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Women’s Safety Online: Hiding Your Location

Stay safe from virtual predators by keeping your location safe.

The internet is a vast platform where people from all walk of life interact, access information and run business and institutions. It has closed the geographical distance among different organizations, companies, societies, and individuals.

It is the fastest and most extensive source of entertainment and accessible through any electronic devices with a computing chip from anywhere around the globe.

We use it every day and any time to learn, entertain, interact and even save lives so how does this pose as a threat to your safety? Read on.

darknet

As stated earlier, since the internet is a medium through which an unlimited number of people have excess to, it can be vulnerable for your privacy and safety. Many government institutions, business enterprises, hackers, and snoopers have access to your private information and anonymity because of the built-in flaws online, and they can be used without your knowledge or consent.

Protecting Your IP Address

You can prevent potential security and privacy by protecting your I (Internet Protocol) address which is a string of random numbers that identifies a device or computer on a TCP/IP network.

It is the number that your internet provider assigns your computer that allows you to browse anything on the internet irrespective of restrictions and locations. It is like the house number of your computer.

The function of the IP address is to deliver the message or request to the required destination, and you show the receiver about the origin of the request or the message to the target.

While the IP address is the principal route to connect you to the rest of the world, it is also the primary source from which intruders can gain access to your computer as it gives away your approximate location.

So a third party can have access to your public information and geo-locate your approximate location making your web activity traceable and potentially manipulated.

The IP tracking system came under fire when people found that these data were shared or sold to businesses to trigger the response of the customers by using strategies developed by the collective activities of internet users all over the world. This means that your identity is translated to a number and the number of actions you perform on the internet can be used to stimulate the products sold to you, the subjects that interest you and the people you interact with the most.

Networking sites and online companies can also restrict your access to a website solely based on your location. This mean, some information is purposely altered or denied to you because of your position which is given away by your IP address.

Hackers can even break into your computer and hijack your social media accounts and use it to promote illegal activities. If this happens, the IP will give away your location to the police and you could be held accountable for a crime you did not commit.

However, with more awareness of the importance of securing the IP address, any people are turning to VPN. You can protect your web activity with the help of a virtual private network (VPN) which is gaining importance as the world is dependent on the internet now more than ever.

Using a VPN Server

VPN

What a VPN is perhaps the most effective tool that you can use to secure your location and private browsing details. It works like a mediator that connects you to a website and sends a proxy IP address instead of your real one. It does the same function of a proxy server but with an encrypted connection that hides your location and the content of your message. It keeps your browsing history private, and any agencies or hackers cannot encrypt it.

There are different versions of VPN that charge minimum fees for yearly protection. There are mobile apps that offer to add double protection with strict No Logs Policy which allows you to block third parties from keeping records of your communication and Kill Switch which automatically prevents accidental leaks of your data. You can use a lightweight browser extension or a full VPN to secure every connection that interacts with your computer. This little effort is worth the security because the only detail that the internet needs is your location to find out about you.

Benefits of using a VPN account

  • Privacy: When you use a VPN to browse online, the places where you visit cannot be linked to you or the computer because the VPN will set up a proxy address. You will be able to access any website as the ISP is blocked from finding your address.
  • Security: VPN protocol are all encrypted and cannot be hacked or readable in transit so whatever you send or received is always between you and the receiver only.
  • Full Website access: Many companies block websites because of the censorship in some locations, but when they cannot find your place, they cannot block your access to any site.
  • Anonymity: When your real IP address is hidden, there is no way accessing to your actual location which makes it inaccessible to find out details of your lifestyle. The constant change in address helps you stay anonymous and protect your identity.
  • You don’t even need to switch your service provider to experience this freedom when you use the internet at home, in your office, or anywhere you go.
  • Getting a VPN does not change the way you use the internet, it just gives you better accessibility and a safer platform.
  • It does not require you to buy new equipment such as a router or a modem.
  • You can easily install the VPN provider on your laptop, phone or PC by yourself without the need to use any external hardware or an expert.
  • All the installation is done online, and the fees are barely $5 per year.

There are many different types of VPN providers that have separate plans on offer depending on the level of security and privacy you want to cover. So choose the best VPN service provider and hide your IP so that you can experience true freedom and avoid being manipulated, hacked, tracked or cheated online.

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