The internet has given us many benefits since its invention, but it has also made things more difficult in some ways. One of the things that are seriously threatened in the internet age is our privacy, which many people consider to be one of the most important things.
VPN (Virtual private network) is a type of software that was designed for the purposes of protecting your privacy while surfing the internet. By masking your connection and hiding your actual location, as well as encrypting any data you send out, a VPN makes you a lot more difficult to hack.
On top of that, VPN software can be used to protect you from malware or spyware, as many VPNs block out such malicious apps. Using a VPN will certainly make it easier for you to use the internet, and may also come with a few other perks, which we discuss further in this article.
More Access to the Internet
The internet was originally designed with the intent that everyone could access information and share their own in an open and global network. However, this is not always the case these days, as many governments choose to restrict content that they don’t find suitable, or even block out sites to prevent competition to their local companies.
Using a VPN lets you use the internet more freely, as you can now virtually go online from any country of your choosing. Simply pick your new IP address and you will be able to access sites that residents of the chosen country could access. For example, if you wanted to access Starpick.in, the Indian sports betting platform, from a country in which it is restricted, you could do so using a VPN.
Keep in mind, however, that some sites are blocked out for a good reason. If you are trying to access websites with illegal content or ones that could be used to harm others, we advise you against using a VPN for these purposes and avoiding such sites altogether.
VPN Keeps You Safe Online
The main purpose of a VPN, however, is security. Whenever you start up a premium VPN service, which there are dozens of out there, you will get an extra layer of protection that other internet users don’t have. A VPN will keep your connection private and won’t tell the sites you visit who you are or where you are visiting from, which can be useful in some cases.
An important way that a VPN protects you online is by encrypting the information you send out. This includes any info you enter in registration forms or banking info you share online. This information is usually also encrypted on the other end by the websites, but by encrypting it as it goes out, you increase the overall security of your online activities.
Is Using a VPN Legal?
In the vast majority of countries, VPN services are 100% legal to use. China is an example of a country in which many VPN services are not legal, but this is an exception to the rule. In Western countries, a VPN service will always be legal and there isn’t really a way for the government to restrict you from using it.
Once again, we have to reiterate that using a VPN to get involved in illegal activities on the internet will not help you get away with it. VPNs are meant to be used to help protect your identity and maybe access some websites, but never to take part in anything that goes against the laws of your country. Most notably, we suggest not using a VPN to download illegal content from the internet.