Online surveillance is no secret, trackers hide in your browser, your ISP records every site you visit and governments may already have you profiled based on your online searches. Basic privacy is now something you must demand, and the surest way to do that is by using a VPN.
Why are you being tracked online?
You might think you have nothing to hide, but you could accidentally end up as a government target.
The majority of us live in a 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, or 14 Eyes country, this means that your personal information, like your religious beliefs, your searches, and even your private life is collected by tapping your phone, online trackers and your ISP, and shared between countries to “protect national surveillance”.
But that belief was trashed in 2013 when Edward Snowden exposed the Five Eyes for jointly operating numerous secret surveillance schemes and unlawfully spying on their citizens’ most private moments.
Your interests are also tracked by website cookies and your ISP to help advertisers target you better. Enter relentless pop-up ads.
While website cookies record your activity on a specific site, problems occur when your ISP records your searches, interests and any personal information you might reveal online and then sells it to advertisers to make money. Which is common practice and common knowledge amongst VPN users.
How a VPN protects you
A VPN hides your IP address and everything you do online, securing you against spies. When you switch the NordVPN app on for instance, your traffic is encrypted and sent through NordVPN’s private servers, instead of the unencrypted ones owned by your ISP.
Everything you do online is now scrambled and hidden with encryption, and because your IP address (used to identify your device and location) is also hidden, nobody, not even NordVPN can see what you’re doing – and nothing can be traced back to you.
A VPN can also bypass internet restrictions in other countries by changing your virtual location. Which is great if your country blocks critical websites and social networks. NordVPN has servers in 59 countries, so all you’d have to do is click on a country from their servers list and voila! You’re now technically based in another country.
VPNs also protect your business
If you have a team accessing sensitive documents and connecting to the same network at work, you need to secure that network and the devices connected to it with a VPN.
Cybercriminals often lurk on unencrypted networks waiting for a chance to attack. If they do get in, they could freeze your files and demand a ransom, infect staff laptops, steal company information and worse. In 2020, hackers stole billions of records from some of the world’s biggest companies, including chat transcripts, full names, sexual orientation, payment logs, password hashes, and more.
If you use NordVPN for example, then your entire network, as well as all connected computers, laptops, tablets, and phones effortlessly slip under a hackers radar. Your whole team can securely access company resources remotely, safely connect to public Wi-Fi, and even explore region-specific content.
The way things are, not using a VPN will really put you in danger. VPN apps are quick, easy to use, and super affordable, so there’s really no reason to put it off any longer.
NordVPN is currently offering 68% off a 2-year plan (that’s under €3/mo) and you can use the app on up to 6 devices; from phones to laptops, PC’s and routers. With powerful encryption, a strict zero-logs policy and verified by third-party security auditors, it’s definitely a VPN we trust.
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