VPN 101: Safely Surf The Internet With Your Data Protected

JAKARTADAILY.ID – A Virtual Private Network or VPN is a great tool for anyone who uses the internet. It gives users more security and Privacy, and it's usually used for specific activities.

Despite the rise in popularity of VPNs, the technology behind them still remains unclear to many. VPN is a tool that uses encryption to protect all of your online activities by adding extra encryption. It connects to a private network, which is usually an encrypted tunnel.

If you use the internet, your internet service provider (ISP) does not protect all of the sensitive information that it collects. A good VPN can give you peace of mind while protecting all of that data.

Your data is always hidden until it reaches the public internet. Usually, your data travels across various countries before reaching the public internet. Anonymizing means that your information is never revealed to anyone. Your ISP can only see that you're connected to a private network.

When connected to a VPN, it acts as if it's on the same local network as the one you're using. Even if you're using a different country, a VPN will still allow you to access the same network resources as if you were using a network within the country.

For instance, if you're in Indonesia and using a USA-based VPN, the websites you visit will see your activity as if it's coming from the USA instead of Indonesia.

More than just stealth
Many people tend to associate a VPN with hiding their activities. In reality, this tool has more benefits than just keeping you hidden.

When you browse the internet using a public WiFi network, your connection is vulnerable to interception. Since these networks allow open access, it's much easier to monitor the network's traffic. Using VPN on public WiFi keeps your data secure and untraceable.

There are several reasons why you might want to keep your online activities private. Some of these include concerns about how your ISP might use the data they gather and the problems of targeted advertising. Turn on your VPN, and your ISP can't get your digital footprint.

One of the most common reasons to use a VPN is to access geo-blocked websites. Doing so will allow you to browse the blocked sites for certain reasons. It can help you get movies and TV shows not available in your region.

When traveling, you might encounter websites and services that are geo-blocked. You can access these sites and avoid getting geo-restrictions by using a VPN.