How to Turn on a VPN
If you live in one of the many countries where Google is blocked (such as Egypt, Sudan and Belarus), getting access to online content is often tricky. Or, if you live in one of the many countries where your internet is heavily taxed (such as Turkey, Iran and China), using VPN to unblock websites, save money on your bills and increase your privacy is often the better option.
The Best Free VPNs & Services
If you are looking for a free VPN, it’s important to understand what to look out for. First of all, make sure that the provider stores your data securely and doesn’t share your information with third parties. Many free VPNs do exactly that and, as a result, your privacy is at risk. Furthermore, make sure that the VPN you are planning to use is actually free. Some fake free VPNs are actually paid memberships where you have to pay to upgrade to a “free” version. In such instances, you are actually paying for the privilege of using the service. This is why it’s essential to do some research before signing up.
The Best Free VPN For YouTube Users
If you’re a YouTube user and you want to watch content from the platform without being tracked, you should use a free VPN. First of all, as a YouTube user, you are already protected by the platform’s privacy policy. However, this privacy policy doesn’t completely protect you from third parties who may still track your activity. If you want to fully protect your YouTube activity, you should look for a free VPN that offers a premium account. In case you’re wondering, Google sells data to third parties so they can target ads to you. That’s why it’s important to use a VPN even when you’re on YouTube.
The Best Free VPN For Netflix Users
If you’re a Netflix user and you want to watch content from the platform without being tracked, you should use a free VPN. First of all, as a Netflix user, you are already protected by the platform’s privacy policy. However, this privacy policy doesn’t completely protect you from third parties who may still track your activity. If you want to fully protect your Netflix activity, you should look for a free VPN that offers a premium account. In case you’re wondering, Netflix uses a third party vendor to mine your data and sell your information to pharmaceutical companies, retailers and government organizations. That’s why it’s important to use a VPN even when you’re on Netflix.
The Best Free VPN For WhatsApp Users
If you’re a WhatsApp user and you want to send pictures, videos and documents without being tracked, you should use a free VPN. First of all, as a WhatsApp user, you are already protected by the platform’s privacy policy. However, this privacy policy doesn’t completely protect you from third parties who may still track your activity. If you want to fully protect your WhatsApp activity, you should look for a free VPN that offers a premium account. In case you’re wondering, WhatsApp uses a third party vendor to access your data and sell your information to government and commercial entities. That’s why it’s important to use a VPN even when you’re on WhatsApp.
The Best Free VPN For Instagram Users
If you’re an Instagram user and you want to share images without being tracked, you should use a free VPN. First of all, as an Instagram user, you are already protected by the platform’s privacy policy. However, this privacy policy doesn’t completely protect you from third parties who may still track your activity. In case you want to fully protect your Instagram activity, you should look for a free VPN that offers a premium account. That’s because Instagram uses a third party vendor to mine your data and sell your information to government and commercial entities. That’s why it’s important to use a VPN even when you’re on Instagram.
How To Turn On A VPN
Once you’ve found the best free VPN for the tasks you need it for, it’s time to move on to the next step. How to turn on a VPN is relatively simple. All you need to do is visit the website of the VPN you have chosen and create a login account if you don’t have one yet. Alternatively, you can use the service’s app to register your device for automatic login. Some VPNs even have an “All-in-one” feature where you can register your device with just the click of a button. If you’re using a laptop, you can also use a virtual private network (VPN) app to connect to the VPN server and get all the security advantages that the service offers.
How to turn on a VPN is quite easy and usually only takes a couple of minutes. You’ll be presented with a login page where you can enter your login credentials (username and password). After you log in, you’ll be able to access the menu on the right side of the screen. From here, you can choose between different locations (such as China, the UK, Japan and the United States), connected apps (such as WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) and set the overall settings for the VPN (such as the preferred server).
Some VPNs can be set up to automatically connect to servers in the country you are in. This is a huge time saver for people who frequently change location or use public Wi-Fi when traveling.
Security Of Using A VPN
If you’re wondering about the security of using a VPN, the first thing you need to keep in mind is that no data connection is completely “safe”. When you use a VPN, all your internet activity will be encrypted before it leaves your device. However, as soon as it leaves your device, it can’t be decrypted and, therefore, it is not safe. This is why it’s important to never leave your device unattended when you’re using a VPN. If you use a VPN on your mobile phone, you can prevent anyone from tracking your activity by simply turning off your device when you don’t need it. Or, if you’re using a desktop computer, you can lock your computer with a password so that only you can access it.
The Downsides Of Using A VPN
Even though using a VPN can be a great way to protect your personal data, there are certain downsides to keep in mind. One of the major downsides is that your internet speed may be slightly decreased. This is due to the fact that your device needs to connect to a different server than usual in order to reach the one you want to visit. When you use a VPN, your internet provider may decide that your device is a security threat and limit your monthly data usage. This can be frustrating if you are a heavy user of the internet. Another downside to using a VPN is that you need to always be connected to the internet in order to use the service. If you want to use a VPN for an extended period of time, you will need to get a wireless modem so that you can connect to the internet whenever you want. The final downside to using a VPN is that some services have much better user interfaces in apps rather than websites. This makes it much easier for users to access the content they want when they are on the go. If you enjoy using your mobile phone, visiting websites while on the move is a pleasure rather than a pain. Having all the content in the app means you can easily access it whenever you want.
Increasing Your Privacy
As we’ve mentioned, privacy is one of the major concerns when it comes to using a VPN. First of all, make sure that the VPN you use doesn’t retain any logs that may reveal your personal information. Most free VPNs do exactly that and, as a result, your privacy is at risk. Furthermore, make sure that the VPN you are using offers strong encryption when it comes to your data. Many free VPNs don’t offer the best encryption and, as a result, your data is more vulnerable to hackers. Finally, make sure that the VPN isn’t owned by a company that doesn’t respect your privacy. A good example of this is TikTok which, as we’ve discussed, is owned by the Japanese company TikTok and operates under their rules. You shouldn’t expect any different courtesy from these companies than you’d get from a regular business. The only difference is that they’re much more comfortable sharing your personal data.
In conclusion, using a VPN isn’t something new and, over the years, different methods of protecting your personal data have been invented. However, with the growth of the internet and social media platforms, there has been an increased demand for VPNs. Nowadays, millions of people use VPNs to protect their personal data online and security experts have deemed them a “must-have” for every computer and device. If you’re curious about protecting your data while online or even just want to save some money on your internet bills, you can’t look past a free VPN.