Do You Really Need a VPN? Six VPN Myths That Refuse to Die

Every few months, the internet discovers a new opinion about VPNs. One week they are essential tools that everyone should use. The next week they are supposedly useless snake oil. Then someone on Reddit claims that HTTPS made VPNs obsolete. Someone else insists that a VPN makes you completely anonymous. Before long, nobody knows what to believe anymore.

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As someone who spends far too much time thinking about privacy, cybersecurity, and how our data is collected online, I decided to separate fact from fiction.

Let’s look at some of the biggest VPN myths and find out what a VPN actually does, what it does not do, and whether it deserves a place in your digital toolbox.

Myth #1: HTTPS Made VPNs Obsolete

This is probably the most common argument against VPNs. The reasoning sounds convincing: “Websites already use HTTPS. HTTPS encrypts traffic. Therefore VPNs are unnecessary.”

There is some truth here. Twenty years ago, many websites still used plain HTTP. Anyone sitting on the same network could potentially see sensitive information moving across the internet. Usernames, passwords, messages, and other data were often transmitted without proper protection. Today, most websites use HTTPS, which encrypts the connection between your browser and the website. That’s a huge improvement. But HTTPS and VPNs solve different problems.

What HTTPS protects

HTTPS encrypts the content of your communication. If you visit an online store, HTTPS helps protect:

• Login credentials

• Payment information

• Form submissions

• Messages

• Account data

This prevents random people on the network from reading the contents of your traffic.

What HTTPS does not hide

Even with HTTPS, several parties can still learn quite a bit about you. For example which websites you visit, how often and roughly when you visit them, which services your devices connect to etc.

Think of HTTPS as a sealed envelope. Nobody can read the letter inside. However, the outside of the envelope still contains the address. A VPN adds another layer by hiding much of that metadata from your local network and internet provider. That doesn’t make HTTPS useless. It simply means HTTPS and VPNs are solving different privacy problems.

Myth #2: VPNs Are Just Moving the Problem Somewhere Else

This criticism is actually one of the strongest arguments against VPNs. When you connect normally, your internet provider can observe a significant amount of information about your online activity. When you connect through a VPN, your provider sees far less — but now the VPN company is in a position to see more. So have we really improved anything?The answer depends entirely on the VPN provider.

Not all VPN companies deserve your trust. Some providers advertise “no logs” policies while offering little evidence that they actually follow them. Others operate in jurisdictions with aggressive data retention laws. Some have questionable ownership structures. This is why choosing a VPN should not be based solely on flashy advertisements. When evaluating a provider, look for:

• Independent security audits

• Transparent ownership

• Open-source applications

• Proven no-logs policies

• Strong privacy laws in their jurisdiction

• A positive security track record

This is one reason I personally recommend Proton VPN. The company has built much of its reputation around privacy-focused services rather than aggressive marketing. Their applications are open source, they undergo independent audits, and they operate under Swiss privacy laws, which are generally stronger than those found in many other countries.

Can any ordinary user personally verify every internal system of a VPN provider? Of course not. At some point, trust is unavoidable. The goal is to place that trust where there is the strongest evidence that it has been earned.

Myth #3: A VPN Makes You Anonymous

I wish this were true. It would make privacy much easier. Unfortunately, it is not. A VPN hides your IP address and changes the network location you appear to be connecting from. That’s useful. But anonymity is much more complicated. Imagine you connect to a VPN server in Switzerland. Great. Now your IP address appears Swiss.

But then you immediately log into Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Amazon. At that point, those services still know exactly who you are. A VPN cannot magically erase your identity from accounts you voluntarily use.

There are also other tracking methods like browser fingerprinting, tracking cookies, device identifiers, account logins or the use of advertising networks. Many websites can recognize users without relying heavily on IP addresses.

A VPN improves privacy, but it does not grant invisibility. Anyone claiming otherwise is selling fantasy.

Myth #4: A VPN Protects You From Hackers

This is where VPN advertising often becomes very misleading. Many advertisements create the impression that enabling a VPN instantly transforms your computer into a digital fortress.

Reality is less exciting. A VPN protects data while it travels between your device and the VPN server. That’s all. If you click a phishing link, a VPN won’t save you. If you download malware, a VPN won’t save you. If you enter your password into a fake website, a VPN won’t save you. If you install a suspicious browser extension, a VPN won’t save you. These are the biggest cybersecurity threats today that people should be afraid of and they target human behavior more than network traffic.

Good security requires a bit more than just using a VPN. Strong passwords, password managers like Bitwarden or ProtonPass, multi-factor authentication, regular software updates and of course: healthy skepticism.

A VPN is just one useful layer. It is not a substitute for common sense.

Myth #5: Hiding Your IP Address Doesn’t Matter

This argument is surprisingly popular. Many people say: “So what if someone knows my IP address?”

For most people, exposing an IP address is not catastrophic. However, it can still reveal more information than many realize. Depending on circumstances, an IP address may reveal your country, region, internet provider, approximate and even your exact location. Watch Rob’s video, if you want find out more.

Sometimes that information is irrelevant, other times it matters quite a lot. There are journalists, political activists working in sensitive environments. And there are privacy-consious individuals like me. Worth to mention streamers and gamers who might be vulnerable to harassment or just concerned about DDoS attacks. And there are frequent travelers as well.

In these situations, reducing unnecessary exposure is simply good operational security. Think of it like closing your curtains at night. You may not be hiding anything dramatic. You simply don’t need strangers looking inside.

Myth #6: Normal People Don’t Need VPNs

This is where the discussion becomes interesting. Do most people need a VPN running 24 hours a day? Probably not. Even many privacy professionals would admit that. But that’s not the same thing as saying VPNs are useless. Many tools are valuable only in specific situations. You probably don’t carry an umbrella every day. Yet you’re happy to own one when it starts raining.

VPNs are similar. Situations where a VPN can be genuinely useful include the following:

Traveling

Hotels, airports, conference centers, and public networks are often outside your control. Adding an encrypted tunnel can provide an extra layer of protection.

Restrictive Networks

Some organizations or countries block access to certain services. A VPN can help maintain access when appropriate and lawful.

Reducing Data Collection

If you prefer to share less browsing metadata with your internet provider, a VPN can help.

Remote Work

Many people use VPNs to access resources securely while away from home.

Geo-Restricted Content

Let’s be honest. Sometimes you just want to watch content available in another region. Many people first discover VPNs for this reason alone.

So What Is a VPN Actually Good For?

After removing the marketing hype, here’s my practical conclusion.

A VPN is useful for reducing exposure of your browsing metadata, protecting traffic on networks you do not control, hiding your IP address from websites and services, bypassing certain network restrictions, improving privacy while traveling and reducing data collection by internet providers.

A VPN is not useful for becoming anonymous, stopping phishing attacks, preventing all hacking, replacing good security habits or making illegal activities invisible.

That’s a much less exciting sales pitch than some advertisements offer. But it’s also much closer to reality.

Why I Recommend Proton VPN

If you decide a VPN makes sense for your situation, my recommendation is Proton VPN. What I like most is that the company approaches privacy as an ecosystem rather than a marketing slogan.

Some of the advantages include:

• Strong privacy reputation

• Swiss jurisdiction

• Open-source applications

• Independent security audits

• No-log policy

• Excellent desktop and mobile apps (aside from the one for Linux I must say)

• WireGuard support

• A genuinely useful free tier

Most importantly, Proton has spent years building trust among privacy professionals instead of relying solely on influencer sponsorships. In a market crowded with exaggerated claims, that matters. My link is affiliate though, I am not going to lie.

Final Thoughts

The internet loves extremes. Some people claim everyone needs a VPN. Others claim nobody needs one. The truth is somewhere in the middle. A VPN is not a magical shield. It is not a cloak of invisibility. It will not turn you into a cybersecurity wizard. But it can be a valuable privacy tool when used for the right reasons and with realistic expectations.

The question isn’t: “Should everyone use a VPN?”

The better question is: “Are there situations in my life where a VPN would reduce risk, improve privacy, or make my online experience better?”

For many people, the answer is yes. Just don’t expect magic. Good privacy has always been about layers, not miracles.