Three Reasons Why You Should be Using a VPN at Home
Personal Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are becoming increasingly popular all around the world as people continually look for ways to beef up their cybersecurity. They’re one of the most affordable, user-friendly, and effective ways to hide your activity and protect your data online.
If you aren’t already browsing the Internet anonymously and securely, I’ve put together this guide to help you understand the top reasons why you should be using a VPN at home.
1 — Take Back Your Privacy
There are a growing number of people that won’t connect to the Internet unless it’s via a VPN. Some people may think that this sort of behavior is overcautious, but the truth is that you can never be too sure that you’re entirely safe when connected to the Internet.
If you’re connected to an unsecure Internet connection, there’s no telling who is tracking your activity or collecting your personal information. Even ISPs have been known to sell their users’ browsing data to advertising firms. This practice offers no benefit to you, and is the reason you see ads that directly relate to your recent Google searches or browsing history. It’s an invasion of your personal privacy and leads to questions about who else can access your data and what they can legally (or illegally) do with it.
The morally dubious practice of selling loyal customers’ data to the highest bidder has been authorized by the senate, so don’t expect ISPs to stop any time soon. Rightfully, many people don’t like the idea of having their activity monitored — even if they’re law-abiding citizens. No paying customer should be made to feel like a product themselves.
By using a VPN on your personal devices, you can enjoy your privacy and rest assured that your ISP isn’t benefiting from misusing your data. By encrypting all of your data and keeping your activity anonymous, a VPN prevents anyone from logging your online habits.
2 — Stay Safe From Potential Threats
Using a VPN to connect to the Internet also protects you from bad actors trying to steal your sensitive information, whether it be your Netflix login or your credit card number. The end-to-end encryption offered by a VPN ensures that even if your connection is somehow breached, that the data would be unreadable.
This safety is especially important if you’re connecting to the Internet from a public hotspot, as they are are often unsecured, unencrypted, and able to be easily duplicated by snoops and hackers. When you’re on the go and are left with no choice but to connect to public Wi-Fi, having a VPN installed on your device will secure your connection.
Even on personal networks that draws less attention from bad actors, the added security is beneficial. It’s never a wise move to make a financial transaction over an unsecured network. Nobody wants to go through the headache of having their sensitive information become compromised. Save yourself the trouble by staying safe with a personal VPN.
3 — Enjoy Whatever Entertainment You Want
One of the most appealing non-security reasons for using a VPN is the fact that it can allow you access to entertainment from anywhere in the world. Movies and shows on your favorite streaming platform can be accessed regardless of their regionally availability.
Live in the UK but want to watch US Netflix shows? Trying to watch live sports happening in a different country? Simply connect to a VPN server located in the region you want to view content from to spoof your location.
You wouldn’t be alone in employing this practice, either. An estimated 50 percent of VPN users around the world mainly use their connection to access restricted entertainment content. Using a personal VPN at home is the easiest and quickest way to enjoy movies and shows from all around the world — right from the comfort of your sofa.
Whether you’re looking to improve your cybersecurity or just want to stream some content that’s not available in your location, a VPN is quickly becoming a must-have for households of all sizes.
