Tor Browser 7.5.2 is released

Use an onion search engine, like http://msydqstlz2kzerdg.onion/ (https://ahmia.fi/).

The easiest answer is "install and use Tor Browser"--- the latest version, for the appropriate architecture (e.g. Windows, Linux) obtained from www.torproject.org.

For more privacy protections, you may want to consider using Tails:

https://tails.boum.org/about/index.en.html

Tails will enable you to browse the web anonymously:

https://tails.boum.org/doc/anonymous_internet/Tor_Browser/index.en.html

Within limits:

https://tails.boum.org/doc/about/warning/index.en.html

You can't. Tor provides no protection against global adversaries, but USA, People's Republic of China and other govenments are global adversaries because of MLATs and CLOUD. Say thank to Trump and the Congress.

Tor Project products, such as Tor Browser, cannot by themselves protect against flaws in your operating system, much less hardware vulnerabilities such as speculative execution.

If you are concerned about Spectre/Meltdown, good, and you may want to consider using Tails, which uses Tor Browser but has further protections; see

tails.boum.org

Tails Project is independent of Tor Project but allied with it.

The current version of Tails is hardened against some Spectre attacks and should be immune to known Meltdown attacks. It is not currently possible, and may never be possible, to be completely protected from Spectre attacks, for reasons discussed in previous comments in this blog.

False overparanoid hype and fearmongering as usual.

Follow the first link in the post to the Tor Project download page, download the new version of Tor Browser, verify the file, unpack it, and surf! Feel free to flip the bird in the general direction of Cambridge Analytica.

Don't install it, it will alter your browser fingerprint.

Tor Project recommendation — Don't enable or install browser plugins. Tor Browser will block browser plugins such as Flash, RealPlayer, Quicktime, and others: they can be manipulated into revealing your IP address. Similarly, do not install additional addons or plugins into Tor Browser, as these may bypass Tor or otherwise harm your anonymity and privacy: https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.en#warning

Watch Youtube. It can explain everything

It's simple, assuming you want to use Tor Browser to surf the internet anonymously:

1. download Tor Browser from https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.en

2. verify the file (a tarball)

3. unpack the tarball on your computer using your regular OS

4. use the provide startup script to start Tor Browser

5. surf!

You should probably read a bit about how to use Tor Browser wisely before you do too much surfing, though:

https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.en#warning

Ideally you should also read a bit about how the Tor network (including the underlying Tor client/server software) works:

https://www.torproject.org/about/overview.html.en#thesolution

You may also want to consider using Tails for additional protections. But Tails, much less Tor Browser, cannot protect you against some threats:

https://tails.boum.org/doc/about/warning/index.en.html

@ Tor Project: the OP asked a FAQ. Why is there no one document easily found in the Tor Project site which answers it?

I hope the following explainer will help, in which <--> means unencrypted data link and <==> means encrypted data link.

Ordinary websurfing with a browser other than Tor Browser works like this:

DNS.server <--> your.computer <--> your.ISP <--> some.website

Websurfing with Tor Browser works like this:

your.computer <==> your.ISP <==> entry.node <==> middle.node <==> exit.node <--> http.site

your.computer <==> your.ISP <==> entry.node <==> middle.node <==> exit.node <==> https.site

Details:

The Tor network consists of entry, middle, exit nodes, and special servers called Directory Authorities.

The Tor circuit entry <==> middle <==> exit is triply encrypted. Middle node knows IP of entry and exit, but exit node and entry node do not know each other's identity. The encryption is stripped off in layers by the next node in the circuit, as packets traverse the Tor network. Hence the term "onion routing", which is the core concept characterizing Tor.

The identity of exit nodes and some entry/middle nodes is public information. Nonpublished entry nodes are bridges, which can afford additional anonymity and censorship-resistance. There are various kinds of bridges, some especially designed to resist very censorious governmental monitoring.

When you first join the Tor network using Tor Browser, your computer contacts a Directory Authority via an encrypted connection, to get current information on which Tor nodes are operating, so your ISP can see that you are using Tor. Unless, possibly, if you use a bridge (because bridges are not publicly associated with Tor) to try to join the Tor network.

The exit node in a Tor circuit must contact a DNS server (via unencrypted data link) to locate the IP of the website you type into Tor Browser's location pane, but since it doesn't know your real IP, neither does the operator of the DNS server, nor the operator of the website you are visiting.

Tor Browser is a fully functional browser based on Mozilla Firefox, but carefully tailored to maximize anonymity via the Tor network.

Tor Project offers various other software in addition to Tor Browser. All of them use the underlying client/server Tor software and are open source and free to the public.

"Onions" are bit more complicated and offer additional protections for people who need to publish information anonymously.

Other names: "entry guard" = entry node, "relay" = entry/middle node, "hidden service" = onion.