Digital privateness networks are gaining recognition. Between January’s short-lived TikTok ban, the rise of AI scams and on-line privateness issues, Individuals are turning to VPNs to entry restricted content material or to extend their safety. An unique CNET survey discovered that 43% of US adults are utilizing VPNs, and almost half accomplish that to safeguard their on-line exercise and IP deal with.
Given how a lot we do on-line, Neal O’Farrell, a cybersecurity knowledgeable with over 40 years of expertise and founding father of Suppose Safety First, believes all of us needs to be utilizing VPNs — particularly for those who’re fearful about somebody monitoring your net browsing habits.
“As a substitute of rolling the cube and hoping that nobody’s snooping, simply do not take the prospect,” mentioned O’Farrell. Though nearly all of Individuals should not but utilizing a VPN, O’Farrell suspects that utilization will enhance as privateness issues develop.
Curiosity in utilizing a VPN to entry banned or blocked content material elevated earlier this 12 months, significantly when TikTok went down for a couple of hours on the evening of Jan. 18. CNET’s survey discovered that fifty% of Gen Zers and 50% of millennials used a VPN to aim to entry a restricted app or web site for the reason that begin of 2025.
“The specter of a TikTok ban within the US prompted a surge in VPN curiosity as a result of many people have been searching for methods to bypass restricted entry,” mentioned Moe Lengthy, a CNET senior safety editor. “However in my testing, utilizing a VPN to unblock TikTok wasn’t a viable resolution. Nonetheless, this illustrates how VPNs have gotten extra mainstream — we have additionally witnessed this development with extra of us turning to VPNs for streaming region-restricted content material, like loading overseas Netflix libraries or watching BBC iPlayer outdoors of the UK.”
VPNs are authorized in most nations. Nonetheless, a number of nations ban or prohibit VPN utilization, and utilizing one might result in authorized penalties. This is what CNET’s survey uncovered about why and the way individuals use VPNs. In case you’re enthusiastic about attempting a VPN, I’ve compiled ideas from on-line safety specialists.
- Privateness: Over half of US adults who’ve used a VPN (52%) use one to guard their IP deal with when utilizing the web.
- Cellular use: 51% of those that use a VPN accomplish that on their cellphone, adopted by 50% who use a VPN on their pc or pill.
- By era: VPNs are used most by youthful generations — 50% of Gen Z and millennials have used one this 12 months.
- Saving cash: 23% of US adults use a VPN to economize, totally on streaming providers prices.
- Accessing banned apps: Since Jan. 1, 2024, 17% of US adults have tried to entry a banned web site or app of their space. For the reason that begin of 2025, 50% of Gen Zers and 50% of millennials have used a VPN to aim to entry a restricted app or web site.
Who’s utilizing VPNs?
CNET discovered that 43% of US adults use a VPN, a quantity O’Farrell expects to rise as individuals develop into extra fearful about their information being tracked. This is how that quantity breaks down:
Males have a tendency to make use of a VPN greater than girls. Half of the boys surveyed have used or presently use a VPN, in comparison with 36% of girls. Youthful generations have a tendency to make use of VPNs extra, with 50% of each Gen Zers and millennials reporting they use a VPN.
As soon as individuals strive a VPN, they appear to stay to it; 10% say they’ve used or tried utilizing a VPN for one to 2 years, whereas 19% say they’ve used one for over two years. This is a more in-depth look:
Extra individuals are defending their telephones with VPNs
Up to now VPNs have been generally used on laptops and tablets, particularly for work or to stream sports activities. Nonetheless, 51% of US adults at the moment are utilizing VPNs on their telephones. adopted by 50% who use them on their private pc, laptop computer or pill.
O’Farrell thinks utilizing a VPN for cell phone utilization is smart.
“We neglect that we transact and conduct so many delicate discussions and transactions on our telephones,” mentioned O’Farrell. “Threats are in all places, and for those who’re utilizing your cellphone as a day by day software, that you must be defending that.”
In case you’re contemplating a VPN in your cellphone, you needn’t look particularly for a cell VPN, mentioned Lengthy.
“The very best VPNs seamlessly change between Wi-Fi and cell networks, and in my testing, the most important VPNs all labored easily on telephones and computer systems,” mentioned Lengthy. Most VPNs assist Android, iOS, and iPadOS, Lengthy added.
Why are individuals utilizing VPNs?
Most US adults flip to a VPN for its major perform — to guard their IP deal with. The second main motive is to maintain their on-line exercise non-public. Different causes vary from streaming video video games to accessing restricted content material and apps.
We requested specialists to weigh in on the highest causes individuals are utilizing VPNs, and here is what we discovered.
Privateness
Practically half (47%) of US adults use VPNs to maintain their on-line exercise non-public.
A VPN routes your on-line site visitors by means of an encrypted digital server, stopping apps and web sites from viewing your IP deal with by masking it along with your VPN server’s IP deal with. This protects your precise IP deal with, in addition to your web service supplier, your on-line exercise and your location.
There are limits to what a VPN protects, nonetheless. It will probably’t safe your fee data, cookies and account logins.
In case you use public Wi-Fi, corresponding to at a espresso store or airport, O’Farrell recommends connecting to a VPN. CNET’s expertise author, Attila Tomaschek, added {that a} high quality VPN is often quick sufficient for normal web actions, even on public Wi-Fi.
Accessing banned content material
Accessing content material that is banned in your space is one other widespread motive individuals are utilizing VPNs, based on CNET’s findings.
Customers would possibly hook up with a VPN to look at regionally locked sports activities video games or a present solely provided out of the country. Others may need even tried a VPN to entry TikTok through the hours it was down in January.
Since Jan. 1, 2024, 17% of US adults have tried accessing a banned app or web site of their space, corresponding to TikTok. Of these utilizing a VPN to entry unlawful or banned apps, 45% began utilizing a VPN previously 12 months.
You possibly can’t all the time use a VPN to entry banned apps, nonetheless. For instance, Lengthy tried accessing TikTok by means of a VPN through the app’s non permanent ban final month and could not. Some web sites and apps have firewalls and VPN detection options that may block you. Content material can be restricted to sure areas as a result of licensing agreements and copyright restrictions, Tomaschek mentioned.
It is also vital to grasp if accessing content material is authorized in your nation. For instance, accessing a TV present that is regionally blocked is usually not unlawful, so long as VPN utilization is authorized in your nation. Nonetheless, there are different ramifications you’ll be able to face. If accessing blocked content material violates your streaming service’s consumer settlement, your account may very well be suspended.
It’s best to by no means use a VPN to entry unlawful content material or violate VPN legal guidelines in your nation. In case you do, you can face fines or imprisonment.
“Whether it is banned in a selected nation, the authorities in that nation can have a proper to entry who’s accessing it,” O’Farrell mentioned.
VPNs are banned or restricted within the beneath nations:
- Belarus
- China
- Iran
- Oman
- Russia
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
Saving cash on streaming
Utilizing a VPN to change your server’s location can assist you lock in decrease costs on objects or providers, which can be cheaper in different states, areas or nations.
We discovered that 19% of US adults who use VPNs accomplish that to save on streaming service prices, together with TV, sports activities, and music. This breaks all the way down to 12% who use VPNs to avoid wasting on streaming TV, 9% to economize on streaming sports activities and eight% on streaming music, with some respondents utilizing VPNS to avoid wasting on multiple streaming service.
For instance, Lengthy examined utilizing a VPN to economize on streaming content material and was in a position to save $6 on renting a film through the use of a VPN to vary his location to the UK.
If you wish to strive utilizing a VPN to avoid wasting on streaming prices, ensure you verify the service’s phrases and circumstances for any language that prohibits the usage of VPNs.
VPNs may assist you lower your expenses on journey, however solely 9% of VPN customers are utilizing one to avoid wasting on airplane tickets, accommodations, rental automobiles and different journey bills. When utilizing a VPN to get the very best value on journey, remember to think about trade charges and worldwide transaction charges.
Concerned about attempting a VPN?
CNET specialists have been testing VPNs for over a decade, and have executed hands-on testing that can assist you discover the proper one. In case you’re contemplating attempting a VPN, here is what CNET specialists say to search for.
Privateness requirements
CNET editors advocate in search of a VPN with AES 256-bit encryption to cover delicate data, and a no-logging coverage to forestall any of your on-line exercise from being saved by your VPN supplier. Search for different privateness options, too — like DNS leak safety and a kill change.
Tomaschek recommends ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Proton VPN as high quality suppliers.
Be careful: VPNs aren’t a safety measure to protect you from identification theft or scams. Sure, you may protect your location, however that does not cease your machine from getting a virus or malware. Tomaschek recommends each a VPN and antivirus software program since they serve totally different functions. Some VPNs at the moment are even providing identification theft safety like ExpressVPN’s Identification Defender and NordVPN’s NordProtect.
Web pace
Many VPNs will gradual your web pace by 50% or extra, however a VPN that is thought-about quick will solely gradual your pace by 25% or much less. In case you’re utilizing a VPN to stream or play video video games, you may wish to discover one with low pace loss. Tomascheck recommends NordVPN.
Servers and places
As you slender down your VPN alternative, take note of the variety of servers and places the VPN affords. The extra servers and places it has, the extra choices you may have for bypassing geo-restrictions and accessing a greater variety of content material from totally different nations. Extra importantly, you may produce other choices if a server is down in a single location.
VPN assist
In case you plan to make use of your VPN on a number of gadgets, ensure that your VPN can deal with these concurrently. Some VPNs permit eight to 10 gadgets directly, whereas others do not have a restrict. It is also vital to ensure your VPN helps your working system. Some VPNs could also be higher appropriate with Home windows and MacOS, whereas cell VPNs may fit higher on iOS and Android. Your machine might also play an element in your VPN’s efficiency. We advocate CNET’s finest VPNs that can assist you slender down your search.
Methodology
All figures, except in any other case acknowledged, are from YouGov Plc. Whole pattern dimension was 2,429 adults, of which 1,057 have ever used a VPN. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3 to five Feb. 2025. The survey was carried out on-line. The figures have been weighted and are consultant of all US adults (aged 18 or over).