What is a VPN provider? How you can protect your online activity

GB News Reporter
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:00:11 +0000

VPNs have become increasingly popular among Britons, with many downloading apps across phones, PCs, and other devices to help protect their online activity.

Following the introduction of the Online Safety Act last summer, which led to a massive spike in VPN downloads, interest in these tools has surged. At the same time, broader conversations around online privacy from the UK Government's push towards Digital ID cards have prompted even more people to explore ways to secure their internet usage and understand the position of VPN providers in doing so.

VPN providers are companies that offer software to create a secure, encrypted "tunnel" for your internet traffic, hiding your IP address and browsing activity from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), hackers, and advertisers.

Here's everything you need to know about VPN providers and the greater role it plays in protecting your online privacy.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that protects and anonymises everything you do online. VPNs can conceal your online activities by routing traffic through an encrypted tunnel that connects to secure servers worldwide.

The most reliable VPNs use the same encryption standards as governments in the United Kingdom and the United States, ensuring that even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) on Wi-Fi cannot record the websites you visit, the duration of your sessions on each site, or your current location. This protection extends to advertisers, trackers, and hackers, preventing them from monitoring your online behaviour.

Furthermore, personal information entered into online forms and sensitive data transmitted to and from your device will be safeguarded from hackers using strong encryption provided by a VPN.

What is a VPN provider, and what does it do?

A VPN provider is a company that normally offers VPN servers, allowing you to connect securely and privately to the internet. These providers manage a network of servers in various global locations and offer software or apps that manage the encrypted connection for their customers.

Several noteworthy VPN providers include:

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Surfshark

Proton VPN

Private Internet Access (PIA)

CyberGhost

Mullvad

Why should you use ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is an award-winning VPN with gongs from the likes of Techradar, CNET, and Tom's Guide, with praise for its servers dedicated to fast, reliable streaming from anywhere in the world.

Monthly prices start from £1.99 a month, and unlock ExpressVPN across up to 14 devices. Once installed, connect to a UK server from ExpressVPN's network of over 3,000 servers across 105 countries.

The service uses proprietary Lightway protocol for enhanced speed and reliability, ensuring smooth streaming of festival performances.

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It also works across all your devices - Linux, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, smart TVs and streaming devices like Fire TV Stick. You can even use ExpressVPN's MediaStreamer feature to watch on devices that don't normally support VPNs, such as PlayStation or Xbox.

ExpressVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to watch the entire festival risk-free and recover your investment if you're not satisfied with the service.

VPNs are not illegal and are often mandated by companies to improve online security for employees. However, it's your responsibility to ensure that you're using these popular apps for legal use. Always check the terms and conditions of the streaming service.

Protect your online data with a subscription from ExpressVPN

Protect your personal information and encrypt everything you do online for just £1.99 with the latest ExpressVPN deal. That equates to under 7p per day, trouncing NordVPN, its biggest competitor

ExpressVPN adds military-grade encryption across up to 10x devices, including iPhone, Android, Linux, Windows, Mac, Fire TV, and dozens more, to secure your internet traffic from prying eyes, advertisers, and governments. You'll benefit from an extra 4 months free with a two-year plan

Benefits of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is particularly well-suited for streaming, gaming and protecting your privacy as it boasts VPN server locations in 105 countries, providing access to global coverage.

It offers ultra-fast speeds on a 10-Gbps network, essential for high-quality streaming without buffering. With military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and features like split tunnelling and a kill switch, your online activity stays private.

Based in the British Virgin Islands — outside Five Eyes jurisdiction — it avoids mandatory data retention laws, which means that even if the company were collecting data (it's not), law enforcement from the UK and US would be unable to compel ExpressVPN to hand over any information about its subscribers.

ExpressVPN supports a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and routers. There's no limit on the number of ExpressVPN apps that you can download on your devices, and with a single subscription, you can connect to the VPN up to 14 devices at once.

It also has a dedicated team that optimises the service for major streaming platforms. Round-the-clock customer support is available if you encounter any issues during race weekend.