All the Reasons to Get a VPN
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) has emerged from being something only Internet geeks used to being part of the fabric of what it is to be online. In particular, the ability to access websites and bypass blocks on your favorite website is critical.
For example, if you’re out of your normal state and want to make your college football picks for the weekend, you cannot do that without a VPN due to the geo-blocking placed on the website. Great VPNs enable you to bypass any form of government block, including the Great Firewall of China.
If that’s not reason enough to get a VPN, here are all the benefits of owning one.
What is a VPN?
A surprising number of regular Internet users are unaware of what a VPN is and what it does. First, let’s get back to how someone can follow along with what you’re doing online.
Everyone has a traceable IP address whenever they get online. Your IP address can be used to find out where you are. There are limits to how accurate it is, but anyone with your IP address could track down which neighborhood you live in and even what street you’re on right now.
The IP address is at the heart of what it means to track somebody. VPN providers realized this was a problem, so the VPN was created.
VPNs mask and hide your IP address. You can appear from anywhere in the world with the click of a button. Moreover, your IP address changes every time you activate your VPN.
It makes it impossible for you and your online activities to be tracked by governments and your Internet provider.
In an era where privacy is becoming a rare commodity, investing in a high-quality VPN has never been more critical.
5 Reasons Why You Need a VPN
If you care about your privacy, a VPN is the only way to secure your online activity properly. You don’t only need to worry about someone knowing what your favorite website is. IP addresses are a window into which websites you visit, your login details, your communications, and more.
Here are the top reasons why you should invest in a VPN today.
Access Your Favorite Content from Anywhere
There are many reasons why your content may be blocked in your location. It could be a tyrannical government or greedy copyright holders.
The most common place this happens is when trying to access TV shows or movies on streaming platforms like Netflix. What’s available to you at home may be unavailable when accessing it overseas. You may also have the same problem with geo-restricted video games.
Just switch on a VPN, and you can appear from the USA by hiding your IP address; there’s nothing a streaming platform can do about it.
Maintain Your Online Privacy
Did you know that 31% of Internet users keep a VPN close at hand, according to SurfShark?
It represents hundreds of millions of people worldwide. There’s no secret that the right to privacy online has been eroded over the years under the guise of national security and protecting people.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is likely obligated to maintain records on your Internet activity and to pass those records on if requested. Unfortunately, there’s nothing an ISP can do to avoid this problem. It’s the law.
With a VPN, your ISP cannot see what you’re doing. All they can see is you connecting to the Internet and nothing more. VPNs protect your data, including whom you’re communicating with, which websites you’re visiting, and what you’re downloading.
Online privacy is fast becoming a thing of the past, and the only way to defend against that is with a VPN.
Defend Against Cyberattacks
Cybercriminals are always waiting in the wings for vulnerabilities. Major data breaches are often associated exclusively with businesses, but millions suffer from identity theft daily because of the actions of a bad actor.
There are so many ways a cybercriminal can access your information. One of the most common settings is public WiFi networks.
Anyone can access a public WiFi network, which makes it unsecured by nature. Making payments or logging into any of your accounts could make that information visible.
Wielding a VPN goes a long way to masking who you are and where you’re coming from. It’s not a silver bullet for cyber security, but it is another layer you can implement to make you a more challenging target.
Avoid Throttling
Throttling is the practice of an ISP slowing down your download and upload speeds because you have been perceived as reaching some arbitrary cap.
It’s frustrating when this happens because your connection slows to a crawl, and there’s not much you can do about it until your next billing cycle.
VPNs are extremely powerful because they make it impossible for your ISP to track your downloads and uploads. Without the ability to differentiate between traffic types – which is what throttling relies on – your ISP cannot impose this restriction upon you.
It’s Affordable
VPNs have never been cheaper. Even the leading brands will provide you with a working VPN for the cost of a cup of coffee from Starbucks.
There are plenty of features to choose from, such as custom IP addresses, extra masking, and other extra functionalities, but for the base VPN, you’ll pay practically nothing.
Considering what you receive in return for a few dollars per month, it’s one of the best investments you can make if you’re a regular online user.
Conclusion
VPNs are a mainstay of modern browsing. Savvy online users know how dangerous it is to browse without a VPN. Whether you want to access your favorite content from overseas or just want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re not an easy target for cybercriminals, there’s tremendous value in paying for a VPN.
Who is your current VPN provider, and how long have you been using a VPN?
No Comments