But you ask, "Why should I worry about privacy and security? I'm not a criminal or a terrorist; I've got nothing to hide. Heck, I even voted for Ronald Reagan (and George Bush too)." If you really think that helps, you probably shouldn't be here after all.

There are more reasons to want to protect your privacy than can be listed here. The important principal is that you have a right to privacy as long as that right is used within the bounds of the law. Seeking privacy should not make one feel guilty; privacy should be expected, and demanded. The reasons might be as simple as preserving your right to express unpopular opinions without being subjected to persecution, or as serious as communicating sensitive business information, legal discussions with your attorney or accountant, or hiding your true identity from an oppressive government. Regardless of your reasons, privacy is your right. Contrary to what some government officials might want the public to believe, not all those concerned with security and privacy are subversives or terrorists.

The internet provides one of the easiest communications tools ever afforded mankind. It is quick, convenient, cheap....and as insecure as it is quick, convenient, and cheap. A message sent many months ago may remain on an ISP's server or in a backup, and can be easily retrieved by anyone who knows how to do so. Whether you consider his actions right or wrong, Oliver North provides a good example of how old messages may come back to haunt you. His erased messages were recovered some six months later and used against him in legal proceedings.

It is nearly as simple for someone to intercept your messages, if they are so inclined. This may be just an administrator of your ISP or your office intranet, with no malice intended. Or it might be a competitor, legal foe, or government agency, with much more serious intentions.

There are a myriad of means available to protect online privacy. Some are cumbersome and complex while others are extremely simple. Of greater importance is that some methods are almost totally lacking in security while others are nearly bulletproof. We'll try to wade through some of the offerings on the anonymity page.