Are VPNs fully secure when it comes to making you anonymous online? A lot of you might have this question at the back of your mind about whether a VPN hides your PC from Google or only works on websites that you visit. The question is legit, as there are several things that users still need to learn about how a VPN works.
More importantly, users are concerned about whether a VPN can hide information from Google. A company that offers all the possible services related to the internet and is practically always taking notes of your usage pattern.
In this post, let us take a look at things a VPN can hide and things that are out of its control to understand how exactly a VPN works when it comes to service providers like Google. Without further ado, let’s begin!
What Can a VPN Do to Keep You Anonymous
While using a virtual private network to create a line of defense online, you should be aware of two things –
- How Exactly Does A VPN Work?
- What Are Its Limitations?
If you know the answer to these two questions, half of your confusion related to whether a VPN is enough to keep you anonymous online will be resolved instantly!
When it comes to understanding the functioning of a VPN, it is quite similar to going undercover without getting noticed. When you connect using a virtual private network, you convert your existing IP address into a spoofed one that originates from a dedicated server created to bounce off queries of websites. Whenever you visit a website, it takes your IP address to identify key details about the connection that you have established. These details include –
- Your geographical location
- Your connection type
- Your device information
- Your prior searches and visited websites
- Your identification
With the help of a VPN, you can hide all this information from a website you visit. That is because, thanks to a VPN server, your IP address is changed to a random sequence of numbers that corresponds to a remote location. This means your location, previous data, and searches are all hidden, and only the things you do while staying connected to the VPN are shown.
On the other hand, if we talk about the limitations of a VPN, there are a few areas where it may not be useful. For instance –
1. Your activity on a website – While it may be able to hide your online activity from your ISP or someone trying to track you, things you do on a website while you are connected to a VPN can still be watched by the website owner. Sure, they may not be able to identify you exactly, but they have options to block your current IP and stop you.
The best example is how Netflix flags VPN IP addresses and stops them from streaming.
2. Manually entered information – If you are using a VPN and at the same time using your original name and email address, there is no point in it, considering you are giving away the information. It is advised that to achieve anonymity to its full extent, you try using a pseudonym.
3. Save your PC from online threats – While you may not be the target of an attacker, an infected website will affect your PC no matter what IP you are on. After all, you, in the end, are interacting with the threat. Keep in mind that a VPN may assist in keeping your identity secure from a stranger but that does not mean that the spoof IP you use is free of any issues. It just diverts it through another IP.
For instance, if you end up clicking on a virus or a data hack link while staying connected to a VPN, it will still hurt you in the long run.
These three things make it clear what a VPN hides and does not when you are connected.
This leaves us with the question of the hour. How does a VPN work when it comes to Google services? Well, the answer to that is similar to what you have read so far – the VPN can hide anything you browse after connecting to a VPN. However, if you are on a service, for instance, the maps, you may be required to use your original location for navigation. Similarly, you may be required to use your original email address while browsing YouTube or any other service for the same.
What Can Be Done to Stay Anonymous While Using Google Services
Well, clearly the issue does not lie in the IP address but in the way of usage. You may be required to create a pseudo name and email address while using a VPN to stay completely anonymous online, as 100% anonymity is a myth today. Use a VPN that offers you rock-solid encryption, as you do not want your data to leak during a VPN tunnel connection failure.
We recommend you go for the Systweak VPN client as it offers much to offer. Download it today to make the most of your online snooping experience. That brings us to the end of this post. Hope you now have a clear picture of what happens when you use a VPN while using Google services. If you have any doubts, feel free to reach out. Thanks for reading, good luck!
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