7 VPN myths and reasons to start using it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Do you want to use the Internet for real, without restrictions, freely and as securely as possible? It's time for you to discover VPN. Recently, our lawmakers find fault with this technology, calling it almost a tool of terrorists and enemies of the people. Because of this, as well as the inherent “hacking” atmosphere of Internet security, a lot of myths have formed around VPNs that need to be dispelled.

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. The virtual network is called because there is no need to pull wires for it to work. It works on top of the already existing World Wide Web. The word "private" is more correct to understand as closed, that is, inaccessible to outsiders.

VPN hides your identity and true location, protects the data you transmit and receive, makes accessible websites, online stores and services that are closed to or within Russia.

Lifehacker's editors have been using HideME.ru's VPN for several years, and therefore the article will contain a little bit of advertising for this wonderful service.

Myth 1: the average person doesn't need a VPN

Still as needed. Internet censorship is increasing, the list of sites blocked by Roskomnadzor is growing. Many foreign online stores and services are still closed to residents of Russia. When you start using a VPN now, you can immediately:

• go to torrent trackers and other sites blocked by Roskomnadzor;
• go to foreign sites and services that are inaccessible to residents of other countries;
• access Russian sites and services inaccessible in other countries while abroad;
• buy quality goods at low prices in foreign online stores that are inaccessible to residents of Russia;
• do not be afraid of spying on what you do on the Internet.

Myth 2: VPN is for criminals and I have nothing to hide

We don't live in glass-walled houses or walk naked down the street. If a person wants to leave something hidden from outsiders, then this is not necessarily a bomb or other threat to the state and its citizens. Personal life and space are therefore called personal. Would you like your frank correspondence with your beloved person to become public? This applies to both financial and information security in general.

VPN allows you to reliably protect all data transmitted and received on the Internet, guaranteeing privacy, security of payment, service and other information that can become a threat to you or other people in the hands of intruders.

Myth 3: VPNs can get jailed

There is no article in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation that penalizes the use of VPN. Many mission-critical systems, including government, banking, and corporate networks, are powered by virtual private networks. Anyone can use a VPN, no one will jail anyone for it.

They are not being judged for using a VPN, but for cybercrimes that people commit using a VPN to hide their activities and cover their tracks. The very fact that VPNs are used by criminals is an excellent argument for the reliability and efficiency of this technology.

Myth 4: if necessary, they will find me anyway

This is only partially true and only for Russian VPNs. If you really have done something serious, then you will most likely be looked for and found. If a VPN provider is located in Russia, then it's easy to come to him and get the necessary information, but with foreign VPNs, everything is different.

Foreign VPNs are subject to the laws of other countries and transfer user information only by a local court decision. Each provider has its own rules and procedures, but to understand how fiercely a particular VPN service protects the anonymity of its users, you need to dig into its history.

If the company is very young, then the risk certainly increases. If the VPN is already several years old, then you need to look at the precedents. For almost 10 years of work, HideME.ru has not registered cases when information about a user would be transferred to another state, and this inspires confidence. British Honduras, now called Belize, has very pleasant laws.:)

Myth 5: all VPNs leak user data

Any business is created in order to make money. VPN as a service is also a business that needs money for equipment, maintenance, and employee salaries. Where can I get funds for the maintenance of the service? If a VPN is paid, then everything is clear, but where do free VPNs come from? Usually, services that do not take money from users are very reluctant to talk about how they make money.

Remember the story with the Hola service. The free and very popular service was convicted of selling its users' data to third-party organizations. And this case is not the only one. Often, free services do not even hide the transfer of information to third parties, because freebies dull vigilance. Users do not read the terms of service and do not ask questions.

Paid VPNs are not interested in selling data, as they value their users and reputation.

Myth 6: VPN is expensive

VPN allows you to achieve an acceptable level of security with minimal cost, using the resources of the already existing World Wide Web. This makes VPN as a service extremely cheap and not at all affordable. For example, with an annual subscription, HideME.ru costs 143 rubles per month.

The issue with the convenience of payment is solved by the right approach to choosing a VPN service provider. If the VPN is focused on the Russian market, it probably supports not only universal bank cards, but also more specialized payment methods (WebMoney, Yandex. Money), which are relevant in Russia and the CIS countries. For the paranoid, there is often a completely anonymous payment through terminals and cryptocurrencies.

Myth 7: VPN is difficult and only available to geeks

As stated above, modern VPN as a service is a business. To increase profits, businesses need more users. To have more users, the service should be as accessible and easy to understand as possible.

A modern VPN is a piece of cake. If you can enter your username and password on the site, then you can set up a VPN on your computer, laptop, smartphone and tablet. Moreover, you don't have to pay at all to get to know the technology. The same HideME.ru provides free daily access with the ability to independently test everything and make sure of the convenience and quality.

1. Go to the HideME.ru website in the VPN section.
2. Click on the "Try for free" button.
3. Enter the email to which the access key will be sent.
4. Return to the VPN section and download the program for Windows or select your operating system or device at the top of the page.
5. Everything! You have a VPN configured. Try it, test it, measure the speed, and so on.

If you liked everything, then we buy a suitable subscription (the longer the subscription, the cheaper). If something does not work out, then we write to the support service. Pay attention to the opinions of users about HideME.ru on the VPNList expert site. Almost every review mentions the great work of the support team. Efficiency and quality of support is especially important for newbies.

We hope this article will help you discover a free and secure internet with a VPN.