<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
  type="topic"
  id="managing-identities">

<info>
  <desc>Learn how to control personally-identifying information in Tor Browser</desc>
  <link type="guide" xref="index" group="five" />
</info>

<title>Managing identities</title>
 
<p>
When you connect to a website, it is not only the operators
of that website who can record information about your visit. Most
websites now use numerous third-party services, including social networking
“Like” buttons, analytics trackers, and advertising beacons, all of which
can link your activity across different sites.
</p>
 
<p>
Using the Tor network stops observers from being able to
discover your exact location and IP address, but even without this
information they might be able to link different areas of
your activity together. For this reason, Tor Browser includes some additional
features that help you control what information can be tied to your identity.
</p>

<section id="url-bar">
<title>The URL bar</title>
<p>
Tor Browser centers your web experience around your relationship with
the website in the URL bar. Even if you connect to two different sites
that use the same third-party tracking service, Tor Browser will force
the content to be served over two different Tor circuits, so the tracker will
not know that both connections originate from your browser.
</p>
 
<p>
On the other hand, all connections to a single website address will be
made over the same Tor circuit, meaning you can browse different pages
of a single website in separate tabs or windows, without any loss of
functionality.
</p>

<p>
<media type="image" width="600" src="media/managing-identities/circuit_full.png" />
</p>
<p>
You can see a diagram of the circuit that Tor Browser is using for the
current tab in the onion menu.
</p>
</section>

<section id="logins">
<title>Logging in over Tor</title>
<p>
Although Tor Browser is designed to enable total user anonymity on the web,
there may be situations in which it makes sense to use Tor with websites
that require usernames, passwords, or other identifying information.
</p>
 
<p>
If you log into a website using a regular browser, you also reveal your
IP address and geographical location in the process. The same is often
true when you send an email. Logging into your social networking or
email accounts using Tor Browser allows you to choose exactly which
information you reveal to the websites you browse. Logging in using Tor
Browser is also useful if the website you are trying to reach is
censored on your network.
</p>
 
<p>
When you log in to a website over Tor, there are several points you
should bear in mind:
</p>
 
<list>
 <item>
  <p>
  See the <link
  xref='secure-connections'>Secure Connections</link> page
  for important information on how to secure your connection when
  logging in.
  </p>
 </item>
 <item>
  <p>
  Tor Browser often makes your connection appear as though it is coming
  from an entirely different part of the world. Some websites, such as
  banks or email providers, might interpret this as a sign that your
  account has been hacked or compromised, and lock you out. The only
  way to resolve this is by following the site’s recommended procedure
  for account recovery, or contacting the operators and explaining the
  situation.
  </p>
 </item>
</list>
</section>

<section id="new-identity">
<title>Changing identities and circuits</title>
<p>
<media type="image" width="600" src="media/managing-identities/new_identity.png" /> 
</p>
<p>
Tor Browser features “New Identity” and “New Tor Circuit for this Site”
options, located in the Torbutton menu.
</p>
<terms>
 <item>
  <title>New Identity</title>
  <p>
  This option is useful if you want to prevent your subsequent browser
  activity from being linkable to what you
  were doing before. Selecting it will close all your open tabs and
  windows, clear all private information such as cookies and browsing
  history, and use new Tor circuits for all connections. Tor Browser
  will warn you that all activity and downloads will be stopped, so
  take this into account before clicking “New Identity”.
  </p>
 </item>
 <item>
  <title>New Tor Circuit for this Site</title>
  <p>
  This option is useful if the <link
  xref='about-tor-browser#how-tor-works'>exit relay</link> you are
  using is unable to connect to the website you require, or is not
  loading it properly. Selecting it will cause the currently-active
  tab or window to be reloaded over a new Tor circuit. Other open tabs
  and windows from the same website will use the new circuit as well
  once they are reloaded. This option does not clear any private
  information or unlink your activity, nor does it affect your current
  connections to other websites.
  </p>
  </item>
 </terms>
</section>
</page>