A proxy is an invaluable tool for journalists and activists. To understand all the ways it can help you as a journalist and activist, you should first learn what proxy servers are.
Proxy servers or proxies are intermediary servers that separate you from the destinations you browse. Using a proxy means that traffic flows through it on its way to the website or service you requested. The web response then comes back through the same proxy, which then sends the data received from the target website to your device.
They are like a computer on the internet with a different IP address than yours. So, when you’re using a proxy, websites and services you’re communicating with “think” the request is coming from a different device and user, thus ensuring online privacy.
Proxies do much more than forwarding web requests. They function as web filters and firewalls, cache data to speed up traffic exchange, and provide shared network connections. Quality proxies protect you and the internal network from all online dangers and threats.
Journalists and activists can use proxies as a professional tool for several reasons, including:
Online anonymity
Concealing one’s online identity is the most common reason why journalists and activists use proxy servers. A good proxy provides you with complete anonymity online, which is essential for journalists, making them, their communication, and their data untraceable. By keeping your IP address hidden, proxy servers make you more secure in real life.
Access to geo-restricted and censored websites and services
Journalists and activists can’t access a lot of websites and services that organizations and governments block due to the nature of the content they offer. Also, they may not be able to access certain geo-restricted news websites, media services, and other websites and services.
Luckily, a proxy server can unblock geo-restricted and censored websites and channels needed in their work line. Proxies provide you with as many different IP addresses and locations as you want, making it seem as if you’re browsing from another location.
So, to access a geo-restricted or censored website or service, you just need to choose an IP from a location or country where the website or service is available.
Widespread proxy servers
Getting online anonymity and access to geo-restricted services is only possible if your proxy provider has servers equally distributed around the world, covering most countries and locations. This way, your proxies will grant you access to any geo-restricted service while keeping your actual location and identity hidden.
Journalists and activists can use residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies depending on their needs. Residential proxies ensure maximum online security and privacy as they are provided by real ISPs, making them look the same as any other regular traffic. Since they make you indistinguishable from other real visitors, they’re almost impossible to detect and blacklist.
On the other hand, Datacenter proxies are perfect if you need to accomplish something in a shorter time or download large amounts of data as they provide higher speeds than residential proxies.
Mobile proxies give you an IP address coming from an actual physical device and a real user, making them ideal if you’re browsing from a portable device such as a mobile phone or tablet.
But, choosing the right type of proxy is not the only thing to consider if you’re a journalist or activist. You must ensure the proxy comes from a reliable provider. This means avoiding free proxies and choosing top-quality premium providers that will supply you with all the benefits of proxies.
IPRoyal offers tested high-quality residential, datacenter, and mobile proxies that will eliminate any concern about your online security and privacy. You can get IP addresses from all around the world, granting you safe access to geo-restricted and censored services.