Reasons Why You Need A VPN And How To Choose The Right One

VPNs can protect your privacy, if you use them right. We explain what VPNs do, what they don’t, and how to get the most out of a VPN.

VPNs have gone from being an obscure networking utility to big business. You’ve probably seen the ads from your favorite YouTuber, on podcasts, and even during the Superbowl with claims about how a VPN can make you anonymous or let you access free video streaming. Do the products live up to the hype? Although VPNs can be useful tools for protecting your privacy, it’s important to understand how these tools work so you can decide whether they will help you. We break down what VPNs do and what they don’t do to help you understand why you’d want one and how to pick the one that’s best for you.

What Is a VPN?

VPN stands for virtual private network. When we talk about VPNs, we’re usually talking about a commercial VPN being sold directly to consumers for use in day-to-day life, but the idea of VPNs has much broader applications than that. Corporations have long used VPN technology to let workers access digital resources no matter where they are, long before COVID-19 made work from home the norm.