A virtual private network (VPN) is technology that allows you to create a private connection over a less private network by creating an encrypted tunnel between your computer and the internet.  You can install a VPN just like you would any other app or program on your smartphone or computer.  A VPN can let you get around censorship in your country or access geo-restricted media content from another country and prevents your internet service provider from being able to intrude on your privacy by snooping on your web browsing.  VPNs do this by allowing you to appear as though you’re connecting from a different location or country.

A VPN is great for anyone using public, unprotected Wi-Fi, such as what’s offered in airports, bars or coffee shops.  Your VPN protects your sensitive information from being seen by malicious actors who trawl public Wi-Fi networks.  It isn’t just hackers that can steal your private information.  Large corporations also take your private data and sell it on to advertising companies.  When you browse the internet while on a VPN, your computer will contact the website through your VPN’s encrypted connection.  The VPN will then forward the request for you and forward the response from the website back through its secure connection.