Anyone using the internet today with relative ease probably knows, and accepts the fact that their data is being collected, compiled and stored away. In fact, this knowledge is so common that many of us just shrug our shoulders and accept that the sacrifice of privacy is simply the price that we pay for the convenience of being able to access seemingly endless amounts of data.
Some of us are wondering, however, if bragging about data collected was the best move that Microsoft could have made recently. It seems a little counterintuitive that a company which has offered repeated assurances about privacy should come to the forefront with the following facts about Windows 10:
- More than 82 billion people have looked at photos using the photo App in Windows 10.
- There have been more than 2.5 billion questions asked since Cortana was launched.
- In December of 2016, people have spent a collective of more than 11 billion hours on Windows 10.
- Gamers have increased their play time in 2015 and at last count, they had logged more than 4 billion hours.
- Over 6.6 billion ours of time has been spent streaming Xbox One games on Windows 10 computers.
Uncomfortable Statistics
On the surface, these statistics are interesting. However, once you personalize them and begin to wonder how many of your own personal hours have been reviewed, tabulated and stored, you may begin to feel a bit like your privacy has been violated.
Simply knowing that Microsoft, which is currently the operating system for over 400 million devices, has the ability to collect any information they feel is important puts privacy into an entirely different perspective.
How Can a VPN Help?
If your levels of discomfort have risen while reading these facts, then you may be looking for a secure VPN, or Virtual Private Network, that will allow you to access the internet as you typically do, but will shield your private information from Microsoft and other entities who may be collecting your information. A quick visit to a website such as https://www.vpnsrus.com can be your first step to regaining your anonymity as their team reviews many VPN’s and offers recommendations based on privacy, reliability, speed, price and customer service.
Finding a reliable VPN will not only help secure your personal information, it may even have some extra benefits. For instance, did you know that Netflix offers different videos for streaming depending on where you are in the world? By masking your location, you gain access to many more video choices.
You don’t need to feel as if you are paranoid, just because you want to keep your information private. Instead, think of it as protecting the information that is being gathered without your permission. Look into the benefits of a VPN connection today and keep what is rightfully yours.