Can someone explain what are proxies and how do they work? or What are proxies and why would I need o

Wow, thanks for all the replies! Didn’t realize proxies had so many uses beyond just hiding IPs.

I tried HideMyAss like someone suggested, and it worked for accessing a geo-blocked site, but yeah, it was a bit slow.

Quick follow-up: If I’m just using it for privacy, is a VPN better? Or do proxies have advantages over VPNs for certain things?

Also, any tips for spotting sketchy proxies? Saw some free ones but now I’m paranoid lol.

Thanks again! Y’all made understanding what are proxies way easier.