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VPN (Virtual Private Network)

Network Privacy

A private “tunnel” for your internet traffic.

Definition

A VPN encrypts your traffic to a VPN provider and can hide your IP address from websites, replacing it with the VPN’s IP.

In plain English A private “tunnel” for your internet traffic.

Why this matters

Why it matters: It helps on public Wi‑Fi and can reduce tracking by your local network, but the VPN provider can still see some data.

Example

Example: On a café Wi‑Fi, a VPN helps protect your browsing from snooping.