A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your data and masks your computer’s IP address, so you can hide your identity as you browse the Web securely. You can think of it as creating a tunnel that your activity passes through, shielded from snooping eyes that may have access to an unsecured network. Everyone should use one – and it becomes even more important if you like to use public networks, like those in hotels, airports, libraries, and coffee shops.
Using a VPN has several advantages. It protects your sensitive data from hackers and data thieves, but that’s not the only way you’ll benefit. You can use a VPN to bypass content restrictions on your favorite streaming services, spoof your IP address so you appear to be in a different location, access company data securely when you’re working remotely, and more. You just need to make sure you’re choosing a VPN proxy that meets your needs and uses a strong encryption protocol.
Protect Your Privacy from Hackers, Apps, and the Government:
If protecting your privacy worries you, you need a VPN. Using a VPN will encrypt your online activity and send it through a secure server so that no one can sniff your data as you’re using the internet. Any other user who is connected to the same network as you can spy on your data and browsing activity if you don’t use a secure VPN proxy to encrypt your web traffic.
Hackers and data thieves aren’t the only ones representing a threat to your privacy. The Snowden leaks in 2013 revealed that the federal government is spying on citizens’ web and phone data, and even though legislation has been passed to curb this activity, departments like the Defense Intelligence Agency are still finding ways around those new rules.
You also have to worry about protecting your privacy from the apps and online services you use every day. It wasn’t that long ago that Cambridge Analytica collected the personal data of millions of Facebook users without their permission. Even when you’re not actively using them, apps and services log your browsing data. Your internet service provider (ISP) can also see what you do online and when you do it.
Get Around Streaming Content Restrictions:
Did you know that people in different regions have access to different kinds of content on popular streaming platforms like Netflix? For example, users in the UK have been able to watch Star Trek: Discovery on Netflix, but in the U.S., that content has only been available on Paramount+. You could use a VPN to spoof a British IP address and access content that isn’t available to people in your location.
It works because a VPN allows your computer to behave as though it were on a network local to the VPN. You can even use a spoofed IP address to access reduced rates on amenities and services by changing your IP address to a location where those things are cheaper.
Work More Securely:
Plenty of people used a VPN to work from home every day of the pandemic. It’s not wise to access company data on an unsecured network, and your home network simply isn’t as secure as the network in the office. Using a VPN encrypts your work activity and can allow you to access company servers remotely, so you don’t make a computer security mistake to compromise your company’s data in order to work from home.
Choose the Right VPN for Your Needs:
With so many VPNs on the market, which one is right for your needs? If you want to spoof an IP address in another geographical location, you’ll need to choose a VPN service with servers in that location. If you plan to do torrenting, choose a popular VPN with a lot of users – that way, it will be harder to pick you out from the crowd as a torrent user.
You’ll also want to consider a VPN’s user logging practices. A VPN that doesn’t keep any user logs can’t be compelled to turn those logs over to law enforcement. You’ll also want to consider encryption standards and protocol. The most secure protocol that creates the least burden on your processing system is OpenVPN.
If you care about protecting your privacy when you use the internet, you should be connecting through a VPN. A VPN can encrypt your online activity so that not even the folks at Facebook can see it – not to mention the government or a hacker. Your data and online activity will remain obscured, so you can stay safe from spying, data leaks, and government surveillance.
