Last month, British Parliament okayed the final version of the Investigatory Powers Bill, also known as the “Snooper’s Charter.” The law gives the government unprecedented access to citizens’ personal data—one galling clause requires ISPs to hold onto customers’ browsing data for at least 12 months.
With the government no longer guaranteeing privacy, people have to take the initiative in making sure their privacy remains intact. And for those particularly concerned about the government’s reach into their online lives, the answer remains fairly simple: Use a VPN.
If you live in a surveillance state and want to be sure VPN is always on, your best bet is to install a VPN on your router.
Why a VPN is the best protection against the Snooper’s Charter
A VPN addresses a number of major privacy concerns by passing your internet traffic through other servers, preventing third parties from monitoring your internet activity. As the only visible traffic is your computer’s communication with the VPN server, and not the sites on the other end, ISPs are prevented from recording what you do—as mandated by the Snooper’s Charter.
Most VPN’s function on an individual device like a smartphone or computer. This makes sense for those who only need to connect to a VPN under specific circumstances, like when using a public Wi-Fi hotspot. If you want universal protection across your home, however, your best bet is a VPN router.
Use VPN on a wireless router
A VPN router ensures privacy and protection for all devices in your house, from tablets to smart fridges to consoles. And for those who have to deal with the constant worry of government spying, a VPN-equipped router means not having to remember to connect to a VPN each time they turn on a new device.
In the past, setting up VPN on a router was hard. Most people had to resort to manual configurations, which take time and technical know-how. But no longer. The ExpressVPN app for routers was created to make privacy obtainable by people at all points on the tech spectrum.
More ambitious users can try installing the app for themselves on a router they buy separately. Those with less expertise can purchase it ready right out of the box.
Either way, using ExpressVPN on a router is the best option available for protecting your internet traffic at home. In uncertain times, it gives you exactly what you want most—peace of mind.