore not worthwhile for making a good choice. Information from consumer protection organizations or insights into the providers (e.g. this information chart with detailed information about many providers on kumo.io) can be very helpful here.

Encryption by a VPN prevents unauthorized parties from tracking your online activities and stealing confidential data. Even on unsecured networks (e.g., open Wi-Fi), your data traffic is incomprehensible chaos to them.

A VPN allows you to access unrestricted content by hiding your IP address and changing your location. Thus, regional blocks or firewalls have little or no effect.

Most VPNs use shared IP addresses, where multiple users use the same IP for internet access.Thus, the user's identity remains anonymous, and it is practically impossible to trace a connection back to an individual user.

!Expert tip:

Only one VPN can be active at a time on your Android smartphone.If you are already using an ad-blocking app (which may use the function of a local VPN on your phone), it will not be possible to run a VPN in parallel for your internet traffic. To still enable anonymous browsing and protection from advertising in this scenario, you could switch to a DNS-based solution for ad filtering (DNS: Domain Name Services, directory of internet domains and their translation into IP addresses).

Determine your current GPS location

Determining a synthetic location by manipulating the GPS information on your smartphone, also known as GPS-Faking, significantly aids in anonymous browsing. This means that a smartphone intentionally provides false location data — that is, it reports a position that does not correspond to the device's actual position. The goal is to conceal the actual position or pretend to be in a different position.

Installing a solution to influence the location is not easy or even impossible for the average user. A professionally designed, secure smartphone that is kept up to date with updates, such as LenyMobile®, is a good solution and includes such a feature.

The limitations in influencing the location are that various information sources are used to determine the location on a smartphone, such as the IP address (which can be influenced by using a VPN), Bluetooth, WLAN BSSID, and mobile data. When using a synthetic location for anonymous browsing, be sure to:

1. That you have disabled the option on your smartphone to determine your location using Wi-Fi BSSID and Bluetooth.

2. That you are simultaneously using a VPN connection on your smartphone, which usually reasonably represents the same location as the synthetic GPS location.

3. That the information about the device's location can still be determined by a mobile network provider and used in accordance with legal regulations.

4. That motion sensors, step counting, and acceleration profiles can react "confused".

There are also limitations on influencing the location for anonymous browsing. So use a synthetic location with caution because:

1. Some important functions (e.g., emergency calls, location by rescue services, etc.) will be impaired.

2. Navigation with corresponding apps is not possible with the synthetic location turned on.

3. A few apps may refuse to function when the synthetic location is turned on.

Other ways to improve anonymous browsing

In addition to the key factors listed above, anonymous browsing can also be positively influenced by the following measures:

Your browsing behavior

Always be clear about what you want to reveal and what you don't, even in the digital space. For example, you can write a simple Internet search in such a way that it reveals more or less about you, your surroundings, your location, etc.

Using the Tor network and Tor browser

To do this, install the "Tor Browser" app on your smartphone.Can also be used in combination with VPN and DNS filters.Browsing with the Tor browser will be slower. (more information: https://www.torproject.org/)

Using Proxy Servers

Proxy servers relay between smartphones and the internet by forwarding requests through their own IP address, thereby hiding the user's IP. They enable anonymous browsing, check (in part) data for malware, and store web pages in the cache for faster loading times. Smartphones can use proxy servers manually or through an app, for example to bypass geographic blocks and support anonymous browsing. Proxy servers can be used simultaneously with a VPN.

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