Using a VPN
Extra help to keep online activity more private
Whenever yoU go online, some of the details — metadata — of what you access are visible to anyone who has access to your network traffic. That should concern you when you use a public Wi–Fi hotspot. Even assuming it uses password–protected encryption, and you only access https sites, there are risks, including unwittingly connecting to a malicious hotspot.
At home the security risks are lower, but your internet service provider (ISP) is in the loop. In the uK, for example, the government’s plans to make ISPs keep internet connection records were paused after legal challenges, but that proposal hasn’t gone away entirely.
virtUally Private
A VPN (virtual private network) creates a "tunnel" through which all your network traffic passes to a VPN server, so nobody else, even your ISP or the operator of a Wi–Fi hotspot, can see where you’re going. You can set it up in System Preferences > Network: click the + sign near the bottom left and set Interface to VPN to configure it manually, or click the gear and Import Configurations if you’ve been given a settings file.
Most VPNs aimed at consumers have their own app to make things simpler. You’ll need to choose a VPN whose provider you trust; that lets you "spoof" the location where you have to be to access the services you need; and that isn’t too slow – a VPN affects connection speed. NordVPN (nordvpn.com), at $6.99 per month (1–year plan) or $2.99 per month (3– year plan), is a recommended choice.
tor broWSer
A free option is to use Tor Browser (torproject.org), which provides similar privacy to a VPN, though it works differently. The software bounces your communications around a network of relays. It’s slow, and won’t protect traffic in other apps. Remember, a private connection doesn’t stop you typing your personal data in to a bad site.