Can You Be Tracked If You Use a VPN?

A VPN has become an integral part of our lives. Millions of people are using this technology to get maximum online protection and anonymity while surfing the internet. 

If you’ve been using a VPN to browse the internet, you may have wondered if it’s doing its job in protecting your privacy. You and many people have a question: ‘Can anyone track me while I use a VPN?’ Can anyone ISP still track me if I’m using a VPN? And is there any way for websites to track me even if I’m connected to a VPN? It would be great to find the definitive answer, but it is not that simple. 

In this article, we’ll explore how website tracking works and whether or not VPNs can protect your privacy. Read on to find out when, how, and who can track your internet activity and how this concerns VPNs. And finally, you will get the answer to the question ‘What does a VPN hide from you?’

Why Do I Need to Use a VPN?

There are many reasons why you might want to use a VPN. One wants to stay anonymous online, and another wants to avoid censorship. But there are some key reasons to use VPN:

Getting geo-restricted content.	Using this technology, you can access banned content in specific areas. Whether it’s music, movies, or sports streams, a VPN can help solve this problem. Just turn it on and visit blocked web sources.
Access to the beneficial prices.	XBOX gamers know that Argentina’s store provides more cost-effective games for players there. As a result, if you connect to a VPN on XBOX and change the location to Argentina, you can get twice or thrice cheaper offers. This is a great opportunity to stock up on new games.
Anonymity.	Working with a VPN, you can change your IP address on the internet and hide your internet activity from being tracked.
Encoding personal data.	It’s vital to protect your traffic from snooping, intervention and censorship. A VPN does a great job with it.
Online gaming and torrenting.	You can play your favorite but banned games without restriction and download any torrent file with the help of a VPN. But it would be best if you remembered that some countries prohibit using VPNs at the governmental level. In that case, you can’t use a VPN. Otherwise, you can experience problems with the law.
Bypassing the mobile operator’s restriction to download torrent files.	You can avoid this using a VPN. Just turn on a VPN, dig into the settings and enjoy downloading files.

But despite all the benefits of VPNs, one of the main concerns people have about VPNs is: can they be used to track your activity? The short answer is yes. There are some ways in which you can be tracked even when you’re using a VPN. But it doesn’t make using a VPN dangerous and insecure. However, it’s essential to understand how it works and what you can do to protect yourself.

Who Can Track My Internet Activity?

When we’re online, it’s critical to remain anonymous and avoid being tracked. But, in general, who can monitor our activities? The answer is simple.

Government agencies and other comparable structures.	They can use their monitoring technologies or contact your internet service provider to obtain data about you.
Internet provider.	Your internet provider can monitor and limit your traffic. A VPN, on the other hand, hides your IP address, encrypts your internet traffic and activity, and protects your online privacy, making it impossible to track you down.
Cybercriminals.	They may monitor users and steal data by intercepting transmission over public Wi-Fi. However, a VPN protects you from this by encrypting your data. Your data is still protected even if the WI-FI network is hacked.

Can I Be Tracked If I Use a VPN?

The answer to this question is a bit complicated. While VPNs are designed to protect your privacy and prevent others from tracking your online activity, there are some ways in which you can be tracked even when you’re using a VPN.

For example, if you use a private network, your ISP can monitor your activity. This is because your ISP can see your IP of the VPN server you are connected to and the amount of data that goes through it. Also, if you use a free or public WI-FI, the VPN itself can track your online activity.

Although you can be monitored when using a VPN, there are a few steps you can take to protect your privacy:

1. Use a reputable VPN service that doesn’t keep logs of your activity.
2. Ensure you are connected to a server with a high level of encryption. 

Taking these precautions can help ensure that your online activity is private and secure.

How My Activity Can Be Tracked Without VPN?

It can be done in different ways. The most popular methods are:

Logs

VPN providers will usually have some logs that track user activity. This means that if someone was able to get their hands on these logs, they could potentially see what websites you’ve been visiting or what files you’ve been downloading. These logs usually don’t contain any sensitive information, but they could be used to track your activity. If you’re concerned about being tracked, you can look for a VPN provider that doesn’t keep logs or only keeps very minimal logs.

Loss of internet connection.

Another way you could be tracked is if your VPN connection drops for any reason. This could happen if your internet connection is disrupted or if the VPN server goes down. If this happens, your IP address will be exposed, and it could be possible for someone to track your activity.

But you still have some protective methods you can use. To avoid being tracked, you must:

• Use a reputable VPN service and choose a server close to your location. This will minimize the chances of your connection dropping and your IP address being exposed. 
• Consider using split tunnelling, proxy servers or combining different privacy services to get the maximum performance and security being online.

Otherwise, you can consider an absurd solution and stop using the internet at all. But in 21th century it would be rather a silly idea. Remember that companies track your activity only for commercials. You can allow your geolocation, contacts and other things in your phone. But you should be careful with passwords or other sensitive information. To protect all vital data, you should use a flash drive.

What Does a Free VPN Hide from You?

While free VPNs are often advertised as a way to help protect your privacy, it’s important to remember that many of them are not as reliable as paid VPNs.

Some free VPNs may monitor your online activities or sell your surfing information to third parties. For these reasons, it is essential to be careful while selecting a free VPN and to verify that the one you select is credible and trustworthy.

N.B. If a VPN service is advertised, popular, and spoken about on every corner, it doesn’t mean it is reputable, reliable, and safe. To avoid problems with VPN, watch tutorials, read reviews from different sources, and do your tests on the device you are not afraid of. As an example, you can use a virtual machine for that.

Can You Be Tracked if You Connect to a VPN Server in the Same Country?

If you use a VPN to connect to servers in the same country, your location may not be tracked. However, if you connect to servers in other countries, there is a chance that your activity will be tracked. This is because online laws and regulations vary from country to country. So, if you’re worried about tracking, it’s best to connect to servers in countries with strict privacy laws.

Can You Be Tracked if You Use an Encrypted VPN Connection?

Using an encrypted VPN connection will make it more difficult for someone to track your online activity. However, it’s important to remember that nothing is 100% secure, and your activity is always possible to be tracked.

If a VPN Disconnects, Can You Be Tracked Passively?

If a VPN disconnects, your IP address may become visible again. This means that your online activity could be tracked. However, if you’re using a reputable VPN service with strong encryption, your activity is unlikely to be tracked. Additionally, some VPN services have a kill switch feature that will prevent your IP address from becoming visible if the VPN disconnects.

Can Google Track Me When I Use a VPN?

While VPNs are designed to protect your privacy, it’s important to remember that nothing is 100% secure in our world. So, there is a possibility that Google could track you when you’re using a VPN. But if you don’t know, Google collects users’ data just only for the advertisements. If you are not buying their tricks, there is no danger for you and your data. Otherwise, it’s recommended to use a proxy server or the Tor Browser. And Alternatively, you can combine the Tor and a VPN to get maximum security and performance.

Can My Employer Track Me if I Use a VPN?

If you’re using a VPN to connect to your employer’s network, it’s possible that they could track your online activity and location. This means your employer can see the IP addresses that are accessing their network. To avoid this restriction, you can consider buying a full internet package of services your mobile operator offers and enjoy limitless internet.

Can My ISP Track Me If I Use a VPN?

If you’re using a VPN to connect to the internet, it’s possible that your internet provider could track your online activity. To avoid this, you can sign a contract which guarantees that ISP won’t be watching your network activity. Otherwise, you can sue.

Can My Government Track Me If I Use a VPN?

If you’re using a VPN to connect to the internet, it’s possible that your government could track your online activity. This is because your government can see the IP addresses that are accessing their network. We reccomend to read the law concerning the internet activity and act according to the laws. This approach will save your money, time and nerves. The VPN should be used for non-criminal purposes only.

Bottom Line

To get all relevant information and tips concerning VPNs and other internet privacy technologies, consider VPNXpert blog. It tells about the advantages and disadvantages of VPNs, how to use them correctly, and all the secrets of internet privacy. 

You can choose the most appropriate VPN or proxy service especially for you with the help of a thorough comparison of many VPNs. Reading this blog, you will also know how to get restricted content or watch BBC iPlayer from any spot on the globe.

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