Futurism only supports companiesthat we trust. Disconnect is one of those companies. We may collect a share of the sales from the items featured on this page.Learn about Disconnect here. Privacy in the Age of Information

Once upon a time, the internet felt like a private and obscure place. But the reality of todays cyber climate is that every move we make is traceable and, in case you werent aware, that data is a desirable commodity. Whether its for innocuous advertisement purposes or for hacking crimes, all of our clicks are watched and collected.

This is an issue that has recently been brought to the forefront of conversations, as the Federal Trade Commission recentlyruled to letproviders sell users informationas long as there is some mention of it in the contract and the user can opt outa condition thats not very helpful, as the average internet user is often unaware of their rights or the current regulations.

In reaction, more and more people are talking about virtual private networks, or VPNs.

A VPN is a software tool used to create privacy on the web. It gives people the freedom to click without being tracked by creating an encrypted and secure network connection between the users device and the server.

To break this down a bit more, service providers are able to track our every move on the web, so are people who have access to public networks (AKA hackers) and the government. A VPN essentially scrambles our requests before sending them, which means that people who have access to our activity are unable to discern what were doing. Its basically like translating a transcript into a gibberish language that no one can decode, thus providing browsers with the reliable privacy theyre entitled to.

Security is the most alluring aspect of VPNs, but leading VPN providers like Disconnectoffer more than that. Disconnect, an app compatible with iOS, Android, Windows and Mac OS X, will block trackers from third parties that are harvesting data, but Disconnect goes a step farther by letting you know what tracking requests youre receiving, whether its social media, advertising, content, or analytics. It does this because not all tracking is dangerous or beneficial to block.

Some tracking helps to enhance your web experience and other tracking helps content providers keep track of their demographics if theyve stated so in their terms of use. A little tracking is respectful and useful, and Disconnect aims to bring transparency to both sides of the track.

The app will let you know what you cant see on the web, and in addition to giving you a sense of safety online, Disconnect will also increase your browsing speed. Trackers and malware puta huge strain on your device. By blocking tracking requests, Disconnect allows your web to process faster and, in return, it increases your battery life.

Moreover, while you might not often run into issues with this, Disconnect also unblocks locked content. Whether youre trying to watch Canadian Netflix and cant get to it because your location tag is routing you towards the United States Netflix, or whether youre searching for content that is blocked in the particular country youre browsing from, you wont have any trouble finding it with Disconnect.

For only $49 you can get a lifetime subscription to Disconnect so you can rest assured knowing that youre not being followed, your identity is private, and your webis operating at top speed.

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Why You Should Never Go on the Internet Without a VPN, and How ... - Futurism