Let’s be real for a moment – every time you’re online, you’re really leaving a path of breadcrumbs that leads straight back to you. And I’m not even talking about your search history (though yeah, that too). I’m talking about everything: the places you go, the videos you view, where you are, what device you’re on and even how long you sit on each page. It’s a little creepy if you think about it, right?
The good news? You don’t have to simply accept this as “the way things are.” There actually is a super simple solution that gets you back in the driver’s seat: Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs for short.
So, What Exactly Is a VPN?
Think of a VPN as your own private tunnel on the information superhighway. Normally, when you’re browsing the internet, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) gets to see what you’re up to. They see when you’re watching videos at 2 AM, what you’re buying online, and what you’re visiting. They can even share this information with advertisers or trade it with third parties.
A VPN changes the game: When you’re 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’s location. The result? Your ISP, websites, advertisers and everybody else trying to snoop in on what you’re up to just get encrypted trash instead of your actual data.
Why You Really Need This
Come on, I get it – you might be thinking, “I have nothing to hide, so why do I need to care?” Well, here’s the deal: today, privacy isn’t really about something to hide. It’s about having the right to keep your own stuff, well, business-as-usual.
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’ 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.
Throw in on top of that, something that’ll probably annoy you: your internet service provider might be slowing down your speeds. Yeah, they actually reduce your connection speed based on what you’re doing online – especially if you’re looking at a lot of video or gaming video games. With a VPN, they can’t see what you’re doing, so they can’t mess with your speeds.
And here’s where VPNs are actually useful – they let you bypass content that’s censored where you are. And by “bypass content,” we’re not just talking about being able to watch the shows from other countries (although that is a definite bonus).
In nations like China 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.
But it’s not only about repressive regimes. Even in Western democracies, geographical constraints are everywhere. Journal du Geek explains that PornHub is now inaccessible in France 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.
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.
NordVPN: Serious Protection Without the Serious Price Tag
Okay, okay, so you’re positive you want a VPN – great! But what do you get? Let me discuss NordVPN with you, especially because they have a special offer right now that’s really silly. They’re actually offering a 73% discount on their 2-year Basic plan, reducing the month-to-month cost to a staggering $3.09.
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.
Best part’s here, though: you essentially get to test it out 100% free. NordVPN offers an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee on all their plans. Which means, you can join up, use the service for a whole month, and if you’re not satisfied with it for any reason at all, you get a refund. No hassle, no questions asked. Just keep in mind that is reserved for first-time users.