Since widespread access to internet allows for the rapid transmission of information, ideas and movements can be shared in an instant. With increased reliance on online services, a need exists to protect consumers personal information. VPNs of various kinds exist to protect credit card numbers and financial statements, but also web history and personal passwords for things like work and social media.
So much can be done on the internet in seconds; but in areas where freedom of speech is not a guarantee, how can we manage ourselves in an increasingly interconnected world? This is where the VPN comes in handy. In certain nations, access to media and information is much more tightly controlled. The Russian or North Korean media, for example, may not allow loose access to internet for purposes of keeping their respective populations in line.
Digital Counterculture and Resistance
This may foster subversive social media movements to allow for counter information to spread and influence everything from financial markets to a country's internal policy. The world has seen this firsthand in the documentation of conflicts in the Middle East and Central Europe since the beginning of the 21st century. The speed with which technology fosters change pressures the world to react.
The future of warfare will also change. So much can be done instantaneously that specialists trained in different software types now staff militaries around the world, and soon a battle may be more about who controls a central computer system than who has the biggest guns. In countries with more liberal laws concerning speech and expression, the citizens may have an upper hand, provided they can contain sensitive data, and the freedom to innovate will make people take any advantage they may have to foster resistance to state control.
Economic Freedom and Business Relations
VPNs and IT security will be essential to guaranteeing economic freedom in the future. With various data breaches being reported around the world, the general public seems keen on balancing freedom with security. VPNs are just one system in a multitude of systems meant to safeguard business and property. As you can read in this review of ExpressVPN, a VPN service doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the quality of internet, or even privacy for that matter. A businessperson in this way can use this simple safeguard to protect their personal economy.
When it comes to large corporations, the problems that arise can be complex, there is much more at stake than somebody's social media, and countries will want to protect businesses to secure their economies.
Hacktivists and Political Movements
When citizens agitate for change in their countries, social media plays a huge role. So many recent political causes have grown because of internet access. Hacktivists are great at manipulating social media to organize action or movements. With multiple factors to consider, anybody can organize a movement around anything these days.
The speed with which information can spread in the digital age allows for rapid adaptation of ideas. If we can make ideas more available through the internet, life could improve for millions of people. There is no limit to what the human imagination can conceive, and invention and ingenuity will carry the day with political movements and the creation and implementation of laws.
Education and Communication
It's a process to learn new technologies. Some folks can easily adapt to a new trend, while others have a tougher go of it. Believe it or not, there was a time when the little computer which fits inside your pocket did not exist. As paper books become replaced with tablets, smartphones, and apps, the future will be more digitized, and there will be a need for new forms of communication.
You can send a message to somebody halfway across the world today in as much time as a snap of your fingers. Where we all seem to have a common language is through the internet. There is increased access to resources for learning new languages, building new devices, and sharing your favorite recipe, for example. There is also an increased need for responsibility and safety.
Interconnection and Protection
VPNs will allow sensitive data to remain secret, and only be shared between trusted parties. Hackers and cybercriminals are out there, but it does not take much to be safe. Know what you are doing and how. Install antivirus software, and keep your passwords and privileges secret.
It is extremely important to remain vigilant and responsible on the internet. Anything anyone says can and will be used against them in the court of public opinion. With all the interconnection happening, it behooves us to examine everything and question what we read for accuracy to combat misinformation.
Future Outlook
Internet restrictions have undoubtedly already led to a lot of innovation. The VPN is just a start, and many would argue the fuel, of what is to come in the future. After all, the Internet is the greatest source to information, and an instant library - who knows what will happen if the whole world gains access to it!
