If you’re a fan of movies and TV shows, then you’re likely to have a subscription to an online streaming service of some kind. However, the use of these services is usually tied to several aspects that can make your experience less pleasant than it should be. Fortunately, there are digital tools that let you get the most out of your subscription without compromising your privacy. Today, we’re going to talk about one in particular: The VPN

In case you don’t know much about them, Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are large arrangements of servers designed to reroute your traffic and apply several security layers to it in the process to protect your privacy online. They are one of the most versatile tools at the disposal of an internet user and fans of streaming services are no exception. Take a look at some of the most remarkable benefits they bring you:

Access to Blocked Content

The first benefit worth mentioning if you’re a lover of TV shows and movies who lives outside the US is that VPNs let you access all the content that’s hidden away from you. Most streaming services like HBO, who put a region block in Game of Thrones’ live stream outside the US for some reasons. A Virtual Private Network for GOT let you tunnel your connection through servers in other countries, which let you fool the streaming service into thinking you’re somewhere else and unblock all these pieces of content.

Privacy Protection

This is the actual reason why VPNs exist in the first place. VPNs encrypt all your internet traffic, effectively hiding it from anyone who might be trying to spy on you. This is particularly important now that it’s been confirmed that government surveillance agencies around the world are constantly monitoring all internet traffic either directly or through information provided by ISPs. Plus, they also protect you from hackers.

Tracking Protection

Streaming services tend to track every click you make within their websites. This is used to recommend you content that adjusts to your preferences, but it is also used to create a profile about you and sell it to advertisers so that they can show you more accurate ads. VPNs restrain this type of tracking and prevent websites from making money out of your private data.

Bypass Firewalls

Academic institutions and office environments have some sort of restriction over the websites that can be accessed from their network, usually to encourage a more productivity. VPNs let you access content that’s been blocked from your network by making it look like you’re connecting to a VPN server instead of a blocked website like a streaming platform.

Multiplatform Benefits

If you pick the right VPN service, you can enjoy all the benefits that have been already listed from all your devices paying only for a single subscription. A lot of VPN providers support all major mobile and desktop platforms. This is very convenient if you have a lot of gadgets at home and if you usually use your phone to watch shows when you’re away.