Let us face it, online privacy is a sensitive issue to talk about if you are talking about the internet and the online world. In fact, it is not enough for you to be in incognito mode or clearing your browser history to protect your internet activities and shield it from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or the government institution for that matter. It is also true that a lot of ISP has the ability to track your online activity whether you like it or not. It is a fact that you must accept it as a reality in the online world.
Furthermore, this is not limited to your computer because online privacy is also the same with all mobile phones. The mobile phone provider serves as the ISP and might be interested in what you are doing online. For example, Google has the ability to know your online activities and may know what you are doing. This online privacy is a sensitive issue that can be avoided if you used a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which will make your information and other activities online to remain silent.
Below is the list of advantages when you are using a VPN in your internet browsing.
Your IP Address will be hidden privately
Whenever you do anything on the internet – even something simple like sending out a tweet – your IP address is logged and checked. This is problematic because your IP address unlocks pretty much everything you do. A site can easily check the times you visit it and what you do there, and a government entity can look up your browsing action. Your IP address is an anchor around your neck in terms of privacy, and you need to take steps to shield it.
Naturally, you’re wondering how a VPN hides your IP address. There are two functions deriving from the same starting place. When you fire up your computer, or phone, and connect with your VPN, you are given a dummy IP address. This dummy IP will take the place of your actual IP address. Whatever sites you visit will have no clue what your actual IP address is, and they will just log the dummy IP address. This is great for the privacy you need. As for your ISP and the government tracking what your IP address does, well, all the VPN provides in terms of data is an unintelligible stream of numbers and letters. Many times, this doesn’t even encrypt actual data, just turn the data into something useless for them to pore over.
Changes you’re geographic Location
If you live in the United States or any country that is developed, modern, and has lax laws about the internet, then you don’t need to worry too much about where you go online and what you do. But, if you live in a country like the United Arab Emirates or you are in China, then your internet activity is severely restricted. Your IP address’s origin tells sites whether you are allowed to access them and download their information to your computer. If you are in a restrictive country, this means something simple, like streaming Netflix, is virtually impossible.
The VPN helps by connecting you to a server outside of the country, so your IP address will reflect a different country of origin rather than the country you are in. This masking of your geographic location is also helpful when you want to see content that isn’t licensed to your country. For example, an American seeking to watch Sky Sports coverage of the English Premier League will be blocked, so they will use a VPN that shows their origin as within the UK, thus unlocking the Sky Sports coverage.
Keep your information private
You hear all the time that you should not connect to an unsecured public WiFi because there could be hackers lurking that can drop malware on your computer. But what if you are in the middle of a department store and you have no reception? The truth is sometimes you must connect to these networks because you have no reception. That said, a VPN can do a lot to keep your information private.
VPNs use a process called tunneling. What tunneling does is encrypt your data. Here is what the hacker sees: as they look at the different browsing patterns, they can distinguish between hard and soft targets. A hard target has an encrypted connection. Encryption is a series of letters and numbers – usually 128 or 256 in length – and what they do is create a barrier between your data and what is seen by everyone on the network. These encryption codes are essentially unbreakable. This means you can browse on a public network without having to worry about your personal data is at risk.
Keep privacy on your mobile phone
The thing about your mobile phone is that if you have several WiFi connections the phone remembers them all. So, a simple trip to Starbucks and then to work means that you may encounter at least 3 different WiFi networks. In between, you are connected to a mobile network. Unless you are on a VPN the whole time, your mobile data is available for everyone to see – including your geographic location. So, if someone is sitting in your house looking to burglarize it and they have some sophistication, this means they can see when you are not home.
The VPN protects your phone as you transition between each network. As you leave the mobile network for WiFi, the VPN stays put, meaning that regardless of the transition between the networks, you are constantly protected. For people on the go, having your mobile data – some of your most personal data – kept private is of great importance.
Bottomline
The importance of a VPN cannot be underestimated as it protects you from people who want to steal data and observe what you do online. Keep your online activities private by using a VPN and increase your chances of being safe in the online world.
But, if you live in a country like the United Arab Emirates or you are in China, then your internet activity is severely restricted. Your IP address’s origin tells sites whether you are allowed to access them and download their information to your computer. If you are in a restrictive country, this means something simple, like streaming Netflix, is virtually impossible. Even Skype was banned in the UAE until recently when the decision was overturned. This decision was made as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and people were forced to work from home. However other popular communication apps like WhatsApp still remain banned, forcing the people of the UAE to access them through a VPN.
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