Why Should Everyone Use a VPN? Here’s Why I Recommend Them
This page contains affiliate links. If you sign up through one of these links, EasyMedOnline may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it doesn’t change your price.
I’ve Coded at the OS Level Since CP/M — Here’s What That Taught Me About Internet Pirates
I’ve been a systems integrator since the CP/M and early DOS days, coding at the operating system level all the way up through Windows servers and workstations. That gives you a different view of the internet than most people get — you see exactly how much is happening under the hood, constantly, whether you’re actively doing anything or not.
I’m going to explain it the way I explain everything — plain language, no jargon wall. A lot of technical people struggle to do that; I think it’s how they were taught, not how they think. If you’re one of the people out there trying to grab someone’s information without asking — consider this article written specifically to make your job harder. That’s the whole point of it.
Your Computer Is Talking to the Internet Right Now — Even If You’re Not
Most people think “using the internet” means having a browser open. It doesn’t work that way, and hasn’t for a long time. Your operating system — Windows, macOS, whatever your phone runs — is checking in constantly: looking for updates, syncing settings, reporting how it’s running. Every app you’ve ever installed does some version of the same thing: checking for its own updates, syncing your data to the company’s servers, sometimes reporting how you’re using it.
None of that is necessarily sinister on its own — a lot of it is genuinely for your benefit, like security patches. But it means your device has far more open conversations happening with the outside world than most people realize, all day, every day. Every one of those conversations is a moment where something could go wrong, or where someone could be listening in.
Meet the Internet Pirates
Here’s who’s actually out there, in plain terms:
- Your internet provider (ISP) — they can see every site you visit unless your traffic is encrypted, and in many cases they’re allowed to sell that browsing history.
- Anyone sharing your WiFi network — the clubhouse, a coffee shop, a hotel. On an open or poorly secured network, your traffic can potentially be intercepted by someone else on that same network.
- Corporations gathering data through apps and websites — every account you create, every app you install, is potentially collecting information about you to sell to advertisers.
- Remote screen and keyboard readers — malicious software that watches what’s on your screen or logs what you type, usually installed after someone is tricked into downloading something they shouldn’t have.
- Email-based scams — fake emails designed to either steal your login info directly or trick you into installing something malicious.
What a VPN Actually Kills
A VPN takes out a real chunk of that list — the ones that depend on watching your connection itself. Once it’s on, your ISP can’t see which sites you’re visiting anymore. Anyone else on a shared WiFi network can’t intercept your traffic. Your general location becomes much harder to pin down. That covers the ISP, the WiFi snoopers, and a good deal of the location/IP-based tracking corporations rely on. That’s a serious amount of the exposure most people are carrying around every single day, gone.
What It Doesn’t Kill — And How to Handle That Part Yourself
I’m not going to tell you a VPN stops everything — that’s exactly the kind of oversimplified claim that gets people in trouble later. Remote screen and keyboard readers are a different animal. They get installed directly on your device, so they’re already watching before anything even reaches your internet connection. A VPN encrypts the road; it can’t do anything about a thief who’s already inside the house.
The good news: how these get onto your device is almost always the same, and it’s avoidable once you know what to watch for.
- Never install “remote support” software because someone called or emailed you first. If you didn’t initiate the contact with a company you already know and trust, it’s not real support — it’s someone trying to get onto your screen.
- Only download apps from the official app store or the real company’s own website — never from a link in an email, a pop-up, or a search ad that looks slightly off.
- A pop-up saying “your computer has a virus, click here” is the virus. Close it, don’t click anything inside it, and don’t call any phone number it gives you.
- Keep real antivirus software running — this is the tool built specifically to catch what’s already on the device, which is a job a VPN was never designed to do.
Which One I Actually Recommend
I recommend NordVPN specifically because it’s one app that works the same simple way across your phone, tablet, and computer — you sign in once and it just runs quietly in the background. No technical setup, no settings to fuss with. There are several plan lengths available; a longer commitment brings the monthly cost down, so it’s worth checking current pricing and picking whatever fits your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a VPN stop someone from remotely watching my screen?
No. That kind of software gets installed directly on your device, so it’s already watching before your internet connection is even involved. A VPN protects your connection, not your device — that’s what antivirus software and safe download habits are for.
What’s the difference between a VPN and antivirus software?
A VPN protects the connection between your device and the internet — hiding your traffic from your ISP and anyone on the same network. Antivirus protects what’s already on your device from malicious software. You genuinely want both; they cover different jobs.
Why does my computer keep using the internet when I’m not doing anything?
Your operating system and most of your installed apps regularly check in for updates and sync data in the background, even when you’re not actively using them. This is normal, but it’s part of why so much of your activity is exposed without you realizing it.