What is a VPN and what does it do?

A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a service that grants users a private and protected network connection when using public networks. In other words, VPNs use a process to disguise internet traffic and protect the data from external uses. To help explain clearly, it's helpful to think of unprotected and public networks as highways where traffic could be subject to surveillance and perhaps even cyber attacks. Conversely, VPNs are the metaphorical tunnels that shield our private data from external influences and potential threats. 

Now that we have established a VPN, we can precisely look at how it functions. When our device connects to a Virtual Private Network, the VPN software downloaded on our computer is used to encrypt data traffic when browsing the web and sending the encrypted data to the VPN server. The encryption process makes it extremely difficult for the Internet Service Provider to access the data. The VPN server decodes the encrypted data and sends the internet request. Then with the given results, the VPN server encrypts the data again, which is sent to the VPN software on our devices to be decrypted so we the users can understand and use it. Learn more about VPNs here. 

What Can We Do With a VPN?

Complete Anonymity - A VPN relocates your IP address and location to the place of your choosing, which means your browsing habits cannot be linked back to your original IP address. Let's say you're residing in Norway and want to use the web anonymously. Using the best VPN for Norway provides you with the assurance that no third parties, like Marketing firms, governments, and website influencers, will know what you see online. This anonymity can benefit VPN users who wish to torrent films, music, and games. Most Internet Service Providers take action by issuing warnings and restricting internet speeds for those torrenting without a VPN. 

Unlocks Geo-blocked and Censored websites - It's likely you've seen a message along the lines of "This content is not available in your region" pop up on your screen before. Some services only have content available for IP addresses of a specific region. These services can vary from the Video on Demand giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video to simple E-commerce websites. Censored websites are somewhat similar, except in this case, governments block specific websites for all IP addresses in the region that they govern. An example of this was when Turkey stopped all versions of Wikipedia from 2017 to 2020. VPN services such as Surfshark allow you to bypass such restrictions and enjoy the content you want wherever you want. 

Protects you on public WIFI - While public WIFI networks may seem like a great way to access the internet when on the move, it poses some serious dangers not everybody knows about. Hackers use the same public networks as you can easily access private information such as emails, images, and credit card information. A VPN offers the encryption of data while using public networks, which means your private information is protected and not liable to hacks. Whether your local coffee shop, workplace, or airport, make sure your data is safe by using a VPN. 

Helps avoid Discriminatory pricing strategies - Some businesses implement a discriminatory pricing strategy when making their product or service available to buy online. This strategy can use either the customer's location or their browsing and purchasing habits to change the price of the product or service specifically for them. For example, customers from higher-income areas of a country could be subject to higher prices than those living in lower-income neighborhoods. Similarly, if a customer frequently browses or purchases the same product online, the price will likely be increased. The privacy and anonymity of using a VPN mean you will no longer be a target of these strategies. 

In conclusion, VPNs are becoming what I consider to be a necessary tool for web users to prevent being targeted or cyber attacked based on location. They act as our protective tunnel as we navigate through an online space where cyberattacks are unfortunately becoming more of an issue. Even if security is not your priority, VPNs offer terrific benefits in unlocking Geo-blocked content and censored websites so that every web user has equal right to access the information and content they want. No matter what it's used for, I firmly believe VPNs are a crucial measure to protect what remains of online privacy.  

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