A VPN or a virtual private network is an important must-have. A VPN serves as a tunnel between your device and internet connection. It hides and secures your internet activity and private information that can otherwise be tracked and analyzed by internet service providers, the government, and other organizations. VPNs can also protect you from cyber-attacks.
Due to the pandemic, many of our activities migrated online. They include work, online classes, shopping, fitness training, and other activities. Thus, it’s more important than ever to have a VPN. And many people seem to have made the same realization. In 2020, the global market for VPN was expected to surge to 27.1%.
But many people are still don’t have a VPN. One reason is the cost. There are free VPNs on mobile devices. But people don’t use them due to trust issues. Meanwhile, the more reputable VPN names have paid subscriptions. Some people also don’t get a VPN since they don’t think that cyberattacks will ever happen. But you never really think it’s possible until it happens to you. And in the case of cyberattacks, you really shouldn’t wait until it happens.
The cost of VPN subscriptions is well worth every penny, given all the benefits and security it can provide users.
Protect your private information
Your devices, such as your phone or your computer, have many pieces of private information. They may contain your bank information, Social Security number, and other personal details. If your devices are unprotected, hackers can get these pieces of information with ease and without your knowledge. The most serious repercussion of this information leak is identity fraud. In 2018, 14.4 million individuals fell victim to identity fraud. Among them, 3.3 million people had to pay out-of-pocket fraud costs.
If you think about it, it’s better to pay for a VPN subscription than risk paying hundreds or thousands of dollars after falling victim to identity or account fraud. You will benefit from installing a VPN on all your devices to protect your sensitive data from malicious parties. You can also browse through the internet with your identity, such as your IP address, unknown to others.
Protect Your Other Smart Devices
All devices connected to your internet network, such as your virtual assistant and smart appliances, can be hacked. Hackers can disarm your security systems, play with your appliances, or watch you through your own surveillance cameras. This can be harmful to businesses as well. For instance, a film production company has several confidential files, including their creations, information about clients and employees, etc. Individuals and businesses both need a VPN to prevent data breaches and keep themselves safe.
Gain Access to Region-restricted Content
If you’re fond of watching content creators on YouTube, you’ve probably encountered many of them doing ad reads for VPN companies. They often talk about a VPN can give you access to region-restricted content, such as Netflix. This is indeed possible. Your VPN can fool your internet connection into thinking you’re in a different country, so you’ll be able to access and watch the content in its Netflix listing that isn’t available in your own country.
The same is true for other websites as well. For instance, some websites in the U.S. have geo-restrictions. So if you travel to another country, you won’t be able to access those sites. A VPN can help you go around this geo-restriction and browse any website from any region.
Block Ads
Ads can be very annoying. You click one listing from an online commerce site, and suddenly, that listing and other similar products appear in ads on whichever site you go to. There are also auto-play ads, which can cause a fright if your device’s volume is turned up. Many websites also have pop-up ads that are often very dangerous. When you click any part of it, even though the button you clicked says “Close” or “Cancel,” you might trigger a virus download and put your computer at risk. You can avoid these situations by using a VPN.
Although, some websites do not permit entry if you have an ad blocker. They do get some money from the ads they display on their sites. You can go around this by customizing your ad blocker. You can list all the sites where ads are permitted and where ads should be prevented.
VPNs can do so much. Given how they can protect online users and their devices, paying for a VPN subscription is never a bad idea and should be encouraged.