VPNs are a great way for you to hide your internet activity and make it invisible to the Internet Service Provider or the rest of the world. This is one of the best ways you can hide from prying eyes and prevent being tracked. However, since all traffic is routed through a VPN server, does a VPN service have the ability to monitor individual users’ internet activity?
Can internet traffic and activity be tracked
Every internet traffic is encrypted and routed through a VPN server. This keeps hackers, ISPs, and the public away from it. However, a VPN service can monitor all internet activity as the company has complete control over the VPN server and can see all traffic.
It is vital to understand what internet activities a VPN service can monitor. VPN services can log and monitor your connection information. This information could include your IP address and website address. It may also include the time of connection and data transfer. These data are usually anonymous and generally aggregated, so they don’t reveal much about you.
Logging usage and traffic can also be used to monitor internet activity in depth. These logs often contain detailed information about user connections. Along with general information, data is also collected on files downloaded, sites visited, locations, protocols and times. Also, the user’s online behavior and search terms are monitored. This monitoring is often a business model for free VPNs.
Selling your data is the business model of Free VPNs
You can say that there is nothing for free. However, you have to pay for it in some other way. This applies to free VPNs. Free VPNs do not log or monitor your internet activity. Instead, their business model is to sell your data on to third parties, collectors and advertisers. Their service is free and allows you to monitor all your internet activity, track you online, and then sell that data to advertisers so they can target you on the internet.
Free VPN apps can be so malicious they can control your phone. They could have access to media files, private messages and any other data stored on it. Free VPNs should be avoided at all costs. But if they are available, what?
Strict no-log policy VPNs do not monitor internet activity
Many VPNs claim they have a strict no log policy. They do not log or monitor internet activity of VPN users to address the problem of internet activity monitoring. This sounds fantastic, but the truth is quite different.
Although some commercial VPNs advertise the no-log policy, it is not a feature. While some VPNs claim to have a no-logging policy they actually log some information.
The best VPNs that do not monitor internet traffic were included on a strict list of no-log VPNs. Each VPN was required to pass an independent audit that verified no-logging claims. Only trusted VPNs protect your internet activity and don’t keep any logs.
Why is it important to keep your internet activity secret
You have a few reasons to keep your internet activity secret. VPN makes it possible to access restricted content anywhere on the internet. Therefore, anyone can see what VPN users do online and what files they download. This protects you from trackers, advertisers, and governments from tracking your online activity. It also hides torrenting traffic.
Strong encryption is what a VPN uses to protect your browsing and make it impossible for others to spy on you. A VPN can also prevent your ISP’s bandwidth throttle, making it easier to browse and download faster.
Final thoughts
A VPN service can log and monitor all internet activity on the server, as well as hiding traffic from ISPs, governments, hackers, and the rest of society. Free VPNs that sell data to advertisers or third parties are popular for monitoring. NordVPN is a commercially reputable VPN that is trustworthy and reliable. It has no log and no monitoring policies, which were verified by an independent audit. VPN can protect you from snooping and provide security. It may also prevent bandwidth throttling.
