Every time you use the internet you do this with an IP address, this is your unique ‘virtual postal address’. At a first glance, an IP address may seem harmless, but it can actually hide a lot of information about you. This makes it possible to find out your location. Every website you visit gets your IP address, therefore you might consider that some level of protection would be appropriate. A VPN offers that protection. When you are connected to a VPN you automatically take over the IP address of the external server, this ensures that your own IP address remains hidden. Thereby your data cannot be collected when using a VPN.
Additionally, you don’t always have to pay for a VPN, often people want to use a VPN for free, fortunately this is possible nowadays. However, if you choose to use a VPN for free, keep in mind that it will be less functional in some areas than a paid VPN.
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Use safe (public) networks
There are countless public WiFi networks, for example at a camping or on public transportation. These are often seen as an ideal solution rather than using expensive MBs. But do you actually know who is the administrator of this network? Often these administrators can find out more information from you than you would like. Hackers and other people with malicious intentions can also set up devious constructions where they can find out a lot of your data. Consider, for example, setting up a WiFi network with the same name as that of a well-known free network, which you then connect to. When using a (free) VPN you do not have to worry, your data is encrypted with a VPN. And then even a hacker can do little with this information.
Combating censorship and surveillance
We see censorship and surveillance in the Netherlands as an unpleasant and scandalous violation of our privacy. However, it is still widely used, especially abroad. When you are abroad, sometimes it happens that you cannot reach some websites due to censorship. You can forget about logging in to your Gmail in China, for example, but also in Russia and Turkey you will find a censorship. Fortunately, using a VPN in this case offers a solution, because you can pretend that you are in the Netherlands. A VPN also offers a solution to guarantee your privacy in the area of government surveillance. It is astonishing how many countries have excessive surveillance using intelligence services.
Use Google anonymously
Google occupies a very central place on the internet, for many Google is therefore the starting point of an internet session. It is generally known that Google likes to collect a lot of your data. This includes offering personalized advertisements and improving the search engine itself. Using Google anonymously is possible with a VPN, but it is important that you are logged out of Google. If you are not logged out, a lot of data will still be collected.
