Cybercrime is an ever-present threat to our online security — always rising, never abating. Thankfully, we’re not alone. A wondrous tech tool known as VPNs exists, carefully thwarting any risks as they conceal your online presence. With them, anyone trying to trace your online activity sees a different IP and cannot tell your real identity.

These tools go a step further and encrypt your data as well. They do this by altering data into a different format that’s impossible for others to decipher. This is paramount when dealing with confidential information such as passwords and personal identification numbers. So, in a nutshell, VPNs are your allies in the fight for privacy on the internet.

Shield Your Privacy the Right Way

Whenever we talk of maintaining privacy on the internet, what comes to mind for most people is the use of proxies. While proxies also issue you a different IP, they have one limitation: they leave your data exposed.

VPNs add an extra layer of protection by making your data inaccessible. Not only do they cloak your identity, but they also make it impossible for others to snoop into your data.

Time to review some instances where this technology proves mighty handy for preserving your privacy.

Using Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi is a lifesaver no matter how you look at it. Whether you’re in a mall or even at the airport, you can connect to the internet and browse away. From a safety standpoint, however, public networks expose your accounts to possible hacking, especially when you key in your passwords. There have been multiple cases of people losing their social media accounts after using public Wi-Fi. Even worse, hackers could access your bank account and transfer funds. By the time you figure out what is happening, you have already lost a big sum of money.

Sometimes it is impossible to avoid public networks, especially if they are the only option available. With a VPN installed, you get to log into any website without having to worry. Any data that you transfer, including your passwords, will be converted into a different format that hackers cannot decode.

For example, you could use a residential VPN service, which makes you appear to be browsing with a residential IP from a normal household. Following this approach will throw hackers off track, and you will no longer be a target for them.

Prevent Unwanted Pop-up Adverts

Marketing bots are constantly tracking your online activity and will bring you adverts according to what you’ve been browsing online. If you happen to have done some research on summer holiday destinations, for instance, you will start seeing a bunch of related ads from then on. While seeing just a couple of them is no big deal, having the adverts repeatedly appearing on your timeline is annoying and distracting.

By using a VPN, you can keep those bots that track your activity away from you. This privacy tool masks your data. That way, the marketing bots cannot tell what you were searching for or the websites you visited, and will no longer direct adverts to your timeline.

Avoid Data Caps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) often track your online activities. They do this with the aim of regulating data usage. This is not only an invasion of privacy, but also an attempt to control how you use your data.

Internet speed can also significantly decrease when performing certain tasks. This is due to ISPs that control your bandwidth, causing your speed to dip whenever you attempt to visit specific websites or consume a certain volume of data.

Thanks to VPNs, however, you don’t have to suffer under such restrictions. With them, ISPs can no longer trace the websites that you visit. Since they can’t figure out how much data you have used, they cannot restrict you.

Conclusion

Thanks to VPNs, you no longer have to worry about your privacy as you browse. You have a guarantee that your identity and data are well protected.

Remember to source your VPNs from a reputable company. There are many platforms on the internet offering these tools, some even for free. Cheap often turns out to be expensive, though. Reliable VPNs come at a cost. If you cannot afford to compromise your privacy, then the price of subscribing to VPNs is well worth the cost.

Investing in VPNs is investing in the safety and security of your data, and ultimately, in your peace of mind. And what’s better than achieving full-blown tranquility when browsing online?