Do You Need a VPN? What It Protects — and What It Doesn't

VPNs have become one of the most marketed security tools on the internet. The reality is more nuanced — a VPN is useful in specific situations, but it's not the privacy shield it's often sold as.

What a VPN actually does

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a VPN server. All your traffic routes through that server before reaching its destination. This means:

• Your Internet Service Provider (Shaw, Telus, Bell) cannot see what websites you visit
• Other people on the same Wi-Fi network cannot intercept your traffic
• Websites you visit see the VPN server's IP address instead of your real one

That's genuinely useful — but it's also the extent of it. A VPN does not make you anonymous. The VPN provider itself can see everything. It doesn't protect you from phishing, malware, or weak passwords.

When a VPN is worth using

1. Public Wi-Fi networks

The strongest case for a VPN. When you connect to public Wi-Fi at a café, hotel, or airport, your traffic can potentially be intercepted by others on the same network. A VPN encrypts your traffic so even if someone monitors the network, they can't read what you're sending.

2. Bypassing geographic restrictions

VPNs let you appear to be in a different country, giving you access to streaming content not available in Canada. This is legal in Canada, though it may violate individual streaming service terms.

3. Remote access to your office network

Many businesses use VPNs to let employees connect to internal resources from home. This is a legitimate and common use — your employer may require it.

When a VPN won't protect you

• Against malware and viruses — A VPN does nothing to stop malware you download. You still need antivirus software.
• Against phishing — If you enter your password on a fake website, the VPN won't warn you.
• Against data breaches — If a company is breached, your data is exposed regardless of a VPN.
• Against Google and Facebook tracking — These companies track through cookies and account logins, not your IP.
• On your home network — A VPN adds latency without meaningful security benefit on a trusted private network.

Free VPNs: why most aren't worth it

Most free VPN services monetize by collecting and selling your browsing data — which defeats the purpose of privacy. Some inject ads into pages and log user activity.

Recommended VPN services (paid)

• Mullvad — strong privacy, no-logs policy audited (~$6 CAD/month)
• Proton VPN — based in Switzerland, open source, free tier available (~$10 CAD/month for paid)
• ExpressVPN or NordVPN — well-known, reliable, widely used for streaming (~$8–12 CAD/month)

The bottom line

A VPN is one tool among many — not a complete security solution. Use one if you frequently use public Wi-Fi. Combine it with strong passwords, two-factor authentication, updated software, and antivirus for comprehensive protection.