• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

What Is a VPN And why do you need one?

by onlinecitizen
21/11/2017
in Tech
Reading Time: 5 mins read
0

Source : Shutterstock.

VPN: a quick definition

The term VPN is being thrown around a lot lately, and unless you know about online security, you’re probably unsure of what it is. The answer may be technical, but it’s pretty easy to understand, and it’s important that you do. Not only your online security is at stake, but without a VPN you’re at risk of identity theft, which can affect every aspect of your life.

So, what is a VPN? The acronym stands for virtual private network. It is basically a way to send your internet connection through an external server. This makes it look to the rest of the world like you’re using someone else’s internet. The IP address is different. Your location is different too. Furthermore, a VPN encrypts your data. This means that what you’re doing on the internet cannot be tracked.

Why you need one

You need a VPN because online security has become increasingly important. Since we use the internet all the time, putting a lot of personal information out there, hackers can take advantage of that. They can get hold of your identification details, your credit cards, your addresses, and your current location. This way, they can commit all sorts of crimes against you.

The scariest is identity theft, which is surprisingly common. At best, identity theft will cost you money. At worst, it will leave you with bad credit, a bad reputation, and difficulty in getting your identity back!

A VPN stops your data and location from being put on display every time you use the internet. This is especially important when you’re using unsecured public wifi, but secure wifi is not foolproof either.

As you are using a different IP address, would-be-hackers or government bodies cannot track you using your static IP address assigned to your home address, monitoring the traffic, going in and out of your computer. This will ensure privacy and security to your internet activity.

Another reason you may need a VPN is to gain access to content that is geo-restricted when you are travelling outside the country. Due to copyright issues, people in other countries don’t always have access to local streaming services. This affects people who try to use streaming services when they’re travelling. By using a VPN to make it look like you’re still “home”, you can get past these restrictions. And in other countries such as China, consumers will bypass censorship of sites by the Great Firewall of China through the use of VPN services.

How to find the right one

There are many VPN providers online, some free while some are available via paid subscription but not all of them are effective. If you are looking for an Android app, for example, you cannot trust the options available for download as most don’t work as one would expect it to be.

A dependable VPN can be identified by a few factors. A VPN with a good reputation both through reviews by professional reviewers and paying customers. The VPN provider should also offer a number of servers, both close to your home country and in other countries. You will have to pay a monthly subscription (there are free options but they’re limited), but most services shouldn’t cost you more than 10 US$ a month especially if you are paying via an annual plan.

Using the internet without a VPN is simply irresponsible these days. There are predators who can easily take advantage of unsecured internet users or by spying governments on activities by activists and politicians. By using a VPN, you immediately make yourself harder to hack than most of the population.

Legality of VPN in Singapore

Currently the use of VPN is still legal in Singapore, however, it was reported last year that the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) had proposed to review the legality of Virtual Private Network (VPN) under the Copyright Act as part of a number of wide-ranging revisions it is suggesting to be made to the Copyright Act, which was last updated in 2004.

Speaking at the opening of the 5th annual IP [email protected] 2016 event which was held at Marina Bay Sands, Senior Minister of State for Law and Finance Indranee Rajah said, “These reviews will further strength our IP (intellectual property) regime and allow it to keep current with technological advances, business needs and societal developments.”

Adding that high-value jobs could come out of this sector, she added, “IP is not just about law. IP is also about business and innovation.”

Ms Indrani stated that the public consultation is a wide ranging review which aims to help creators gain more recognition and practical protection for their works, while providing users with reasonable and easier access to those works.

The aim of the consultation was particularly to see individuals and small businesses come forward and provide their views in this public consultation. Thus it would help the Government take into account all stakeholders’ views so as to improve our copyright regime to better support the creative economy.

However, it is to note that the Ministry did not clearly request for feedback on the use of VPN in its consultation paper. It instead references to VPN using the below wordings,

“.Whether the current list of allowable circumventions of technological protection measures should be retained, and what new allowable circumventions of technological protection measures should be put in place.”

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), on the other hand, recognised that the use of VPN here is somewhat complicated.

Chief Executive of IPOS Mr Daren Tang was quoted saying, “There are some concerns that bypassing geo-blocks could infringe copyright. Neverthless, Singapore remains a strong supporter of parallel import, which is essentially what VPN allows in the digital world.”

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

ASEAN

ASEAN governments must stop using ‘lawfare’ against critics, Southeast Asian MPs say

27/01/2023
Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”
Economics

Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

27/01/2023
Malaysian court sentences man to 1,050 years’ jail, 24 strokes of the cane, for raping stepdaughter 105 times
AFP

Thai court jails activist for 28 years jail for royal defamation

26/01/2023
Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall
Community

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

26/01/2023
KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner
Health

KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner

26/01/2023
Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW
AFP

Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW

26/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

ASEAN governments must stop using ‘lawfare’ against critics, Southeast Asian MPs say

27/01/2023
Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

27/01/2023
Malaysian court sentences man to 1,050 years’ jail, 24 strokes of the cane, for raping stepdaughter 105 times

Thai court jails activist for 28 years jail for royal defamation

26/01/2023
Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

26/01/2023
KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner

KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner

26/01/2023
Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW

Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW

26/01/2023
8 dead, including 6 Chinese nationals, after ship sinks near Japan

8 dead, including 6 Chinese nationals, after ship sinks near Japan

26/01/2023
“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

Nurse disabled permanently after vaccine injury and sacked by SGH; Did the hospital advise her to apply for VIFAP?

26/01/2023

Trending posts

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
30

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

What Is a VPN And why do you need one?

by onlinecitizen
21/11/2017
0

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
37

...

“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

AGC asked to explain purposes of 68 private letters of inmates illegitimately forwarded to prosecutors

by The Online Citizen
21/01/2023
16

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
28

...

November 2017
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Oct   Dec »
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz