Your husband may be using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), and you can’t help but wonder, is he hiding something from you? It’s perfectly natural to suspect your spouse when they are using anything that has the word “private” in it. However, in this case, something entirely innocent might be going on. So, why would your husband use a VPN? Your husband may be using a VPN for the following reasons: Breaking government-restricted barriers on the internetUnblocking sites with geo-restrictionsConcealing web activity information from ISPsAccessing sites securelyDoing sensitive research privatelyBuying products cheaplySaving on flights and accommodationsBrowsing the web anonymouslyKeeping VOIP calls secretKeeping collaboration data privateEnsuring security when browsing through public Wi-FiMaintaining his right to privacy There are many reasons that people use VPNs. So, before you show your husband that you’re scrutinizing his activities, it’s best to understand the above reasons in detail. That way, you can hold the conversation in a positive, informed manner. 1. Breaking Government-Restricted Barriers You may have heard of internet censorship somewhere and never given it a second thought. Well, web censorship is a reality, and most oppressive governments block access to sites they deem unfit for their citizens. The reason may be to filter content for the underaged or even authoritative attempts to deny information to their citizens. Whatever reasons they may have, censorship has significant disadvantages that your husband may be trying to override using a VPN -- the main one being lack of access to information. A VPN can work around these restrictions, including the Great Firewall of China if it’s an excellent VPN. Moreover, you may be the type of family that travels all the time, so if your husband has to access some information while in censored countries, he’ll need the VPN to do it safely. 2. Unblocking Sites with Geo-Restrictions This is related to the reason above but mainly pertains to site restrictions instead of governments. You may get restrictions on content on sites like Netflix, HBO, and BBC iPlayer, among others, because of your location. However, a VPN will be able to reroute your connection and make your IP address local. Let’s assume your husband is using a VPN for this reason. If he lives in the US, he won’t be able to access some shows available on BBC iPlayer. However, if he uses a VPN, it’ll reroute his IP address using the IP address of the VPN servers, which are in the UK to gain access. This way, the BBC iPlayer will think that the traffic from your husband is coming from the UK while he may be sitting in your Los Angeles home. It’s simple. A VPN reroutes one’s connection to show that their IP is in a different location instead of the real one. 3. Concealing Web Activity Information from ISPs Without a VPN, your Internet Service Provider can know your internet activities in scary detail. However, if you use a VPN, it can prevent the ISP from seeing comprehensible information. Some VPNs like Surfshark would conceal the fact that you’re using a VPN at all. 4. Accessing Sites Securely A VPN helps you cloak your real IP and also encrypts your data so that no one else can know which location you’re browsing from and what information you're accessing, downloading, and sharing. Your husband may be privacy-conscious and is willing to take all the precautions to avoid hacking. He may be performing transactions or accessing other sensitive information that he can’t afford to be leaked. This may be the reason why he uses a VPN for some, if not all, sites he visits on the internet (check out my review of the best VPN choices here). 5. Doing Sensitive Research Privately Is your husband a private investigator, activist, whistleblower, or in any other profession that requires sensitive research and sharing of information? If yes, that’s probably why he uses a VPN. The information he may be researching may lead the government or other interested parties to investigate him. His job may require him to research competitor information without spooking them -- the possibilities are limitless. In a nutshell, if his job needs privacy, he might need a VPN. 6. Buying Products Cheaply This may shock you, but where you’re located may expose you to higher prices than other places in the world. Some online sellers don’t just target customers through the information you search online; some put up different prices for people in different locations. For instance, if you live in the US, you might see the price of a shoe at $67, while in India, the same shoe from the same seller asks for only $42. That’s a $25 difference that you can identify when you have a VPN. Your husband might be checking out prices online using various virtual locations to determine the best deal. So if he purchases stuff online often, this could be the reason why he uses a VPN. 7. Saving on Flights and Accommodations Products aren’t the only thing VPN can work around when it comes to prices. When planning trips, your husband might use the VPN to identify the best flight and accommodation deals by pretending to be searching from various places around the world. 8. Browsing the Web Anonymously Using fake names on the internet is sometimes never enough since one can identify who you are by searching for your IP address and other information about you that’s exposed. Therefore, your husband may be a gamer who likes to keep his identity private from hackers. There are many reasons he may want to remain anonymous, and not all of them are bad. 9. Keeping VOIP Calls Secret If your husband makes calls on the internet and he doesn’t want people to discover any audios, he may use a VPN. A VPN conceals the audio in Voice Over Internet Protocol calls since some may contain sensitive information. This way, finding the video call may be pointless to someone interested in the conversation since the audio won’t be available. 10. Keeping Collaboration Data Private If your husband communicates sensitive information with anyone online, this is likely the reason why he uses a VPN. It ensures that the sharing of files and messages is done privately. Even if someone gains access to the messages, they’re often encrypted into incomprehensible code. 11. Ensuring Security When Browsing Through Public Wi-Fi While using your home Wi-Fi doesn’t give you foolproof security without a VPN, using public Wi-Fi is an even worse risk. While using public Wi-Fi, you’re most vulnerable to hackers and even malware from the router. However, with a VPN, you stay under a shield that makes it hard for hackers and other intrusive tech to make it to your device. 12. Maintaining His Right to Privacy Everyone has a right to privacy, and having a VPN is acting on that right. If your husband doesn’t like his family life under scrutiny, it may be the reason why he chose to invest in a VPN. Believe it or not, the government, ISPs, and other people have access to lots of personal information if you’re living without a VPN. Why does my boyfriend use a VPN? When friends ask my why does their boyfriend, husband or partner use a VPN, I tell them that the internet is the wild wild west and protection is needed. There are a lot of unscrupulous, malicious characters out there and you need to take steps to protect yourself. The last thing you would want is your personal information being stolen and being subject to financial loss through some form of identity theft. I use a VPN all the time and I also make sure my girlfriend uses one too, to protect her online identity. Final Thoughts You might be thinking something fishy is going on, and you may be right. However, there are many good reasons why your husband is using a VPN. They mostly entail remote access, secure connections, and privacy of any online activity and data. Having learned all these reasons, you can ask him to help you set up a VPN for your mobile and desktop devices as well.
