Let\u2019s be real for a moment \u2013 every time you\u2019re online, you\u2019re really leaving a path of breadcrumbs that leads straight back to you. And I\u2019m not even talking about your search history (though yeah, that too). I\u2019m talking about everything: the places you go, the videos you view, where you are, what device you\u2019re on and even how long you sit on each page. It\u2019s a little creepy if you think about it, right?<\/p>\n
The good news? You don\u2019t have to simply accept this as \u201cthe way things are.\u201d There actually is a super simple solution that gets you back in the driver\u2019s seat: Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs for short.<\/p>\n
So, What Exactly Is a VPN?<\/p>\n
Think of a VPN as your own private tunnel on the information superhighway. Normally, when you\u2019re browsing the internet, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) gets to see what you\u2019re up to. They see when you\u2019re watching videos at 2 AM, what you\u2019re buying online, and what you\u2019re visiting. They can even share this information with advertisers or trade it with third parties.<\/p>\n
A VPN changes the game: When you\u2019re on a VPN, it creates an encrypted connection from your computer to a remote server. Your whole internet flow goes through that server, which keeps your true IP address hidden and replaces it with one from the VPN\u2019s location. The result? Your ISP, websites, advertisers and everybody else trying to snoop in on what you\u2019re up to just get encrypted trash instead of your actual data.<\/p>\n
Why You Really Need This<\/p>\n
Come on, I get it \u2013 you might be thinking, \u201cI have nothing to hide, so why do I need to care?\u201d Well, here\u2019s the deal: today, privacy isn\u2019t really about something to hide. It\u2019s about having the right to keep your own stuff, well, business-as-usual.<\/p>\n
VPNs protect you in ways you might not even know that you need. Ever connected to a coffee shop or airport Wi-Fi? Those public connections are hackers\u2019 playgrounds. Without a VPN, someone sitting nearby might be able to sniff your passwords, credit card numbers or confidential messages. With a VPN, your data is encrypted and useless to them.<\/p>\n
Throw in on top of that, something that\u2019ll probably annoy you: your internet service provider might be slowing down your speeds. Yeah, they actually reduce your connection speed based on what you\u2019re doing online \u2013 especially if you\u2019re looking at a lot of video or gaming video games. With a VPN, they can\u2019t see what you\u2019re doing, so they can\u2019t mess with your speeds.<\/p>\n
And here\u2019s where VPNs are actually useful \u2013 they let you bypass content that\u2019s censored where you are. And by \u201cbypass content,\u201d we\u2019re not just talking about being able to watch the shows from other countries (although that is a definite bonus).<\/p>\n
In nations like China<\/a> and Iran, governments openly censor the net, blocking sites to social media, news sites, and any information they do not want their populace to be privy to. A VPN gives citizens in these regimes access to the open and free internet, opening the window of the world for them that their governments are trying to board up.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not only about repressive regimes. Even in Western democracies, geographical constraints are everywhere. Journal du Geek explains that PornHub is now inaccessible in France<\/a> due to new regulatory requirements. In the United States, various streaming platforms, sports broadcasts and websites are inaccessible in certain states as a result of local laws and regulation. It is infuriating because the internet is supposed to be this universal entity, but in reality, it has fragmented along arbitrary borders.<\/p>\n With a VPN, you can use a server located somewhere else in the world and access the internet like you were there in person. Immediately, all those walls come tumbling down, and you feel like you possess the whole open internet experience everyone deserves.<\/p>\n NordVPN: Serious Protection Without the Serious Price Tag<\/p>\n Okay, okay, so you\u2019re positive you want a VPN \u2013 great! But what do you get? Let me discuss NordVPN with you, especially because they have a special offer right now that\u2019s really silly. They\u2019re actually offering a 73% discount on their 2-year Basic plan, reducing the month-to-month cost to a staggering $3.09<\/a>.<\/p>\n And it gets even better: they throw in three months free on top of it, so you get 27 months of protection for the price of 24. Now, they do offer a Plus plan for $3.99 per month that has some extra advantages, but for most people just looking to secure their privacy and have unlimited content, the Basic plan is good enough.<\/p>\n