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- Edited
VPN's do a few things:
- They encrypt your traffic from your device to the VPN server (but not from the VPN server to the website you are connecting to, this is why HTTPS is important).
- They change your IP.
-This can allow you to access websites that you normally aren't able to in your location (since the website you are connecting to thinks you are where the VPN server you're connected to is).
-The IP change also allows you to conceal your true IP address (which is often associated with your identity) from the website you are connecting to. Additionally, concealing your IP address (VPN/Tor) when doing something like sending an anonymous email is important as IP addresses can be extracted from email headers. - When using websites that rate limit you for using a service on their site (e.g., your free trial ran out of uses), clearing your cookies and changing your IP address will often allow you to continue using the service past "what you were supposed to", since the website thinks you are a different person.
- They handle your DNS requests. DNS (domain name system) is the phonebook of the internet. When you type in www.google.com, the internet doesn't understand this. A DNS request is made and www.google.com gets changed into an IP address and then connects you to the website. Without a VPN your DNS requests are handled by your ISP, which means they can see what websites you are connecting to. VPN's may also offer additional DNS filtering (to stop unwanted connections), but this is dependent upon the VPN, and with graphene you can use Private DNS over VPN if you are really interested in doing this. All your ISP will see is that you are connected to a VPN.
- As already stated, they conceal your internet usage from your ISP. Your ISP will be able to see the amount of data going through the network and that you are using a VPN however.
An ISP may log this afforementioned informations (DNS requests, websites your visit, etc), a good VPN provider does not log internet usage from its users. Remember though, a VPN does not offer your anonymity unless you set it up correctly (even then it's probably not perfect). That would need things such as: An account and account requirements created anonymously (the account name, the email used, etc), the VPN would need to be funded in a non-KYC payment, and last but not least, your internet connection source must be set up anonymously as well. ALL VPN providers see your public IP address (which as stated above is associated with your true identity one way or another). So the VPN provider knows who you are. The idea is that the VPN provider is more trustworthy than your ISP and don't log, which you technically have no way to confirm personally.
VPN downsides,
- Some websites will block you for using a VPN.
- Some websites (like reddit) might shadow ban you for using a VPN.
- Your internet traffic will be slower.
- If you use the same VPN account over multiple accounts (your phone and computer) the VPN provider will see ALL of your generated internet usage, versus if you were to have say, ATT for your home internet and T-mobile for your cellular provider. Your "internet life" would then be split in two.
But I think the pros outweigh the cons, so yea i'd use one.