UK visitors and residents alike face digital security dangers. Between data theft, commercial data logging, and third party information acquisitions, browsing the Internet is, often, not a private experience. In most cases, the location you’re browsing from determines the online content you encounter: geographical multimedia blocks occur on a country-to-country basis, but they’re incredibly common.
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UK Internet Security In 2020
Unfortunately, the UK is often referenced as having many cybersecurity issues. As such, it also scores low when Internet-based freedoms are considered. Access to services is frequently troublesome for UK visitors—as Internet hubs located overseas often have difficulty maintaining visibility across every country.
Of course, the UK’s online privacy issues have spawned data concerns where financial information security is considered. Today’s digital world is a place of transactions, socializing, and device-to-device streaming. Device data is everywhere, as it’s inherently exchanged with online locations whenever we browse.
To help users stay safe when browsing, today’s leading cybersecurity experts have implemented cutting-edge tools that users, themselves, can operate efficiently. Among the many used, one surpasses all in terms of flexibility—and, more importantly, unwavering digital defense.
Using A VPN For UK Browsing
A lot of today’s Internet users are searching for the best VPN for the UK, as VPNs, themselves, have exploded in popularity. In the past, they were frequently considered to be niche tools wielded by tech-savvy individuals. However, VPNs have been redesigned, reimplemented, and redistributed to put users first—regardless of their technological experience.
This doesn’t mean VPNs aren’t effective security resources, of course. Today’s VPNs are, arguably, the most effective anti-data-theft tools one can use. In the UK specifically, they’re invaluable tools anyone can benefit from. But why are VPNs particularly important for UK residents, vacationers, and work travelers? We’ve listed the top reasons below.
Reason One – Avoiding Invasive Governments
The biggest advantage of virtual private networks is their ability to circumnavigate local networks—and even their restrictions. The best VPNs are available through subscription-based services. Still, these subscriptions are well worth it: Many leading VPNs are usable for as little as a few dollars per month—which is incredibly affordable when the price of potential data theft comes into consideration.
Unfortunately, the UK’s digital security issues can seriously reduce an Internet user’s privacy: Its Investigatory Powers Act, for example, allows UK governments to closely watch the data of its Internet surfers. It’s often dubbed the “Snoopers’ Charter” for this reason.
It’s survived numerous legal issues in the past, and it’ll likely persist as the UK’s broad-stroke approach to surveillance. In most cases, if not all, avoiding this unwanted access is nearly impossible. Despite this, VPNs continue to succeed in the same scenarios—as they capably ‘sidestep’ the local networks established entity survey.
Reason Two – Bypassing Multimedia Restrictions
As explored earlier, the UK hosts many digital content accessibility problems. If you intend to use the Internet via a British ISP, for example, you’ll face some difficulties with streaming entertainment media in particular. Because UK travelers frequently encounter different governments, predicting one’s overall Internet accessibility day to day is a significant challenge. But how can a VPN bypass such an issue?
Primarily, they do this by ‘tunneling’ their users through nonlocal servers. When this happens, the user’s IP address is effectively hidden from all snoopers—as it’s rerouted to another location entirely. When using a VPN server, all of your online activity will display the VPN server’s IP address in place of your own.
As such, you can simply relocate your connection to a server in a more flexible country: VPN providers have many servers to choose from—and these servers are established all over the world. In almost every scenario and almost any location, a VPN can connect you with the streaming services not currently available.
Reason Three – Avoiding ISP Data Tracking
While government data snooping is indeed a broad-reaching digital privacy issue—it still tends to target the mass population’s generic content instead of the online activity of specific users around the clock. This does indeed happen, though, depending on your connection’s location.
UK governments aren’t the only data snoopers out there; however: Internet service providers, in most cases, can also follow your Internet sessions if it so pleases. This is less common when dealing with private, home-based networks, but it can be very common in public locations that feature continuous Wi-Fi services.
Hotels are particularly risky, in these cases, as their ISPs often have restrictive requirements for public access to the Internet. This is understandable, but these restrictions also tend to extend to data snooping—to maintain close proximity to its network’s individual users.
As with government snooping, however, using a VPN is the best way to avoid this. The process is the same: Simply launch your VPN software, connect to a server location of your choice, and enjoy a completely incognito browsing session. Even though Internet service providers maintain a keen watch over their networks, they too can be avoided.
However, it should be noted that your data consumption, in general, can’t always be hidden. Even though your location’s ISP won’t be able to determine your IP address, it can still hone in on your data usage in general: The data’s source location can be changed, but it still requires an Internet connection to reach your device.
Reason Four – Being Anonymous, The Legal Way
Even though a VPN’s features effectively avoid established entities, they are indeed legal to use in the United Kingdom. Currently, no laws are forbidding the use of virtual servers when browsing the Internet. As such, you can protect your online privacy with peace of mind: You’re not doing anything illegal.
However, one factor should be considered: Your VPN service provider’s location itself.
A VPN company residing in the UK falls under the same digital laws governing its users. Because of this, they also face potential issues presented by the Investigatory Powers Act. In this scenario, there’s a chance your privacy provider might not be so private, after all.
Don’t worry, though, because there’s a simple way to avoid this problem: Simply sign up with a service provider situated in another country. Even when overseas, VPN providers still offer supreme cybersecurity resources. This means that using a VPN server’s British IP address, for example, won’t leave your information exposed if you happen to be browsing from the UK in general.
Reason Five – Bypassing Other ISP Issues
While a travel destination’s Internet service providers often create privacy issues, ISPs, in general, introduce some browsing barriers. Even if the ISP is your own, you might still find yourself facing content blocks on a service-to-service basis. In most cases, this relates to multimedia streaming, but issues also arise with online gaming accessibility—and even VoIP usability.
Your service must adhere to your location’s laws, which we already know. But each ISP also maintains client services according to its own needs and capabilities as a company. It isn’t rare to encounter the same accessibility issues because an ISP simply allocated resources elsewhere and for many reasons.
As with the other privacy concerns they present, using a VPN is a surefire way to avoid issues altogether. Even though using a VPN might slow down your Internet connection—as you’re utilizing connections abroad to browse, in general—it isn’t uncommon to hear about speed increases due to VPNs. This can happen if an ISP currently restricts, or ‘caps,’ data usage in general. By connecting with a VPN, there’s a chance you might be avoiding these unseen issues, too.
Reason Six – Travel Privacy
UK vacationers, traveling business people, and other temporary residents face a unique hurdle when they’re on the move: Wi-Fi hotspots and unsecured networks.
These Wi-Fi connection points are everywhere, existing in libraries, small shops, restaurants, and more. As we know already, public Wi-Fi networks can be dangerous to use regardless. Despite this, one of the most significant threats posed by public networks is their lightning-quick accessibility standards.
Indeed, your device might automatically connect to the public Wi-Fi networks you encounter—even if you’re simply passing through. Whether you’re stopping for lunch, shopping in town, waiting for your train, or even exploring the local mall, you’re encountering public Wi-Fi areas. Even if your smartphone doesn’t connect automatically, simply being near such areas increases the risk of encountering malicious Internet-goers.
Cybercriminals frequently peruse public networks due to their lack of security to glean as much device data as possible—even if the data is just passing by.
Minimizing Privacy Issues In The UK
Whether you’re going to the UK for a quick vacation or staying there for some time, Internet security should always be considered. Unfortunately, digital data theft exists. And it’s more common than one might think, as it costs the world approximately $6 trillion per year due to digital information theft.
Cybercriminals are incredibly prevalent, and they’re much more common in travel destinations. Hotels, shops, grocery stores, and more can quickly become dangerous destinations, digitally-speaking if you aren’t prepared. It is possible to prepare to the fullest extent, however, by using a VPN.
The most recent, feature-rich virtual server utilities are designed to counter today’s biggest threats online. Removing yourself from risky networks is always safer than relying on antivirus software to defect them directly.
Plus, most VPNs offer mobile app versions of their programs—so as to provide nonstop anonymity wherever their users go. If you’re still unsure about using a VPN, try browsing some of today’s leading providers. Most of them extend trial periods to potential users—to help them explore their VPN’s core features. If you plan to go to the UK, do so with a proactive approach to digital safety: Use a VPN, and relieve the travel stress—as it can make all the difference when traveling.
If you are interested in even more technology-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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