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Why taking control of your online privacy and freedom matters












Online Privacy and freedom may sound on the face of it like a pretty dry topic, but the fact is, in recent years, it has pervaded the public consciousness like never before. People are more aware of the threats to their online privacy and security, the value of keeping their online data secure, and also the rights they are entitled to enjoy online.

Most people would argue that this newfound awareness can be traced back to 2013. It was then that Edward Snowden released a series of documents which revealed to the world the extent of the NSA’s snooping on the online activities and telephone calls of US citizens.

They were watching and gather data on everything, but crucially they were not discriminating against people based on suspicion. They were watching and gathering data on everybody.

This led to an uproar in the USA, but its impact has also been felt around the world. And this is as true in the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates as it is anywhere else.

Online Privacy and Freedom in the UAE:

The extent of online privacy and freedom varies significantly from country to country. In the UAE, the Government uses online filtering to censor a significant amount of online content.

All pornography is banned, as is anything which is perceived as ‘corrupting moral values’ of the people of the UAE. A great deal of politically sensitive content is blocked, all sites based in Israel are too, as well as pretty much every VoIP service.

In addition, there are blocks on dating sites, some social media sites, and some of the content on Wikipedia.

This is a pretty long list, and for many internet users elsewhere in the world, might consist of a good deal of the sites they use daily. The UAE also goes to considerable lengths to enforce these laws as well. They have a significant surveillance program and punishments for accessing or publishing content which contravenes these bans are severe.

Why Online Privacy and Freedom Matters:

Earlier this year, the UN Human Rights Council declared that all basic human rights should apply in the virtual world as well as the real world. In other words, the right to freedom of expression, a free media, and access to information should be made available to everyone online.

This hasn’t changed the stance of the UAE regime or any other regime which sees fit to censor the internet. And whilst it is not unusual for the UN’s recommendations to be ignored, their findings do highlight the growing sense that a free internet is fundamental to open societies and a better world.

Then there is entertainment, which is also widely censored in the UAE. More and more people living there (both expat and local) want to be able to access the latest TV shows and movies coming out of the USA, the UK, and elsewhere.

Online streaming and download services should make this possible, but increasingly they are being blocked too. Many of these also restrict access themselves, using geo-blocking to stop anyone outside their target countries from accessing them.

How a VPN can help with Online Privacy and Freedom

But there is a solution to all of these problems. And what is more, it is a cost-effective and secure method as well. It is called a VPN or Virtual Private Network.

A VPN works by sending all of your online activity via an encrypted pathway to an external server.

This encryption ensures that all your internet activity inaccessible to both surveillance agents, cyber criminals, and others who might have an interest in seeing what you are doing online.

It also hides your IP Address and therefore ensures that you totally anonymous when using any online services. A good VPN will also keep no logs of your activity, meaning what you do online should always remain private.

So that’s how they can help with online privacy, but what about online freedom?

By using a VPN connected to a server located in another country, the sites you visit will believe you are located where the server is rather than where you are. This means that sites being blocked by your Government will now be available to you (assuming they are available in the country where your server is).

But it also means that sites which are geo-restricted will also become available to you.

Popular services such as US Netflix, Spotify, and Omegle will routinely restrict access to people in certain countries, with their US versions being the most popular. Trying to access all of these in the UAE will result in disappointment.

But by using a VPN connected to a US server, it is possible to not only access these services but use them and enjoy their content too. This means that the plethora of shows, movies, and music tracks which are not available in the UAE by convention means can suddenly be accessed.

So as you can see, a VPN is an essential tool for those who want to enjoy the internet, and its content both privately and freely. It is also very hard to deduce if someone is using a VPN, so for the people of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, they offer a safe and secure route to a free and private internet experience. 

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