India has been hitting cybersecurity headlines recently, with their new proposed legislation regarding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and data usage. A new directive of the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will require that VPN service providers maintain all customer data for five years.
Understandably, this news has been received with mixed reactions by both residents of the country and VPN service providers, leading us to question whether there is a right or wrong here – and who exactly is benefitting from this. Will this law result in a total loss of privacy for the users – which will negate one of the most important unique selling points of such services?
Why VPNs are critical for consumers
Ultimately, the purpose of a VPN is to protect a user when online. Whether you’re browsing the web at home or using a public Wi-Fi network, your activity is visible to your internet service provider (ISP), search engines, government agencies, social media sites, and other websites you choose to visit. Even in private mode, your device’s IP address can still be visible, which provides your approximate geolocation.
India’s tech ministry is proposing that their new measures will help with cybersecurity measures, as incident response teams will be better equipped to deal with data breaches. How true this is remains to be seen. However, we do know that for the individual consumer, a VPN such as RAV VPN is highly recommended as one of the best ways to truly protect your privacy and anonymity.
Here’s why:
- VPN software conceals your online identity, using encryption technology to secure your connection. Your ISP won’t be able to see or track your activity while you are using it.
- If you tend to use public Wi-Fi, a VPN is a key element of cybersecurity, offering you protection from hackers and other threat actors. Without a VPN, all your online activity is potentially visible to cyber criminals, who can track and steal your data by intercepting your traffic on public Wi-Fi hotspots.
- Aside from cyber threats, there’s the added benefit that you can access geo-blocked content. Whether it’s for entertainment purposes such as TV shows and films, or for news sources outside of your current location, a VPN will enable you to enrich your online experience.
- Due to ongoing effects of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, many people are still working remotely – meaning that companies need to be even more careful about how employees are connecting to servers, and from where. A VPN in this instance can help businesses protect their network, and stay secure.
- The beauty of a VPN is it’s so easy to use – once you have downloaded a version compatible with your device, you can browse away to your heart’s content!
As with anything else, when it comes to choosing your VPN and payment plan, make sure you pick one that works for you.
So whether your motivations are to stay cyber secure, or because you want to relax this Memorial Day weekend with some online entertainment – you won’t regret the VPN advantages!
