Can you trust free VPNs? What you need to know, and what services to avoid

Adam Breeden/ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

Free VPNs can protect your privacy, but come with risks and limits.

VPN use is rising as governments impose censorship and age checks.

Choose the wrong VPN and your security and data could be at risk.

You've probably heard of virtual private networks (VPNs). Many governments worldwide would love to control them or shut them down, and if it weren't for the fact they are a crucial tool for businesses to operate, many lawmakers would have succeeded by now.

Also: Hundreds of free VPNs offer 'no real privacy at all,' researchers warn - does yours?

But what is it about VPNs that has put them in the crosshairs of political arguments? It boils down to their use of encryption to protect your online communication, their ability to mask your IP address, and their ability to keep your activities private and secure.

If this reminds you of the time when some governments took on encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, and failed, you'd be right -- whether they like it or not, we still have a right to privacy. It's up to us to use it.

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