Is it safe to use a VPN on your phone?
VPNs or “virtual private networks” can be safely used on phones, but there are risks if you don’t choose a good, reliable VPN service. We explain how the VPN app on your phone works, the legal implications of using it, and everything you need to know about pairing phones with VPNs.
VPNs add an extra layer of security to your internet connection, wanting to use such a service on your phone makes sense. After all, we increasingly rely on mobile devices as our primary connection to the world around us, whether it’s through social media, email or messages from colleagues.
We’ll tell you what you need to know about using a VPN safely on your phone, as well as how to choose the best VPN to use on your phone or tablet.
Is it safe to use a VPN on your phone?
The short answer is yes – using a VPN on your phone is completely safe. That is, as long as you choose a trustworthy app. A quality VPN app will allow you to change the server through which you connect to the Internet, in effect masking your location. You can access content that is blocked in certain regions or maintain a certain level of privacy online.
So, if a VPN is designed to make your internet connection more secure, what risks can a VPN carry?
- Scams with fake VPNs
- VPNs that record your data
- VPNs selling your data to advertising companies
- Significantly reduced browsing speed
The main problem is simple – you need to trust the VPN provider itself to take care of your data. You also need to be sure that the app you are using is a real VPN and not a scam per se.
Ironically, many Internet hackers make their money by scamming those who work the hardest to avoid being scammed. This means consumers should be wary of free antivirus installers, fake pop-up alerts, and VPN software.
Even true VPNs can employ some pretty shady practices, such as monitoring browsing data or selling it to advertising partners. For example, you may be bombarded with unwanted ads while using the service.
In addition, a poor quality VPN can cause horrific connection slowdowns. By its nature, a VPN has an impact on browsing speed. However, the best VPN services (paid ones, of course) invest to make sure their speed impact is as minimal as possible.
Always check and re-check your VPN provider before investing yourself in one, and only use ones you trust.
Our research found that NordVPN is an excellent choice thanks to its easy-to-use interface and powerful features.
Are VPNs safe to use to work on your phone?
VPNs have recently become very popular for personal use, but in fact, the technology was mainly used in businesses until recently. The ability to secure data is very useful for companies that want to increase their security, especially in the face of a pandemic because of which a large percentage of employees work from home.
In short, VPNs are safe for businesses even if you use them on your phone, but you need to make sure they’re configured correctly. You’ll need to make sure you install the VPN with the help of your IT department, so you can reap the benefits of a centralized, focused security strategy. Basically, it’s not about telling your employees to just download any VPN they can find on the internet, especially since there are some not-so-secure options.
Fortunately, most VPN providers offer some sort of business plan that allows you to manage accounts, centralize billing, and generally track the security of your entire company, no matter where your team works from.
Why companies should use VPNs on phones?
Looking at it soberly, the average company won’t need a VPN on their employees’ phones. Business VPNs tend to be geared more towards actual work devices, such as desktops and laptops, as these are often where users actually do their work.
However, if security is very important in your business and you want to make sure that every possible piece of your data is protected, it might be a good idea to put a VPN on your employees’ phones. They can protect company email accounts from hacking and allow employees to access sensitive data when they’re away from the office.
Especially if your business uses video chat and voice apps such as Google Hangouts or Discord, it is strongly recommended that you check out a WebRTC VPN. What is WebRTC? WebRTC is a technology for video chat and voice apps that can occasionally cause security leaks.
How to choose a VPN safe for your phone
A VPN encrypts the data that leaves your internet-connected device, giving you the benefits of a private network even when you’re using a public network.
As a result, you’ll be able to access websites and services that are geographically blocked in certain regions, avoid scammers impersonating Wi-Fi on unsecured coffee shop networks, and hide your own IP address, giving your search history more anonymity . VPNs work whether you have a desktop, laptop or cell phone.
For mobile devices, the VPN must be in the form of an app. Here’s how to protect your phone:
Contact your favorite VPN service to make sure they offer a mobile app.
Download – The Apple App Store contains VPN apps for the iPhone’a or iPad, and there is a Google Play store on Android phones. Use only the official Google Play store for Android, as alternative app stores may contain malicious or untested apps.
Install it – you then need to create an account and may need to agree to certain permissions or specify the region from which you want to view. For a paid VPN service, you’ll also need to provide payment details
Check the icon in the status bar at the top of your phone screen – if the VPN app is running, you should see a wrench icon on Android or a VPN icon on iOS.
This is how the process of installing a VPN on your phone works. But don’t start installing the app yet – there are potential risks if you choose the wrong service.
Is it legal to use a VPN on your phone?
Yes, using a VPN on a mobile device is legal. At least in most countries.
Everything that would be illegal without a VPN is still illegal when you use one, so don’t buy drugs, don’t stalk anyone. or torrent copyrighted material
People in the U.S. or U.K. can enjoy the legally obvious. Several countries – Iraq, North Korea or Belarus – do not allow VPNs, and several others – China, Turkey, Russia and the United Arab Emirates – restrict VPN use.
However, even if you follow the letter of the law, you should keep a few caveats in mind. First, everything that would be illegal without a VPN is still illegal when you use it, so don’t buy drugs, stalk anyone. nor torrent copyrighted material
Furthermore, using a VPN to watch a YouTube video or a geo-blocked series on Netflix is against the company’s terms and conditions. It can’t take legal action against you, but it definitely has the right to ban you from their service if it ties your account to attempts to access them via VPN. It’s unlikely, but Netflix has the right to ban you.