Many people have concerns about their privacy and security when using the internet. There have been numerous cases over the years where unscrupulous individuals may use data dumps or website breaches to access personal information, which can sometimes come at a cost if this involves financial details.
Due to this, some people find it useful to find ways to conceal their identity as much as possible. While you may still need to enter your name, address, credit card details, or passwords depending on what you are doing, you can at least mask the IP address, which often shows your location to anyone who may have access to it.
Free VPN
A free VPN download from a legitimate provider can help you to increase this privacy. Instead of showing you at your current location, it will change the IP and, therefore, where you are shown as being.
You may be able to find other VPNs for a price but, for general browsing, shopping, and working, a free VPN can give you all you need to stay safe. You can use the same VPN each time or, for additional security, change the VPN you use often, or use them in rotation. This way, if one were to stop working or become blocked, you will always have others to fall back on,
Since the usage of VPNs is legal in the United States, as long as you are not conducting illegal activity, you are free to use them at your leisure.
IP Address
The IP address that is changed within the VPN stands for Internet Provider. This is a series of numbers that are unique to your internet connection. This is how, as an example, illegal activity can be tracked back to a location.
An IP address is required to be able to access the internet, meaning you will need to have some form of address. It is the changing of this address that can be manipulated.
Whenever you use the internet, you tend to have the same IP address. This can potentially change should you change the service provider who hosts your internet.
Other Ways to Increase Security
There are also other ways you can increase your security and privacy when using the internet. A good quality virus detection and prevention software can help remove any potential tracking or keylogging bugs from your system.
On top of this, the passwords you use for websites can help retain your privacy. Using the same password for all the resources you use can make it quite easy for them to become compromised. Due to this, it is imperative that you use a different password for any sites or applications that you use.
Keeping your privacy is not just something that needs to be considered in the real world. By making your browsing and other internet activity secure, you can help prevent a higher fallout from data breaches, and have a bit more anonymity.