On the heels of the Facebook – Cambridge Analytica scandal, privacy has emerged as one of the key subjects on everyone’s mind. A VPN is a perfect tool for the job, allowing users to anonymously browse the web by hiding their real IP address and replacing it with a new one. In addition, a VPN also offers other benefits, and that’s what we’re going to discuss in this article – why you must use a VPN in 2020. Or earlier if you’re reading this while it’s still 2019. Let’s get started…
1. Public Wi-Fi is not secure
I guess it’s common knowledge that public Wi-Fi hotspots aren’t as secure as your home or office network, but it’s worth repeating nonetheless. However, sometimes we can’t help but use them, especially when visiting other cities and/or countries. And that could be dangerous if your device isn’t running a VPN app in the background.
Without a VPN, everything you do online is visible to the hotspot operator and could be used against you. Also, some malicious parties connected to the same Wi-Fi network could be able to snoop into your web traffic and potentially cause havoc.
Most VPNs, and definitely the best ones, have built-in anti-malware protection that will filter Internet traffic and make sure that your device is secure at all times.
2. Online security & privacy
Related to the previous point, but also somewhat different.
You see, a VPN working in the background will make access to every web page secure. It routes the traffic between the site you’re visiting through its secure servers before delivering the page back to you. In the process, a VPN will also clear out any malware and suspicious code it finds, as well as ad trackers from the likes of Facebook and Google — so they don’t know what you’re doing online.
So in addition to more secure experience, you also get to regain your privacy — which is a luxury these days when you think about it. Then again, VPN software isn’t that expensive…
3. Unrestricted content access
One of the most popular use cases among VPN users is accessing video streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO and, recently – Disney+. This is because most such services offer different content for different markets — that’s just the way content rights are traded on the market these days.
On the other hand, there are US-based Netflix users who would like to keep access to their account even while traveling abroad. With a VPN, all they have to do is connect to a US-based server and take it from there. Netflix — and any other service, for that matter — will see them as an American and let them in.
We’ve talked about Netflix, but the situation is similar with other streaming services, as well. The newly launched Disney+ is still not available all across the world; a VPN could help users access it today. No need to wait for Disney to roll out its service in your country.
4. Bypassing censorship
Another popular use case for VPN users is the ability to bypass firewalls enacted in high-censorship countries. The most infamous of which, the Great Firewall of China, blocks the local population from accessing websites of global media organizations as well as popular social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and so on.
Chinese, unfortunately, are not the only one with limited access to the world wide web. There are a few high-censorship countries where people are relying on VPNs to bypass these artificially placed barriers to be able to find out what’s happening in their own country. Or just to be able to watch the latest music video, keep up with what people post on Facebook, Twitter and so on.
5. Saving money
The same technology that keeps your identity under the radar could also help you save money on online purchases. There are two ways how this works:
First, there are companies offering different prices for customers in different locations and with a VPN you get to “choose” your virtual location — bypassing their silly, location-based algorithm.
And second, some companies are offering better deals for customers that don’t seem super-interested in a deal. For instance, airlines will show you a different price if you search for the same flights two days in a row — or even if you search for the same flight in the morning and then in the afternoon. They (their algorithms) see that you are interested, so they don’t have to give you the best price. With a VPN, you can always “appear” as a new customer to benefit from the best deal they have to offer.
…
We have just scratched the surface here but I presume you get the point. A VPN is no longer something optional you may or may not install on your computer or smartphone — it’s a must-have, something all of us should use on a daily basis.
In addition to anonymity and privacy, a good VPN will also save you money while providing you with access to the popular streaming services you may not be able to enjoy whenever you want. Also, there’s that money-saving aspect and more.
If you’re still not using a VPN, hop over to our Best of the Best VPNs page and find the one that works for you. It’s super easy and before you know it, you reap all the benefits a VPN has to offer. Good luck. 😉