There are tons of advantages to using a VPN. A VPN keeps your data safe, private, and secure. Unfortunately, the internet poses many dangers, according to cybersecurity statistics. The internet is a great resource, but it has malware, cookies, hackers, censorship, and cybercrime floating around.
For example, tons of data went missing in 2020 due to cybersecurity breaches and cyber attacks on governments and corporations. Due to these breaches, it is time to find a way of protecting your data online, and the best way is to use a VPN.
The application brings a solution to your doorstep. It improves your online presence and avoids multiple threats keeping you secure and private while offering you freedom. But with so many VPNs in the UK, how do you choose the right one? This guide will help you understand what to look for in a VPN and how to find the best one for your needs.
1. A VPN can keep your data safe from hackers.
Security and privacy are the primary reasons for inventing a VPN. They have robust security to protect users from hackers, the government, and other organizations.
If you connect your internet directly to a network without a VPN, the information sent to other channels remains unencrypted. This means anyone with excellent hacking skills can access and monitor your activities, which leaves your information at the mercy of untrusted third parties, which can lead to loss of information.
But when you activate a VPN, your data remains encrypted as it travels from one network to another. Essentially, a VPN hides your information from third parties since they are encrypted. Even if hackers lay their hands on them, they’ll be unable to read the data.
2. A VPN can help you bypass censorship.
Another good reason to have a VPN is to bypass censorship. There are many countries with censors to certain internet content or governments that restrict the spread of information by media; a VPN can reach these websites and contents seamlessly.
For example, suppose you live in Africa; there are many contents you can access, like those in the U.S. Still, a VPN allows you to change location, hiding your actual location and giving you a location where that content is available. This is why most whistleblowers can post private information on the dark web while remaining anonymous.
3. A VPN can improve your internet speeds.
Most people have no idea a VPN can increase internet speeds. However, there are many occasions where we experience slow or sluggish internet. This is because ISPs’ throttle restricts the speed.
The speed is throttled to favor some customers on expensive packages, encourage people to patronize one, or discourage users from downloading large files. In addition, certain websites or services have slow connections. However, a VPN is the go-to tool to hide from ISPs (Internet service providers). Since your data is encrypted, they cannot see what you’re doing and where you are from, thus limiting their efforts to cut you off.
4. A VPN can help you protect your privacy.
Activating a VPN is like adding an extra layer of protection to your privacy. The internet has a virus, malware, hackers, and other negative friends floating about. Using the internet without a VPN makes your information visible to other users. It exposes your traffic to third parties, making it easy to track.
But a VPN makes your address invisible to people making it hard to track your traffic. It ensures your security on the Tor network remains anonymous, thus granting you access to even the dark web. A VPN provides the first wall of protection against malicious acts from hackers, governments, etc., on the web.
How To Choose a VPN
The market presents us with different VPNs with different functions. Thus, there are things to consider before downloading a VPN. The first thing to consider is security and privacy. All may be VPNs and have different levels of security and encryption. Some are stronger than others and able to reach content others cannot.
The second reason is the ability of the VPN to bypass censored content or geolocation. Some countries censor content, and not all VPN types can reach them. The third reason is to ensure your VPN offers high-speed internet connections and unrestricted bandwidth. Finally, before selecting one, visit the review section to see what other users say about the VPN.