This is a continuation of my series on making online browsing more private and secure. The prior in this series covered browser recommendations and browser extensions. This covers VPNs.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your connection through connecting to a remote server, one that is owned and operated by the company that runs the VPN. That connection creates a protected tunnel through which all of your internet traffic can travel back and forth.
This encrypted tunnel can help shield your data from your ISP spying on you, which they often do while selling your data to third parties. It can also help keep your data from those who want to exploit it, say through a public Wi-Fi network.
In addition, VPNs mask your actual IP address, making it more difficult for advertisers and malicious entities to pinpoint you and your location. It also gives you more choices when browsing the web. For instance, if a site only works in the U.S., you can use your VPN to connect through a U.S. IP address while in a different country, making it appear as though you are connecting to the site from within the U.S.
As with my previous two recommendations around browsers and extensions, nothing is foolproof, and there are many different methods that entities gather your information. What we are trying to do is to slow them down and throw them off.
As always, the recommendation I am making here is based on the majority of folks I believe will read this that follow or subscribe to my content. I know some people won’t go through all the steps to customize, tweak, code, and adjust advanced settings on certain elements to make them even more secure, so I try to make recommendations based on what I believe most people will try to do.
Technology and its factors are always changing, but at this current moment I recommend Mullvad VPN or Proton VPN. They are both imperfect in that there are some areas that they could both be more secure, and they are both paid plans, but in my opinion, experience, and research, they have the most accessible features.
Some considerations are that VPNs may slow down performance or may even prevent you from accessing some sites. Keep all of this in mind.
And a reminder that being online requires a combination of tools and behaviors to keep yourself private and secure. You have to also think about your browser, ISP, extensions, VPN, connection, search engine, behavior, and more.
This series will continue to cover more of these areas in the future as we navigate this surveillance terrain.
Stay secure out there, y’all.
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