Furthermore, reliance on proxies can lead to a false sense of security. While they hide a user's IP address from the destination website, they do not encrypt the user's internet traffic end-to-end in the way a VPN does. This means that while a user might bypass a school firewall, their browsing history may still be visible to their Internet Service Provider (ISP) or network administrators if not properly encrypted. Additionally, free proxy services are often supported by aggressive advertising, which can expose users to intrusive pop-ups, malware, or phishing attempts.