If you don’t care about your online privacy, don’t mind snoopers, and don’t want to catch up on the latest shows from overseas, then you won’t need a VPN. But for those who do, a VPN is essential. There are lots of providers out there, including Buffered, that offer a fast, reliable and secure VPN service no matter where you are in the world.
In this article, I’ll explain the advantages of getting a VPN to help you determine if you need one. Of course, these are the most common reasons, but if you’re looking for something specific, it’s worth asking your potential VPN provider for additional information.
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Do you want to be secure on a public Wi-Fi network?
We’re almost always connected to the internet. From your fridge to your smartphone, we have a large pool of devices in 2017. Sometimes, being connected to the internet is a means of contacting your family and friends to let them know you’re safe.
Often, this takes place at an airport over free Wi-Fi, where data such as banking information, stored passwords and even your private messages are all at their most vulnerable as you’re on an unsecured network. In this scenario, a VPN would protect your identity by encrypting your data before it reaches the public Wi-Fi.
Do you want to unblock US Netflix and other geoblocked content?
Streaming internet shows and television is a great way to relax and destress. But often certain content can be locked to a specific region – really frustrating if you’re travelling and already pay to access that content in your home country. A VPN offers an effective way around these locks. This applies to UK-only content since all free-to-air catch-up TV apps will be blocked once you travel abroad.
Broadening the scope, there are radio stations, popular sites such as YouTube and Facebook and even apps that are blocked in overseas countries. A VPN will help unblock the content.
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Companies such as Netflix and Amazon are tightening security around those who try to bypass region-specific content, but it’s a game of cat and mouse right now. Make sure you get a VPN that’s committed to outwitting the cat, such as Buffered, and you’ll be able to watch US Netflix no matter where you are in the world.
Do you want to bypass government censorship?
The short answer to this question is “yes”. How do VPNs do this? You first have to understand how a VPN works. Effectively a VPN does two things:
First, it encrypts all data starting at your laptop or phone so data can’t be intercepted and read on the way to or through the hotspot.
Second, it changes or “shifts” the location of your IP address to the VPN’s servers at the other end of the connection so your traffic appears to be coming from another computer somewhere else.
In countries, such as Iran and China, sites like YouTube and Facebook are blocked from citizens. A VPN will allow users to bypass the government’s filters and use the internet without restriction. Note that this is deemed illegal in certain countries, so be cautious when using it.
Can a VPN stop ISPs from tracking my data?
Your internet provider (ISP) keeps track of your internet activities – some even have a filter to automatically block you from viewing adult content. A few see it as a layer of protection, while others see it as an intrusion of privacy. With a good VPN provider, you’ll have the ability to use a dynamic IP address from various locations around the world. This means your data won’t be tracked and you’ll be able to browse in peace.
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