VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) have to be one of the most used applications by Ugandans today. It’s important to know these VPNs that spy on users internet activity and the possible dangers. Even after the internet with the exception of Facebook was restored, many got comfortable after the only way they could access the internet was through a VPN. This leaves many exposed to the dangers of relying on these virtual networks.
Also read: Easy ways on how to improve internet speed while using VPN.
Internet users rely on VPNs for various reasons however the most common are to bypass internet restrictions while others use them to protect their privacy online. As much as these networks make promises of online protection, it doesn’t make all of them secure which means that some of them are capable of keeping tabs on your browsing activity that is your login details and websites you visit.
How VPNs work is they route your internet connection provided by your internet service provider through a secure encrypted network provided by the VPN. This will change your IP address such that websites such that it masks your internet service provider from seeing your traffic. These different networks can look like different IP addresses and locations. All this while, your traffic is passing through a third party and that’s the VPN’s company server.
This is why it is possible to use VPNs that spy on users internet activity and get the full picture of your browsing behaviour, in simple terms they’ll spy on you. On the positive side, there are ways to protect yourself from VPNs that track users internet activity and we’ll take a look at those.
How to protect yourself from VPNs that spy on users internet activity.
The first thing you should know is that most VPNs that spy on users internet activity are usually free or do not come with a paid version. If the VPN lets internet users access it for free then it’s likely earning its profits from selling user data to third parties who will use them. There have been incidents in the past where it was discovered that some VPNs were spying on users and giving out their sensitive information to third parties. One of the most popular incidents is by a Facebook-owned VPN known as Onavo Protect app.
A number of other VPNs have been found to be spying on behalf of investors and developers in the past. They collected information without users knowledge which would then be given to the investors and developers.
Another way to keep yourself safe is by looking out for VPNs with no logging policies. VPNs with no logging policies are those that do not require users to give any personal details or log in to them before they can use them. These VPNs can give you total assurance that they don’t keep your personal information hence no chances of spying on you.
Look out for paid VPNs thee have proven to be more secure and have less incidents of possible spying. Some of these are NordVPN, ExpresVPN, and MozillaVPN.
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