43% of Americans use VPNs – should you?

MSN ^ | March 6, 2025 | George Phillips

[DoodleBob]

Research has found that nearly half of adults in the U.S. use, or have attempted to use, a VPN. A majority use VPNs to protect their IP addresses and usage is highest among Gen Z and millennials.

…

Experts expect America's 43% figure to rise and VPN usage to become more important than ever. But what exactly are people using VPNs for and should you get in on the act too?

A survey from CNET has found that 2 in 5 (43%) of American adults have used, or do use, VPNs.

Their motivations for using a VPN vary, but over half (52%) use one to protect their IP address and 47% want to keep their online activity private – masking your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic is a vital feature of the most secure VPNs.

The best streaming VPNs allow you to access content not available in your country and 15% of respondents said this was the primary reason for their VPN use. Playing or streaming video games was also the reason for VPN usage for 15% of Americans.

…

The recent TikTok ban saw many Americans try to access the app via a VPN. This was ultimately unsuccessful, however 12% of people said they use VPNs for accessing banned apps.

…

Interestingly, U.S. VPN usage does appear to be more popular with men. Half of men surveyed use one, compared to 36% of women. Gen Z and millennials are the largest adopters of VPNs, with 50% of each group using one.

The length of time individuals have used VPNs varies – 19% have used one for more than two years, 10% have used one for one to two years, and 15% have used one for less than a year.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The only thing it’s useful for to me is to lessen the tracking and targeted ads.

Never mind that the websites, usernames and passwords you enter are sent in the clear so that they can be snagged by malevolent forces.

If you use public WiFi there is no telling who has set up the access point you are connecting to. It could be the guy with the laptop sitting next to you in the coffee shop. If you use a VPN they can't see anything. If you don't use a VPN they can capture it all.

[kiryandil]

What version of Windoze do you have?

[gnarledmaw]

“We are looking for a big donkey and a large machine.”

Its very close to a line I say when Im telling the story of my dad working on a weasel farm.

Were you frequenting mustelid ranches of any sort?

[T.B. Yoits]

Windows 10 Home

Version 22H2

[kiryandil]

Sorry, I got sidetracked.

Here is how to pause Windows Update for Windows 10 & Windows 11 for an almost unlimited number of weeks.

"How to Change Maximum Days to Pause Windows Update in Windows 11" [4 and a half minutes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sumGtllKnTY

Windows was forcibly updating my box every five weeks, and was changing my desktop against my will.

Then I found this method. :)

[I believe that Win Update still does things in background to keep the system reasonably up-to-date, because I see some of the Upadate "helper programs" running at times - but it doesn't do that annoying nag thing any more].

Good luck! Maybe you can shut the nags up.

[T.B. Yoits]

Thank you