Looking for privacy online though a private VPN service is becoming a topic of conversation. Those who don't know what they're talking about write it off as something that perverts and criminals need to keep the government or their loved ones out of their business.

This, however, couldn't be further from the truth.

Most people don't realize that what we do leaves a trail of footprints on the internet, and though this information might not affect us today, it may in the future. Virtually nothing is deleted from the internet unless you go in and specifically do so, so that blog you started when you were 17 is probably still hanging around somewhere. Were you angry about something, wrote a post in haste, then forgot about it? Someone could still find it, and follow the trail back to you, especially if you're still using the same email address.

And what about our Google searches? What about that medical condition you think you may have and may affect your ability to get medical insurance? Do you think that your future insurance company might want to find out about that? If you're a member of online forums, post comments, or start to develop an online profile based on your monthly searches on Google, there are ways this information can be leaked.

But these are just examples of how perfectly normal people can benefit from privacy online. Privacy online is not about hiding criminal activity - it's about keeping what should be private out of the hands of those that want access to that data.

Though a private VPN service is not all that you will need to achieve 100% anonymity online, it can help a lot.

VPN Service Providers

A private VPN hides your IP address, which is the number one way to find out who and where you are. Your IP address gives away which ISP you use, and your physical location. Once someone has that, it's not far of a leap to get your personal email, personal mailing address, telephone number, and whatever other data is attached to your ISP account.

So hiding your IP address from the public is a big step in protecting your online identity.

A private VPN service is a private network of servers that gives you exclusive access. With the proper keys to access a "VPN tunnel", your data is then encrypted and sent to the VPN server to be decrypted, and then assigned a new IP address with which to browse the net.

Sounds something like a proxy, right?

In some ways, you're correct. A 3rd party server is used to mask your IP and provide a virtual springboard to the internet. But a VPN protects your whole computer, giving you a more comprehensive kind of privacy. Unlike with proxies, VOIP calling software, games, applications, and other programs that make use of the internet also make use of the virtual IP assigned by the VPN. It's no wonder that this is the technology of choice for international businesses and educational institutions.

But individuals can make use of this kind of privacy software as well. For smartphones, laptops, and home computers you don't even need any extra hardware to get a VPN connection set up. All that's needed is to choose an online service, and follow their setup instructions.