You guys probably noticed a new advertiser here, PureVPN. If you are like me the first time you heard about a VPN and understood what it is you probably thought, I don’t need that, I am not doing anything I want to hide. If you are like me you soon realized actually there’s a LOT I want to hide….let me explain.
First VPN stands for virtual private network. Most of you probably know that you have an IP Address and that address is how you communicate over the internet, simply put, it is unique to you at the time you are on the internet, it is usually assigned to you by your ISP.
When you access the internet everything you do is visible UNLESS the site is a secure site like your bank login and such (https is in the address bar instead of http) now that may not seem like much but have you ever noticed that if you google “new thermostat” all of a sudden you get slammed with emails offering to sell you a thermostat…..every site you go to amazon ads show you thermostats….yup they know….because you told them.
Google for example knows who you are, where you are, what you look for, when you looked for it…don’t think that info is valuable? Do you know how much the presidential campaigns pay google for that info, including who and where you are.
Moving on, Do you subscribe to Netflix? Have you ever gone to Canada on business and suddenly found that you can’t watch you favorite netflix shows because they aren’t available in Canada…yes Netflix knows where you are….
Did you ever get a threatening letter from the MPAA or the RCIAA or whoever even though you never illegally downloaded anything in your life?
Do you use skype assuming your video feed/audio feed can’t be seen/heard by anyone else….hint…it can be…
Ever used an airport, hotel or other wireless network only to find that your banking info or other logins/passwords have been hijacked?
Everything you do on the internet is visible, you are probably starting to understand that now….but what can you do about it?
That is where the VPN comes in. When you use a VPN you send everything via an encrypted data stream to the VPN, the VPN uses it’s IP Address to send your search to google and google sends the info back to the VPN which encrypts the data and sends it back to you. So google knows what you searched for but they do not know who you are, where you are or even when you searched for it (OK they could narrow down the when part a bit but you get the idea)
The VPN sits between you and everything you do on the internet and your IP address is ONLY known to the VPN.
This makes it all but impossible for someone to try to hack your computer remotely and even if you are using a public WIFI, the data is encrypted before leaving your computer, making that MUCH safer.
Because a good VPN provider allows you to choose what country you appear to be in, even if you are in Canada it would look to Netflix as though you were in the United States.
The weak link is if the VPN keeps logs of your sessions, good VPNs do not keep logs, insuring your privacy.
Hopefully you are now seeing why you probably do need a VPN. When PureVPN asked to advertise here I subscribed, I paid for it like any customer because i do not endorse any product that I would not use. For the record I still use PureVPN and will continue to. the product is good, it is just as fast as my internet connection with no data bottlenecks at all, I can use up to 5 different devices at once. and it was easy to install and it works in the background 24/7 once started, it also restarts with your computer…unless you tell it not to, so once installed you can forget about it.
It works on Windows, Apple, UNIX/Linux and Android Devices
The cost…4 bucks a month…unlimited bandwidth is worth it for the privacy…I STRONGLY recommend PureVPN and I am proud to have them as an advertiser here on mikesouth.com.
7 Responses
Makes lots of sense, as you usually do, but as I recall I think I’ve logged on in hotels, airports et al where it said something like VPN cannot be used, or I must pay extra if I use VPN. I’m not sure exactly but was something like that. I heard that corporations routinely use VPNs and I know they have lots to hide, but so do we 47 percenters ha as you correctly point out. I do use some programs that protect me from some ads but not all
I have never encountered a situation where it didnt work….that i remember anyway but if they didnt allow it thats a good indication to me that I shouldn’t use it because they are data mining me. Im not sure how they could block it anyway unless they blocked every IP address that every VPN uses that would be literally hundreds of millions. PureVPN does have 24/7 live chat support maybe i will aske em…thanks bfi
Went & peeked…Eyes glazed over, will ask the IT guy for hubby company.
Also very very important, even for regular internet usage is the no script browser extension and ghostery browser extension.
You are one of the people I thought of that might need this service the most…It would also have made a big diff for Lacey…God I miss her, she was smart, funny and as strong willed as we all are….I miss Jilted too but I do hear from him on occasion, so I know he is doing well.
A VPN is a MUST for anyone using social media to any degree
I plan on getting it as well.
All I ask is that you guys buy it from the link here om the blog, that way they know the ad is working…and it’s the same price so….It was actually nice to get this company as an advertiser. Kudos to Gonzo for helping that happen!