Categories: Privacy

Net Neutrality is Dead: Here’s What That Means For You

Last December, the FCC repealed net neutrality rules that had been set in February 2015. In its distilled essence, the death of net neutrality now means that your internet service provider (ISP) doesn’t need to treat all of your online activities in the same manner. Providers now have the option to charge more for certain services they deem more extensive, such as streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. Or, create bundles for different services as ISPs in Portugal currently do with their packages.

However, you can still take back the power with virtual private network solutions (VPNs), such as dfndr vpn to make your data private and prevent ISPs from discriminating against you and the services they will or won’t offer.

You can imagine VPNs as private tunnels that encrypt your data from your computer to its end-point to prevent individuals and companies from seeing exactly what websites and services you are utilizing.

Let’s say that you decide to visit to visit your favorite social networking website. In a normal circumstance, your computer or phone would send out a request to that social network’s server; this request can be seen by others snooping on the network or private internet providers. Without net neutrality, ISPs can decide if they want to charge more for certain types of traffic.

But, if you use a VPN to visit your social networking site, all of it remains hidden. Your computer takes your website request and encrypts it. This request is then ‘tunneled’ to another location where it is fulfilled. Finally, the resulting information is then encrypted and sent back to you. What’s encryption exactly? Well, the entire process hides your activities from anyone keeping a close eye on your connection.

Proper VPN solutions should also have privacy protocols that prioritize your confidentiality. dfndr vpn, for instance, doesn’t track your IP to maintain your privacy. Also, top speeds may be a must if you’re into video streaming or gaming, which is why going premium is sometimes the better choice if you need the best connection at all times.

There is a possibility that net neutrality could be restored, but until then your data is under your ISP’s control. Don’t allow ISPs to take control of your internet, take the power back to choose how your Internet is delivered.

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The dfndr blog is an informative channel that presents exclusive content on security and privacy in the mobile and business world, with tips to keep users protected. Populated by a select group of expert reporters, the channel has a partnership with dfndr lab's security team. Together they bring you, first-notice news about attacks, scams, internet vulnerabilities, malware and everything affecting cybersecurity.