Vpn why

The sites we take for granted can provide important lifelines for others who need them to stay in touch with friends, family and the wider world. This is a big problem for journalists, too.

Using a VPN can enable a journalist to conduct quality research into sensitive topics, whilst staying safe and secure. The selection of different VPN servers provides access to global resources. The nature of the industry means journalists often rely on public networks when on the move, and, as mentioned earlier, a VPN is a great tool for keeping safe in public - no reporter wants their story leaked or stolen from under them. If you are using a VPN in a country with strict internet censorship and bypassing these blocks can lead to punishment, it is vital that you use a VPN with obfuscated servers to ensure your activity is kept private and secure.

Whilst the downsides of a VPN are relatively few, it is still important to consider them in conjunction with your specific circumstances. Know what your priority is - are you after heightened security or a tool to unblock content? A VPN has an effect on your internet speed, and unfortunately, this is inevitable.

Some VPNs log your activity, which isn't ideal if your goal is to protect your privacy. Activity logs can be relinquished to intrusive governments with a simple warrant. Fortunately, we have seen a rise in "no logs" services, which keep your browsing history, IP address, and other personally identifiable details off the record. Maile McCann is a freelance writer, editor, and researcher covering business, culture, entertainment, style, and beauty.

You can find more of Maile's writing at mailemccann. Adam Hardy is a former assistant editor at Forbes Advisor, where he covered small business and tech.

Previously, he was a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder, specializing in the gig economy and entrepreneurship. Finance and other publications. Select Region. United States. United Kingdom. Maile McCann, Adam Hardy. Contributor, Editor. Editorial Note: Forbes Advisor may earn a commission on sales made from partner links on this page, but that doesn't affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Adaptable to Numerous Smart Devices While many of us may first try a VPN on a company-loaned laptop, many VPN services also protect other smart devices such as your phones, tablets and desktop computers. Smart Savings If you are willing to put in a little research, a VPN can help you save money via its location spoofing capabilities. Featured Partners.

Learn More On Privateinternetaccess. VPNs are not foolproof and, like any software, can be susceptible to hacks and malware.

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Something went wrong. Please try again later. Best Of. Read More. More from. By Chauncey Crail Contributor. By Toni Matthews-El Contributor. This is where a virtual private network VPN comes in. Below are some of the basic things that you need to know about VPN and why you need to have one.

A VPN can be compared to an encrypted tunnel where your internet traffic passes through, such that any data en-route this tunnel cannot be easily seen by internet watchers. In this case, you can surf the web anonymously with a VPN because your traffic is encrypted and your location is masked to reflect that of the VPN server.

Originally, VPNs were created to connect business networks, but in this modern-day and age, they are widely used for various other purposes. Once you connect to a VPN, all your internet traffic will be redirected to one of its servers where it will be encrypted. Because of the encryption process, your internet service provider ISP will no longer see the websites you access. The VPN will be the one responsible to direct your traffic to the website that you are trying to access.

There are several reasons why you need to have a VPN connection and the first thing is, of course, your privacy while you are surfing the web.

Aside from being free from the prying eyes of those with malicious intentions, your browsing activity is also kept private even within the VPN. This is because of the stringent no-log policies that prevent VPN providers from recording any of your web activities. Another reason why you need to have a VPN is for you to access certain geo-blocked websites or the sites that are inaccessible in certain geographic locations.

For instance, you may be currently situated outside the United States, but you still want to access certain content from streaming sites such as Netflix. This is like tricking the website of the streaming service to think that you are based in another country instead of your actual location. With a reliable VPN provider, you will be able to access your home or business network even if you are traveling.

In terms of the former, you will still have the liberty of using local file shares as if you were connected to the same local area network LAN.