We live in a world that is connected. Modern society has developed the technology to remain online 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week. You can instantly chat with someone on the other side of the planet without delay, and you can catch breaking news in a matter of seconds as it happens all thanks to the technological marvel that is the internet.
This fast-paced and connected world has become standard for us, and it’s hard to imagine a life without smartphones and laptops that can do just about anything we need them to do. However, just as convenient as this “connected” lifestyle has become for us, it has also put our privacy and security at risk.
In recent years there has been a massive spike in the number of cyberattacks. Whether it’s a data breach or identity theft, it’s clear that cybercrime is on the rise. This means that our devices are more at risk than ever before, and that puts us more in danger. The best way to ensure your device’s privacy and security is top class is to use a VPN. We’ve done some research and found the best VPNs on the market. Before you head over there though, we’ve also learned some important VPN tips that we need to share with you, so keep reading to get all the details!
What is a VPN
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So you want to find out why a VPN is the best tool you can have installed on your device in 2022? Let’s first take a look at what a VPN is, what it does, and why it’s so important in our modern society.
A VPN, also known as a Virtual Private Network, can encrypt your internet connection. This prevents anyone from seeing what you are doing on your device while you’re browsing the internet. Not even the government or your internet service provider will be able to keep track of your internet traffic or search history. While your connection is encrypted by a VPN you will have unrivaled privacy.
An encrypted connection is great, but that’s not all a VPN can do. By using a VPN you can mask your physical location, and trick websites into thinking that you are accessing them from elsewhere. VPNs can do this by allowing you to connect to a secure global server in a different country. Once you’re connected to this server, your real IP address will be masked by the VPN, and you will adopt the IP address of the server that you are connected to, therefore changing your virtual location.
The ability to change your location and adopt a different IP address is the feature that opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It’s the very reason why VPNs have become extremely popular in recent years, and we’re going to explain all of these possibilities to you shortly. Let’s first dive into the security that you’ll get from a VPN.
Security
By using a VPN to encrypt your internet connection, you are ensuring that your device is more secure than ever. VPNs can protect your device from some techniques that are used by cybercriminals to infiltrate your device, such as DDoS attacks for example.
Many of the strategies that cybercriminals use to breach your device’s security while on an unsecured network can be prevented by using a VPN. Unsecured networks are most commonly found as public WiFi hotspots, such as those conveniently located at airports, hotels, and restaurants.
These are areas where hackers often thrive as the majority of their victims are not aware of the risks they face when using these unsecured networks, and they also do not have VPNs installed on their devices to protect them. These attacks are especially common against tourists in foreign countries since they often have no choice but to use the convenient WiFi in these public areas.
Geo-Blocking
While using the ability to change your location, a VPN can help you in many different ways. The first of these is to bypass geographical blocking. Geo-blocking is when websites will prevent you from accessing them if you’re outside of the required region.
For example, you can only access Sky Sports if you’re inside UK borders. Even if you have a paid subscription to their service, you will still be blocked from accessing their website and their content if you’re not in the UK.
This can be frustrating, but if you use a VPN you can simply connect to a server in the UK and you will be able to access the website as normal. You can use this same technique to access different movies and TV shows on Netflix, or you can use it to access other websites that use geo-blocking services.
In addition, some streaming services are cheaper in other countries. If you want to find some discounts on subscriptions you can use your VPN to change your virtual location and pay less money for the same service.
Internet Censorship
Internet censorship has become more and more common across the globe. Some countries make use of internet censorship to prevent their citizens from accessing specific content on the internet.
All governments have different reasons for blocking online content from being accessed within their borders, but it mostly comes down to religious or political reasons. Either way, you can use a VPN to change your virtual location and access these blocked websites without even leaving the country’s borders.
Here’s a quick tip if you’re planning on bypassing internet censorship. Most countries that employ internet censorship will also block websites that allow you to download VPNs. You need to make sure that your VPN is installed and working properly before you travel to these countries, otherwise, you’ll have to deal with blocked websites while you’re abroad.
Cheaper Flights and Accommodation
Finally, a VPN can help you to get cheaper flights and accommodation. This is a feature that everyone loves now that international travel is opening up again following the global lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Websites that allow you to book flights and accommodation discriminate against customers based on their location. For example, if the website picks up that you are from the United States then they will push the prices up since tourists are willing to pay more money, and also the fact that they have a stronger currency.
However, if you use a VPN and connect to a global server in the country that you are planning on visiting (or a different country altogether) you may be able to get your flights and accommodation at a bit of a discount.
