VPN

[Hellenbach]

My DS15 has asked if he can download a VPN. He wants to buy one so needs my permission.
I had no idea what it is and he told me he wants to watch US Netflix using it.

However, now I've googled VPN's I can see it's basically a way of viewing any websites (porn, dodgy etc) anonymously.

It wouldn't show in his history and I'd never know.

I'm a lone parent. I have asked a couple of friends for advice.

Can anyone let me know whether this is the norm for teenagers or really dangerous?!

I've had VPNs in the past. It's fine. He just wants to watch the US Netflix by the sound of it. Nord VPN is good.

Vpns are recommended for all kinds of things- lots of companies use them and recommend their WFH employees use one (for example)
I have one for UK TV.

I use VPN for online shopping and banking. It’s essentially added security for your online connection by adding extra encryption to help prevent being hacked or scammed by cyber criminals. You especially should use VPN if you have WiFi in your home, I’d not do any online purchases or banking without it.
www.esecurityplanet.com/networks/vpn-security/

We have Getflix so dh can watch US Netflix and HBO. Works just fine and doesn't affect anything else. We've had it for years.

Thinking about it I also have one on my 'teacher laptop' to I can access the server and send documents to print.

Ahhhh!
I was having a complete panic!! Thinking the worst!

Okay, great. Thanks so much for educating me.

Well, my (paid for, fairly reputable) VPN doesn't allow me to watch foreign Netflix... I can change the languages and browse on the 'foreign account' but I can't watch shows.

I wouldn't let him. Read up more on VPNs and how to check browsing history.

Just had an admission from my DS tonight about exactly this. Kids at school have been downloading it to circumvent the limits on accessing their phones at school. He has since watched porn - pretty awful stuff. He was upset about it. I would say don't let him. We had everything managed here but he has managed tool at this stuff without being limited via our family safety. All very upsetting.

VPNs are pretty standard now, nothing inheritently sinister about them, it just routes your data a different way so it makes tracking you more challenging and tends to provide better security, including for mundane things. Most paid for VPNs won't allow you to specifically connect to a US server, which is needed to watch US netflix so its not a cert.

Although not illegal, if he says he wants to start browsing the dark web I'd be more inclined to raise some eyebrows.

a lot of people seem to confuse them with the dark Web (which although isn't illegal to access, tends to host more inappropriate and illegal stuff).

The issue is he can download a free one regardless, I'd say he probably wouldn't have asked for the money if he was planning something really inappropriate. That said, if you have parental controls on it will circumvent them, and it's not guaranteed it will allow him to watch US netflix anyway.

@EileenGC

Well, my (paid for, fairly reputable) VPN doesn't allow me to watch foreign Netflix... I can change the languages and browse on the 'foreign account' but I can't watch shows.

Try Express.

If a kid is going to look up porn, they’ll do it with or without a VPN. To say that having VPN caused a curious kid to look at porn is just a rack excuse. Any 7yr old knows how to delete their browsing history even the advanced stuff where you select the specific cookies to delete.

A VPN is just a data encryption tool for security. It’s not sinister and isn’t part of dark web or anything.

*weak excuse

Seriously, these days, almost all teens use vpns to watch foreign TV. It's no biggie. If you've got the odd kid using one to watch porn, then if that's their bag, you need to be talking to them about respect for women and what a fucked up industry porn is, not focusing on how they came to access it.

@PlanDeRaccordement

If a kid is going to look up porn, they’ll do it with or without a VPN. To say that having VPN caused a curious kid to look at porn is just a rack excuse. Any 7yr old knows how to delete their browsing history even the advanced stuff where you select the specific cookies to delete.

A VPN is just a data encryption tool for security. It’s not sinister and isn’t part of dark web or anything.

It does allow them to bypass parental controls though, which are patchy at best anyway and at 15 I wouldn't say a huge issue.

A lot of the streamers, netflix, Amazon, etc, wont work with VPN's now.

I have a vpn with my mcafee security software. Probably the cheapest way to buy it as it's like £20 for the year and protects 10 devices.

Sorry to derail, but does anyone know if you can watch American amazon prime with a VPN?

Zombie thread

Seriously don’t unless you are 100% trusting of your teen. mine used to download vpns to avoid the parental controls I had put on and we were blissfully unaware what she was doing online.

Many teens use VPNs to watch shows from other countries like your son wants to do with US Netflix. I did the same thing a while back because I wanted to watch stuff that wasn't available where I live. But I get why you're worried about him. Maybe he's seeing things he shouldn't without you knowing.

I switched from a VPN to using a residential proxy myself. It gave me a better connection for watching videos and made me feel safer. Plus, it helped me avoid some of the problems you mentioned with VPNs. This change improved my internet use, making things smoother and keeping me worry-free.