With internet security and the confidentiality of our sensitive information increasingly important considerations for web users, it makes sense to take every available precaution to keep yourself safe online. A virtual private network, or VPN, can be an excellent way of enhancing your experience in cyberspace – in more ways than one.
Below, we’ll take an in-depth look at how using a VPN can boost your cyber defenses and protect both your identity and your sensitive data safe from prying eyes. We’ll also look at a number of other advantages that a VPN can bestow upon you, which all add up to a very convincing case for downloading and using one every time you browse the world wide web.
Table of Contents
1. Improve security
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While using the internet at your home address should be secure enough providing you have a robust password in place, many people like to surf the web while on the go. This often entails logging on to unsecured Wi-Fi networks in internet cafes and public hotspots, which can leave you vulnerable to attack from hackers.
By using a VPN, all data that is sent and received over the network is automatically encrypted, meaning you won’t be caught out by those intent on stealing your information. Of course, you must still be wary of phishing scams or unsolicited calls and texts, but surfing with the protection of a VPN will certainly enhance your security in terms of the data you send and receive.
2. Enhance privacy
Even when using your own private Wi-Fi network, the pages you visit and the data you send is still visible by a number of people and organizations, including your internet service provider (ISP), the government and law enforcement authorities. Although this is ostensibly used for your own safety and to give you an enhanced user experience, it can feel like an encroachment on your personal privacy that many people find unpalatable.
Thankfully, VPNs circumnavigate the issue by masking your IP address when logging on, making it appear as though you are using a different device at a different geographical location. What’s more, the encryption technology built into VPNs means that all data sent and received by your computer is illegible to prying eyes. In this way, no one can track your searches, conversations or other online activity.
3. Avoid throttling
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We’ve all had to deal with the inconvenience of slow loading speeds, laggy content or poor resolution videos. Sometimes it’s the fault of the sites in question and the servers which support them, but other times it could be deliberate internet throttling on the part of your ISP. This is when they purposely slow down your internet experience for activities which consume large amounts of bandwidth.
ISPs normally engage in internet throttling because their servers are unable to cope with fluctuations in customer demand for processing power – or else simply because they want to save cash. Whatever the motivation behind it, it can be infuriating for those who have paid good money for their connection. By installing and activating a VPN like the one found at surfshark.com, you can hide the amount of data you’re using and thereby prevent your ISP from throttling your internet.
4. Access geo-blocked content
Have you ever tried to view a video or access a website, only to met with a message informing you that “this content is not available” in your country? Whether it’s the site itself that restricts access or the government of the territory in which you live which polices the web, it can be most frustrating. This is equally problematic even if you don’t live in the country in question, but are simply visiting for business or pleasure.
However, there is fortunately a way around the issue. By using a VPN to make it appear as though your IP address is somewhere else in the world, you can bypass this obstacle and access any content in any country, all of the time. Whether it’s consuming location-specific media or accessing information that’s censored in your area, VPNs are a godsend in making the internet your oyster.
5. Retail savings
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It might surprise you to learn that the price you pay for your subscription to that streaming service or the value of the flights to and from your next holiday destination are not set in stone. Companies who sell goods and services online are aware that different parts of the world enjoy different levels of affluence, so they adjust their prices according to the target market in question.
While this makes perfectly logical sense from a consumer perspective, it also opens up a pricing loophole which savvy internet users can exploit. By using a VPN to mask your computer’s IP address and make it appear as though you’re based in a country where products and services are offered more cheaply, you can unlock substantial savings. In today’s modern climate, where every penny counts, that’s not to be sniffed at.
6. Ease of use
With cybercrime on the rise, staying safe online and maintaining your personal privacy are major concerns for even casual internet users these days. Of course, there has been an abundance of technological solutions which have surfaced to meet that demand, but many of them can alienate an uninitiated audience with their sophisticated-sounding names and complicated user interfaces.
By contrast, VPNs are the ultimate in plug-and-play cybersecurity. Those concerned about their online defenses simply need to find a reliable provider, download the VPN, install it and enable it – and voila, safe internet browsing is at your behest. What’s more, the fact that many VPNs are adaptable across a number of devices and platforms means that you only need to pay for a single solution to solve all your cybersecurity woes, regardless of where you surf the internet or which device you use to do so.
A VPN can enhance your internet experience in a surprising number of ways, including boosting security, improving privacy, eliminating throttling, accessing geo-blocked content, unlocking online savings and combining simplicity with efficacy. Why not try one out today?
