5 top popular reasons for using a VPN
A VPN can help you do more than just to break your geo-restrictions to watch your favorite TV series on Netflix. It can also provide a safe mode for surfing on the web and keep your anonymity while browsing. Here’s what else it can do for you.
VPNs are increasingly growing in popularity these days among Internet users. In fact, according to a study from Go-Globe, 25% of Internet users have used a VPN over the last 30 days to secure their data and activity online. Moreover, the global VPN market has grown so much over the last few years that it was worth $15.4 billion in 2016, according to Statista, and it is expected to reach $35.73 billion by 2022.
Today, worldwide, there are over 4.1 Internet users, 3.2 billion social media users, and nearly 5.1 billion mobile phone users. So, today, the Internet is a huge deal, and more and more people see technology as part of their modern life.
Yet, with increasing Internet and technology usage all around the world, cybersecurity and privacy became significant challenges for everybody, including governments, businesses, and their customers.
But besides security and access to restricted sites, VPNs can help with a lot more. Here are the five top popular reasons why people use a VPN when surfing on the Internet.
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Privacy and security
Is Big Brother watching you? Well, probably that’s not the case. But if it is, a VPN may be the solution to make sure that you can browse the web securely and privately without having any eyes on your online activity.
If you’re worried that someone is watching over what you do online, find that you’re not the only one. In fact, according to Pew Research, nearly 45% of Americans report being more worried about their online privacy today than they were last year. Moreover, 91% of people in the US feel that they have lost control over how their personal data is collected. And, just like you, 61% of Americans claim they would like to do more to secure their privacy online.
Now you know how to do it: by using a VPN.
But how exactly does a VPN helps you have a private and safe online surfing experience? VPNs create an encrypted tunnel used to transfer data to and from your device to the websites you enter. Obviously, the host sites can no longer spy on or collect your data. Plus, your Internet service provider will also not have access to your data and won’t be able to track your activities.
Moreover, as everything you share online, be it essential files and information, everything is end-to-end encrypted when you use a VPN, so hackers or cyber criminals won’t be able to compromise your data.
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Bypassing web filters
The Internet offers endless sources of entertainment and information. Yet, unfortunately, not all of these sources are accessible for you due to many reasons, such as your location or various network restrictions.
So, your favorite TV show or series is on a streaming service that is unavailable in your location. Or you may want to read the news or access social networks that, again, aren’t available in your area. Well, you’ve guessed it, a VPN can help with this too.
In fact, according to a 2018 study from Statista, 54% of people worldwide who use VPNs said that they do it to access better entertainment content blocked in their location. Also, 34% of them said they do it to get access to social networks or news services unavailable in their areas.
The thing with VPNs is that they can help you get around a web content blocker by directing your network connection through another location. VPNs basically help you go beyond the geo-restrictions by tricking the host site into thinking that you are somewhere else than you are in reality. You can surf the Internet from any part of the world using its remote servers without any restriction.
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Save money
Did you know that companies can give you different rates for their products based on your location or more information they get about you? If not, it’s time that you learn this and to start using a VPN next time you go shopping online. For instance, companies like Amazon and other e-commerce websites have different price lists for customers from different countries. And, the same goes for airfares.
So, a VPN can help you save money while shopping online by beating this location bias and helping you get the best deals at the best rates.
If you don’t want to pay more than you should, use a VPN to hide your location and information from the e-commerce websites you surf on.
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Gaming
Even if VPNs aren’t absolutely necessary for gamers, they bring many benefits that make them worth investing in.
For starter, there’s the ever-present factor to consider which is security. As a gamer, you can never be protected enough against DDoS attacks unless you are using a VPN as a weapon against online opponents, especially when it comes to competitive gaming.
Next, there are the geo-restrictions which make some games available only in specific areas. Or, for example, in the case of Minecraft, gamers who use a VPN will get access to any world they want to explore which they would otherwise be denied because they are playing from a particular location. In other words, a VPN can help gamers get around the Minecraft geo-restrictions.
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Using public wi-fi safely
We all love public Wi-fi, especially when we travel abroad, and our Internet service provider charges way too much for a private Internet connection. Yet, although public Wi-fi is mostly free and available almost everywhere you go these days, it isn’t always secure. In fact, together with public Wi-fi also comes several security threats such as data breaches and attacking malware. These are security threats that can make using public Wi-fi unsafe both for personal and business use.
Now, it may be impossible to avoid public Wi-fi in some situations, especially when traveling abroad, as mentioned above. But, the good news is that a VPN can help you stay safe when surfing online using a public Wi-fi connection as it creates a secure tunnel for all your online activities. Plus, it also disguises your identity, helping you stay anonymous.
