Information Technology has become one of the most important aspects of life in the 21st century. You can literally do everything online from ordering food to starting your own business. The biggest concern that people have about the internet is security. There are several softwares in the market that offer different types of online security however none of them are as strong as VPNs. A VPN or Virtual Private Network was first introduced as a business tool to secure business information when it was transferred from one network to another. With time its use and purpose has drastically increased.
What Is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
VPNs enable people to send and received information across a shared network as if the devices were connected to a private network. It basically provides a virtual private network across an actual public network. They are very useful for secure browsing and to gain access to sites that are blocked in certain regions of the world.
VPN By The Numbers
How Many People Use VPN
According to a research, since 2013 almost 25% of the global internet users accessed the internet through VPNs which shows how important they are in the current era.
VPN Growth
From 2017 to 2018 there was 165% growth in total number of people who use VPNs.
Usage Frequency
Almost 42% users use VPN daily on their mobile phones while only 35% use it on a computer.
The Biggest Market For VPNs
The Chinese government has strict control over the internet which makes VPN softwares very popular in the country however when it comes to the biggest market for VPN products China does not even make the top 3. Those spots are covered by Indonesia, India and Turkey respectively.
What Do People Use VPNs For
As mentioned before VPNs can be used for several different purposes including secure browsing and accessing restricted websites. The most significant motivator for VPN usage is accessing better entertainment content or online casino games, accessing social networks and secure browsing. 50% of all VPN users in the world label “Access to better entertainment” as their top motivators for the use of VPN softwares.
Access To Better Content Vs Secure Browsing
In Asia, majority of people prefer to use VPNs to gain access to better content while in North America the top motivator for the use of VPNs is secure browsing. 55% user in Asia use VPNs for better content where as the number is 29% for North America. In North America VPN usage for secure browsing covers 37% of the total market while only 29% users in Asia use it for secure browsing.
VPN Users And Online Transactions
VPN users can get access to many restricted websites all over the world. It can help users purchase digital content that they could not purchase from IPs located in their original country.
VPN Usage By Demographic Characteristics
Males use VPN more as compared to females. When it comes to age, VPN usage tends to decline with age. Young people are more inclined towards using VPN. People who belong to the middle social class are the most significant VPN users.
References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network
