The digital world or “internet” as we know it, started out as a helpful tool, providing instant access to information. Little did any of us realize, we would be so reliant on it now.
From shopping for clothes/grocery, socializing with friends, accessing banking information, all the way to finding jobs and earning our bread-and-butter, we cannot imagine a life without the internet.
All this convenience though, comes at a price: ZERO PRIVACY. That is true! It is like a war out there, with everyone trying to get private information from netizens.
Invasive governments, cybercriminals, to the smallest of online websites/products/services – everyone wants to know more about YOU and what you do online.
This is where VPNs come in handy, allowing users to receive protection from prying eyes, while receiving quite the remarkable benefits.
1) Never Be Seen – Stop Google from Tracking You
Google may get you trapped into their “free” services swindle, using your searches, pages visited, duration on websites, and other data to learn more about you.
Nothing you browse casually just disappears into thin air. If it is not Google, your ISP could be tracking your activity. This leaves you with no choice but to keep your identity safe.
VPNs mask your IP address, shifting your location, making it appear you reside in a different country. As such, you can keep all your online activities safe.
Just make sure when choosing a provider that you opt for one that utilizes a strong “no logging policy”. Some fine examples of VPNs that cater to a users’ right to privacy are ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
The former was even involved in a case that saw the assassination of the Russian Ambassador of Turkey. The off-duty cop responsible for the murder had his social media accounts removed.
The IP was traced back to ExpressVPN, but since they utilize a strong “ZERO” logs policy, nothing was found upon the seizure of the said server in question.
2) Buying Cheap Tickets – Shift your Location for Discounts
Travelers may find this very interesting. Have you ever wanted to leverage cheaper rates on your tickets? Well, a VPN is the perfect solution for you.
By connecting to varied servers in a myriad of locations, you can gain access to special discounts/pricing. Ones that you may not be able to leverage with your IP address.
This is because most airline websites store cookies in your browser and know when you check out flight details. Some even increase prices for repeat visits on the same flight.
Quite tricky, eh? You can outsmart them by using a VPN. Connect to locations you want to visit with a local server, and then enjoy the cheap pricing!
3) Stay Private in Public – Leverage Wi-Fi Protection
Public Wi-Fi connections and hotspots found in airports, coffee shops, shopping malls, restaurants, and hotels are all unprotected and unencrypted.
This puts users at risk of connecting to “rogue access points” or fall victim to malware, snooping/sniffing, and even man-in-the-middle attacks.
In simple words, you could lose all your data just by making a simple mistake of connecting to a malicious network. VPNs provide you protection from these networks.
By encrypting your connection with military-grade ciphers and shifting your location, you can feel assured to chase those petty hackers/cybercriminals away!
4) Download Torrents – Enjoy P2P/File Sharing Like Never Before!
PIRATES, urging all PIRATES, VPNs are here to protect you. You heard that right. Torrenting may be illegal in most countries, but you can keep yourself safe from copyright infringement hunters.
Now, if you try downloading a pirated file via BitTorrent on your normal connection, you will instantly be displayed a DMCA notice, which requires you to pay a hefty fine. Right?
Well, using a VPN stops this from happening, because the ISP will need to know what you are up to in order to report your activity. However, VPNs keep your identity hidden.
A simple shift in the location and IP address, and they will be looking for you BLIND. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack, especially if you opt for a static/dynamic IP!
5) Bypass Blocking of VoD Services – Access US Netflix Database
When VoDs like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon started limiting content for certain locations, the popularity of VPNs shot to the roof.
Everyone was shifting their locations to gain access to the complete database of content, which ended up costing VoDs like Netflix a lot of money.
They decided to fight back by blocking VPN users, but now you can use a dedicated IP to cater to your entertainment needs.
By connecting to an IP address only available to you, unblocking US Netflix, UK BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime should definitely not be a hassle.
6) Unblock Websites Anywhere – Even in Regressive Countries
Just like the US imposes mandatory data retention laws and indulges in Mass Surveillance, due to their affiliation with the Five and Fourteen Eyes Alliances, there are countries that are against providing free and open internet to their citizens.
One such example is China and its “Great Firewall”. The country bans all things “foreign” and even takes action against people raising voice on local issues, for instance, the “Hong Kong Protests”.
VPNs act like a savior for people in regressive countries, like China. Shifting location helps to unblock websites and apps like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc, all of which are banned in the country.
Wrapping Things Up
With internet laws getting stricter around the world and Net Neutrality being repelled in the US and other locations, being proactive about your online privacy is more important than ever.
The last thing anybody needs is feeling paranoid about their online activities with all the amount of government snooping going on, and this is exactly why VPNs are important.
They keep you safe from prying eyes, protect your information, all the while making it possible to unblock your favorite websites/services!
Muhammad Hamza Shahid is an online privacy/security advocate at BestVPN.co. When he is not watching TV and stuffing munchies, he loves sharing his expert knowledge regarding the latest trends in user privacy and copyright infringement. Apart from writing blogs/articles on cyber laws and political affairs, Hamza takes a keen interest in writing detailed VPN reviews.