Because I want to be able to use the internet and not be tracked / marketed to.
Example, right now my wife is going through a health scare. Google does not need to know that it’s “this” IP. Learned the lesson a few years ago that we will start to see ads for medicines, treatments, and snake oil after researching things.
No fucking thank you.
I don’t want my ISP, carrier or government to snoop on me
Bypass censorship, privacy from isp in censorship nation.
My ISP is dumb and blocks a lot of websites for no good reason, such as archive.org. Getting around geo restrictions comes in handy from time to time.
In order for me
Privacy
Security
Torrent’s
Getting access to region locked content on services I already pay for and gps spoofing on android are just bonuses
to access my home services.
I work and live in China. I just need a simple Google search, WhatsApp and some tech sites - My GOD this is stupidity at a new level - but, it’s what it is…
Geolocation and just general privacy. Our data being scraped today and sitting in an unused database is eventually going to be used for something we probably can’t even imagine today. So, might as well protect myself from the unknown for $3/month.
Most ISPs monitor and sell your browsing habits, so using a VPN with custom DNS can prevent that. Also, pirating can lead to legal troubles or your ISP disconnecting your service, so I route all pirating traffic through a VPN.
The UK and possibly all of the “5 eyes” countries require all ISPs to record all internet activity of their users for at least a year. I’m not comfortable with this level of surveillance, despite not doing anything illegal.
Also just general internet marketing has become so invasive it feels like a necessity to use the internet normally.
Since I started using a VPN and Brave browser plus their search engine the internet seems like a different place rather than an echo chamber trying to sell stuff to you.
Final point, any public WiFi, you should be using a VPN. While generally most internet traffic is encrypted these days, you are still susceptible to man in the middle attacks.
In my country they censor all the porn and torrent sites.
Are all VPN services the same? There is a lot of marketing to convince you to pay a premium price.
Torrents I download for my Plex.
Some services that are limited to use only 5 times per day (free Dall-e) so I switch my IP in 10sec and can use those 5 requests again.
Protect myself from ISP while downloading stuff and also geo restrictions when it comes to streaming services. Sometimes you get different prices on services or products based on your location.
I’m using tailscale everyday to reach my self hosted services without exposing them.
Private laptop, company WiFi.
When I connect to random networks
Geo restrictions as an expat, working abroad
The main reason I’m using a VPN is to enhance my online privacy and security. A VPN encrypts my internet connection, protecting my personal data from hackers and third parties, especially on public Wi-Fi networks. Additionally, it allows me to access geo-restricted content and maintain anonymity while browsing. This added layer of security ensures my digital footprint remains private and my internet activities are safeguarded.
Access geo-restricted content, change your IP address to keep more private online, online security, avoid ISP throttling, and potentially secure cheaper hotels and airfares when traveling. Access all streaming libraries in nearly any country. The list goes on. 