Internet Privacy Is Hard to Come By...Unless You Use a VPN.

In case you don’t know it already, there is no such think as internet privacy. Why? Because there’s always someone who knows what you’re up to on when you’re online. That’s the main reason why everyone might want to start using a VPN—and soon. A person or an organization could (without you knowing it) see what websites you visit, deny you access to their website, create a profile of you based on your activity, find out where you live and even hack into your network. They can do it when your home and it can also happen when you’re at an airport, a hotel or coffeehouse. How? They’re able to do it because they see and know your IP address. That is where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) comes into play. It hides your IP address and from there it works like magic: Wondering why anyone would track your online activities is a question worth exploring, and we do that in this article. However, the pressing question you should also be asking is “how do they do it?” Let’s talk a little more about your IP address. An IP address is unique digital address that identifies (and is linked to) a device connected to the internet. Every time you’re online, your computer broadcasts an IP address, which can be seen by any website or other device you connect with. The people behind those other devices and websites can monitor your activity (past or present) if they know your IP address. Your IP address, which is assigned to you by the network you’re on, is public. Think of it as sending a package to someone at their mailing address and including your return address. It’s along the same lines, only digitally. Want to see? Your IP address is visible right here on our website homepage. Here’s where it gets interesting—by examining your IP address, someone of the other end of the online connection whether an email, a website, retailer (Amazon, etc.) or a retail store can get information on your connection, because it’s public information. If you’re at home, that’s likely the IP address connected and assigned to you by your internet service provider (ISP). That’s how the outside world knows when you’re online. When you visit a website, or email someone or play online games from home, your IP address is active and knowable to the websites you’re visiting. Here are the ways people on the internet can get your IP address . Choose the Right VPN Effortlessly with Our Tool! First, let’s get back to people tracking or monitoring you online. While that’s true to an extent (and we’ll soon explain why), that doesn’t mean that… For nearly all of us that’s not the case. Sure, the above instances are true for some people sometimes in some countries…but that’s a small percentage. Some individuals (journalists, politicians, activists, etc.) have very strong motivations to use a VPN and protect their privacy. Even if you’re not on someone’s bad list, there are still others who want to know what you’re up to online. Fact is, there are plenty of people that want to know what websites you’re visiting now and then, or what kind of data you’re sending over the internet. (See what you can find out if you were to look up someone’s IP address .) We have an entire library of articles on VPNs, all written in easy-to-understand language, that will tell you more about the privacy and security a VPN offers. Go to our home page and click the “ VPNs” tab. Here are a few things you should know as your learning about and considering opening a VPN account: If you need more convincing, read our enlightening article on why you should use a VPN . WhatIsMyIPAddress.com figured out a solution for choosing the VPN that’s right for you. It’s called the VPN Simplifier ™ . Simply decide what’s most important for you when you’re online and see your top VPN choices. All recommended VPNs are highly reviewed.