Online privacy is a major issue that all internet users deal with daily. Anytime you are online, your activity is tracked by several different entities, including your internet service provider (ISP). Not only can you be tracked, but with cybercrime on the rise, your sensitive and private information is at risk of being stolen.
Fortunately, you can take one important step to preserve the privacy of your data and reduce the risk of your network being hacked. It’s called a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is a service that routes your internet traffic through a secure, remote server. Your data is encrypted, and your IP address is hidden.
Here are a few reasons this is beneficial.
Security on Public Wi-Fi
There are many conveniences that come with using public Wi-Fi. Because many cellular service providers have caps on their data plans, taking advantage of public Wi-Fi can help keep your mobile data usage in check.
The downside is that public Wi-Fi is highly insecure. When you use one of these networks you should consider using a VPN on your devices. Without one, your private information such as account passwords and even your banking information is at risk of being intercepted.
Data Privacy From Your ISP
Your ISP can see all your browsing data. The websites you’ve visited, when you’ve visited them and from where can all be easily seen. This data may be collected and potentially sold to third parties such as advertisers.
When you use a VPN, this private browsing data is completely hidden. Even your ISP cannot see which websites you’ve been visiting. This is important for your privacy and is especially important to protect you in the event that your ISP experiences a data breach in their systems.
Security While Working Remotely
Working from home is becoming increasingly common in recent years. This is extremely convenient, but it does present some risks. When you work from home, you’re accessing potentially sensitive company information over a network that could be at risk of being hacked.
However, when you use a VPN, all of your data is encrypted the moment it is sent over your network. This prevents hackers from accessing this information. Many employers are likely to insist on remote employees to either use a wired internet connection or mandate that a VPN be used if Wi-Fi is the only option.
As an additional measure to protect both your private and professional data while you work remotely, you may want to consider investing in a service like Lifelock.
Data Privacy From Apps
Between computers, smartphones and other internet-connected devices, we interact with different apps and services daily. Many of these apps collect your private browsing data. This is primarily used for targeted advertising purposes.
If you want to keep your data safe from being collected and sold by the companies behind every app you use, you may want to consider using them only while you’re behind the security of a quality VPN.
Take the Next Step
Protecting your private information is important. Whether you want to protect against hackers, third-party companies or even your ISP, a VPN is a great option to regain some privacy in your online life. Your private data will be safeguarded and you will no longer be tracked.