What is the purpose of a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) primarily functions to encrypt internet connections and protect privacy. When a user connects to the internet via a VPN, their data is routed through a secure and encrypted tunnel. This encryption ensures that any information transmitted between the user's device and the VPN server is protected from interception, safeguarding sensitive data from hackers, surveillance, and other threats.

In addition to encryption, the use of a VPN masks the user's IP address, making it difficult for websites and online services to track their internet activity. This combination of privacy and security features makes VPNs a popular choice for safeguarding online activity, accessing restricted content, or ensuring secure communications over public networks.

While increasing internet speed or blocking unwanted traffic may be potential benefits under certain circumstances, they are not the primary purposes of a VPN. Some users may experience improved speed due to reduced throttling by ISPs when using a VPN, but this is not guaranteed. Similarly, while a VPN can help in preventing certain types of unwanted traffic, it is not designed to act solely as a firewall or filtering mechanism. Providing a public IP address also misrepresents the function of a VPN, as it typically assigns a private IP address within the VPN network while masking the user's true public IP address.