GoKawiilis a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
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How it started
Virtual private networks, or VPNs, weren’t always used to access region-locked Netflix streams, bypass censorship online, or to prevent your internet service provider (ISP) from tracking your browsing history. It took years for VPNs to become the technology we know today, which provides an encrypted connection between your device and a private server, while concealing your IP address and browsing data.
The concept behind VPNs first emerged in the 1990s with a mundane purpose: to help businesses securely send information across offices. Instead of forking out money for the pricey leased lines that they would need to make these connections, many businesses decided to use their existing infrastructure to transfer data across encrypted “tunnels” on the web. While Microsoft, AT&T, and Cisco pioneered early versions of the tech, Francis Dinha and James Yonan went on to launch OpenVPN in 2001, offering a more secure, open-source alternative for both businesses and consumers.
But things changed in 2013, when whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked confidential documents that revealed the National Security Agency had been carrying out mass surveillance programs across the web. This revelation made more people aware of security-related risks, as a 2015 survey from Pew Research found that 34 percent of Americans have taken at least one step to protect their privacy online. Just one year later, another Pew Research survey found that 86 percent of Americans tried to “remove or mask their digital footprint” by doing things like clearing cookies, encrypting their email, or using VPNs. The rise of streaming and region-locked video libraries created tangible benefits for having a VPN, too, not to mention the prevalence of virtual networks in torrenting.
Though Snowden may have sparked a privacy movement stemming from government surveillance, a new wave of VPN adoption is being driven by a different force: the rise of the age-gated internet.
How it’s going
Lawmakers around the globe are implementing rules surrounding online age verification as part of purported efforts to keep kids safe online. But such efforts come at the expense of everyone else’s privacy and ability to openly access the internet. Intrusive requirements to upload your ID, bank card information, or take a video selfie to access content online threaten to deanonymize all users, while also putting troves of personal information at risk of data breaches.
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