You can choose from a variety of VPN services nowadays. And many of them may even be making claims of offering complete anonymity. While a VPN service does somewhat help in making your connection secure and private, saying that it makes you completely anonymous is not true.
Allow us to guide you on what a VPN does for you. And for that, we will need to understand what a VPN is and what you can expect from it. So, let’s get started:
What is a VPN?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts the information traveling between you and the end server. Your entire activity, including your physical location, the websites you visit, and more, are hidden from the world outside. However, your information is still visible to the VPN service.
How does a VPN offer Privacy?
The most prominent feature offered by a VPN is enhanced privacy. It does this by masking your actual IP address and further replacing it with an IP from a different geo-location. As a result, the website you may be visiting may think you are in Italy, while in reality, you may be sitting in the US.
Does a VPN make you Anonymous?
When you log in through a VPN service, your information becomes visible to the VPN service itself. For instance, you use a VPN Chrome extension on your Google Chrome browser. Now, suppose you want to visit the Amazon website with the help of a VPN. Now, Amazon might think that you are sitting in a different region of the world, but the VPN service will know exactly where you are because it is the one encrypting your connection.
Furthermore, your digital footprint contributes significantly to revealing information about you on the internet. The websites you visit, transactions made, or the searches made tell what kind of a person you are. And if a person has the proper knowledge and tools, they can easily deduce who you are and where you might be.
Why Use a VPN if not for Anonymity?
While a VPN cannot make you completely anonymous, connecting through them is still the sensible thing to do. Here are a few prominent features of a VPN service:
IP Masking
The most significant benefit that a VPN offers is its ability to mask your actual IP. A VPN can easily hide your real IP address and replace it with a virtual IP address from a different region in the world. This benefit serves people who wish to access geo-restricted content remotely.
Data Encryption
A VPN can encrypt your data successfully. A VPN service should be your go-to option to prevent your data from being hacked or spied upon.
Counter to ISP Throttling
Several ISPs are often busy throttling the download speeds on certain websites. ISPs often do this to restrict the download speed on a specific website to increase it on a competitor’s website. You might not even know if your ISP is throttling internet speeds. You can avoid ISP throttling entirely if you opt for the right VPN service. As a result, you would gain access to better download speeds and avoid buffering or stuttering issues.
No Logs Policy
Almost every VPN claims to follow a strict no-logs policy. While this is not the case for several VPNs, some VPNs strictly follow a no-logs policy. A strict no-logs policy ensures that your data is not sold to third parties and you do not become a victim of spam emails or phishing scams.
Dedicated IPs
A VPN can also offer access to a dedicated IP for your online activities. A dedicated IP would mean that you will be the only one with access to a specific IP. A dedicated IP would be great for you if you need it for an organization and you need to access its servers remotely.
Internet Kill Switch
Some VPNs also offer Internet Kill Switches. An Internet Kill Switch ensures that your internet traffic remains private even when your VPN connection drops. A VPN does this by instantly terminating your internet connection once your VPN connection drops.
The Final Verdict
No matter what a VPN service may claim, it would help if you remembered that no VPN could make you anonymous. A VPN can encrypt your information and create a private environment, but anonymity is not guaranteed.