You might have heard ads for VPNs, as it’s a 45 billion dollar business that’s advertised heavily for its safety and protection. However, the fact is that it’s not any safer.
I am a software engineer at a company specializing in network automation, with 38 years of experience in the field. Let me shed some light on this topic to help save you some money.
When you use a VPN, you connect to a remote network and route all your internet traffic through that network. It’s akin to having all cars entering Glastonbury exit into East Hartford and take Main Street into town.
While this may slow down your internet speeds, unless you are on an Esports team, you won’t notice any real difference.
This setup allows all your internet searches to appear as if they are originating from someone else. In our earlier example, our searches would come from East Hartford.
But here’s the kicker: a VPN won’t hide what you’re searching for. Your Google searches are tied to your Google account, so it doesn’t matter if you’re using a VPN or not; Google still has a record of your search history. If you don’t want a history of your Google searches, simply open an incognito window.
If you log onto any social media platforms, it does not matter if you are using a VPN or not – you are being tracked by logging in. Tracking cookies don’t care if you are on a VPN or not.
VPNs won’t give you better security on encrypted websites (those starting with https://) That’s what the ‘s’ stands for – it means the website uses encryption. Today the vast majority of websites use encryption, and your browser will warn you if the site is not encrypted.
VPNs come in handy if you want to access content that’s geographically restricted, such as shows unavailable on Netflix in the US.
VPNs can also be valuable if you engage in torrenting or other piracy. I do not advise this activity.
VPNs can be useful if you want to share accounts with friends to avoid flagging by companies. Companies like Netflix are starting to block VPNs, so your mileage may vary.
For the rest of us, you can save yourself some money and skip the VPN.
So, before you fall for the VPN hype, consider whether it truly aligns with your online needs. While there are valid reasons to use a VPN, for most of us it’s an unnecessary service that’s pushed on us through false advertising.