Fear of Surveillance Leads to Increased VPN Use

"People are turning to VPNs because they feel watched, restricted, or tracked, and a VPN is one of the few tools that feels accessible and immediate. According to a survey of 2,706 U.S. adults, 36% say they currently use a VPN. Among VPN users, 35% say they use it specifically to keep their online activity private from the government."

"A larger share say they use a VPN to avoid tracking by private companies such as advertisers or data brokers (65%), while 47% say they are trying to keep their activity private from their internet service provider. Nearly two-thirds of VPN users (64%) say they use a VPN for everyday online activity, and 56% say they use one when accessing financial or banking accounts."

"Privacy and security remain the dominant motivations. Nearly two-thirds of VPN users (65%) cite security or privacy as their primary reason for using a VPN, while 25% say they use one equally for privacy and accessing restricted content. Only 10% say accessing restricted content is their main reason."

"Concern about government surveillance is widespread. Eighty percent of Americans say they are very or somewhat concerned about government monitoring or restrictions on online activity. Levels of concern are similar across political ideology, with 82% of liberals and 80% of conservatives reporting concern."

VPN usage has become mainstream in the United States, with 36% of adults currently using them. Privacy concerns drive adoption, with 65% of users citing security or privacy as their primary reason. Users employ VPNs to avoid tracking by advertisers and data brokers (65%), prevent ISP monitoring (47%), and shield activity from government surveillance (35%). Beyond privacy, VPNs bypass content restrictions, with 35% accessing state-blocked websites, 28% accessing U.S.-blocked sites, and 28% circumventing employer or school restrictions. Usage extends to everyday activities, with 64% using VPNs for general browsing and 56% for financial accounts. Eighty percent of Americans express concern about government monitoring, with similar levels across political ideologies.

Read at Securitymagazine