Data is the currency of today!
And no matter how hard you try you can not defy this fact. That is because the more attention you pay online, the more data is yielded from you knowingly or unknowingly. Remember that signup form you fill out for a quick survey, that was the data you gave away almost instantly without asking. Your location, usage pattern, and everything is too valuable for brands and organizations with their major chunk of online business. That is one of the biggest reasons everyone involved in enabling your internet experience, from the admin of the website you visit regularly to your internet service, is spying on you. Shocking but TRUE!
Some suggest that using a VPN can be helpful, but the real question that arises here is “Are VPNs fully secure when it comes to making you anonymous online?”.
A lot of you might have this question at the back of your mind about whether a VPN hides your online activity completely or only works on a handful of websites that you visit. The question is legit, as there are several things that users still need to learn about how a VPN works.
Why Google Services is a Center of Data
The biggest giant in internet services and online applications, Google is always looking for data footprints to track your usage and improve their products and ad recommendations. With the help of smartphones and integrated Gmail accounts, Google has penetrated completely into our lives, which is why you may be able to avoid using a website, but when it comes to Google Services, they become irreplaceable.
And that is what brings us to the question of the hour, can a VPN help you stay anonymous, even to Google? Keep on reading as we unravel all the limitations and benefits of using a VPN.
Understanding the Basics: How Does a VPN Work
Before we begin with the complex answer to your question “Does a VPN Hide My IP from Google?”, let us first understand how exactly a VPN Works. Usually, a virtual private network creates a line of defense online.
When it comes to understanding the functioning of a VPN, it is quite similar to going undercover. In simpler words, a VPN helps you hide in plain sight as when you connect using a virtual private network, you convert your existing IP address into a spoofed one that originates from a dedicated server created to bounce off queries of websites. Whenever you visit a website, it takes your IP address to identify key details about the connection that you have established. These details include –
- Your geographical location
- Your connection type
- Your device information
- Your prior searches and visited websites
- Your identification
With the help of a VPN, you can hide all this information from a website you visit. That is because, thanks to a VPN server, your IP address is changed to a random sequence of numbers that corresponds to a remote location. This means your location, previous data, and searches are all hidden, and only the things you do while staying connected to the VPN are shown.
Limitations of a VPN: What it Does Not Hide?
On the other hand, if we talk about the limitations of a VPN, there are a few areas where it may not be useful. A VPN is for sure the best way for you to stay under the radar, however, it can certainly have its downsides as it cannot be responsible for things you manually do on a webpage. Which is also the reason why you may be wondering if Google Services are safe to use with a VPN or does it make a difference.
Some of the core things a VPN does not hide include –
On the other hand, if we talk about the limitations of a VPN, there are a few areas where it may not be useful. For instance –
1. Your activity on a website – While it may be able to hide your online activity from your ISP or someone trying to track you, things you do on a website while you are connected to a VPN can still be watched by the website owner. Sure, they may not be able to identify you exactly, but they have options to block your current IP and stop you.
The best example is how Netflix flags VPN IP addresses and stops them from streaming.
2. Manually entered information – If you are using a VPN and at the same time using your original name and email address, there is no point in it, considering you are giving away the information. It is advised that to achieve anonymity to its full extent, you try using a pseudonym.
3. Save your PC from online threats – While you may not be the target of an attacker, an infected website will affect your PC no matter what IP you are on. After all, you, in the end, are interacting with the threat. Keep in mind that a VPN may assist in keeping your identity secure from a stranger but that does not mean that the spoof IP you use is free of any issues. It just diverts it through another IP.
For instance, if you end up clicking on a virus or a data hack link while staying connected to a VPN, it will still hurt you in the long run.
These three things make it clear what a VPN hides and does not when you are connected.
This leaves us with the question of the hour. How does a VPN work when it comes to Google services? Well, the answer to that is similar to what you have read so far – the VPN can hide anything you browse after connecting to a VPN. However, if you are on a service, for instance, the maps, you may be required to use your original location for navigation. Similarly, you may be required to use your original email address while browsing YouTube or any other service for the same.
How Google Can Identify You Even When You Are Using a VPN
Now, knowing that your activities are your responsibility, you must understand that if you are using a VPN to stay under the radar but are still using your email address to access Gmail, it will leave a digital trail in your Google account Sure it may show that the access was made from a different region, thanks to a VPN client like Systweak VPN, however, in the end the locational data will lead to your account only.
This applies mainly on services as many websites require you to log in and thanks to login via Google feature, the majority of the users end up giving their personal information instantly.
All in all, a VPN can hide your IP from Google but in case you give your credentials to access the service, your identity will no longer be hidden, defeating the purpose of using a VPN for many.
What Can Be Done to Stay Anonymous While Using Google Services
Well, clearly the issue does not lie in the IP address but in the way of usage. You may be required to create a pseudo name and email address while using a VPN to stay completely anonymous online, as 100% anonymity is a myth today. Use a VPN that offers you rock-solid encryption, as you do not want your data to leak during a VPN tunnel connection failure.
We recommend you go for the Systweak VPN client as it offers much to offer. Download it today to make the most of your online snooping experience. That brings us to the end of this post. Hope you now have a clear picture of what happens when you use a VPN while using Google services. If you have any doubts, feel free to reach out. Thanks for reading, good luck!
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