5 reasons why you absolutely should keep your browsing habits secret

There has been much written about privacy and secrecy online. There is barely a week that goes by without hearing of an organization that has suffered a security breach. For individuals, we might want to consider why and how we might keep our browsing habits a secret? 

How to Keep Your Browsing Habits Secret

There are different methods of concealing your behavior and identity online. The simplest being the use of private browsing tabs, these can be OK for some limited use. However, they do not offer a great deal of real security. My preferred method of concealing my identity and presence online is the use of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), this masks your true IP address and portrays an alternative one.

The use of a VPN can allow you to work and browse as anonymously as you like. We must use a reputable and reliable VPN provider, and many free options often come packaged with a browser. I prefer to use NordVPN, which is an excellent and professional provider.

It is More Common than Ever

You may think this is for tech geeks and those on the fringes of society. But this is not true as it is more common than ever to make use of a VPN. NordVPN alone has over 8 million users, and with such a large user-base the company has the resources to provide quick and efficient tech support.

It Works

One criticism of many VPN providers, especially free ones, is that the download and streaming speeds are not sufficient to allow internet use. I’ve certainly not found this with mine. I can easily achieve speeds of up to 155 Mbps when accessing some European content, which is more than adequate for my needs.

Protect Your Identity

You can protect your identity when communicating online. I chose NordVPN as they promise to keep no logs of my internet activity. For me, this is so that I can avoid being hit with targeted advertising and being bothered by spam. But for some, it can more serious that they browse without scrutiny. Take the example of those living under an oppressive regime where a particular religious community is illegal, or they are persecuted for their sexuality. Many countries monitor their citizens use to find and punish these people.

Access Foreign Content

I love using my VPN to access foreign content, usually unavailable in my region. Often this is to view sporting events that are not on TV back home. But one fascinating feature is when I log into Netflix from another virtual location. It’s amazing to see what viewers in the UK, Australia, or Belgium see compared to the US version.

It’s Very Affordable

As previously mentioned, there are free VPN apps out there. I’ve tried a few of them and can honestly say that the poor performance has led me to conclude that a paid-for VPN is the way to go. It’s not that much to subscribe as my NordVPN plan works out at only $3.71 per month.

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Editors’ Recommendations:

• Avast’s free antivirus software has been secretly sending your browsing data to advertisers
• 11 effective ways to use the internet
• Facebook and Google know exactly what porn you watch – even if you use incognito mode
• This fun project from Mozilla really screws with online advertiser tracking