{"id":23528,"date":"2023-03-14T21:26:53","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T04:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/?p=23528"},"modified":"2026-05-27T06:55:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T13:55:41","slug":"what-does-a-vpn-hide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a VPN Hide? A Lot, But Not Everything &#8211; PIA VPN"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re all alone at home, so nobody\u2019s around to see what you\u2019re doing online. But can you be sure about that? When you signed up to an ISP for internet service, you shared your name, contact number, and home address.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might not have read the small print, but your ISP can record, monitor, and share your downloads, IP address, and any browsing data. With all this information, <strong>your ISP\u00a0 can compile a complete profile of all your online activities.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If this sounds alarming, perhaps you should protect your privacy and secure your browsing information with a VPN. A VPN is there to hide what you get up to on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #d5dde3; padding: 15px; border-radius: 10px; width: 500px;\">\n<h4>Table of Contents<\/h4>\n<a href=\"#what\">What Information Does Your US-based ISP Have on You?<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#hide\">What Does a VPN Hide?<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#nothide\">What Does a VPN Not Hide?<\/a><br>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#local\">Your Local Browsing History<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#activity\">Your Account Activity<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#cyberthreats\">Your Devices From Cyberthreats<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#cookies\">Cookies That Are Already on Your Device<\/a><\/section>\n<a href=\"#trust\">How Do I Know If I Can Trust My VPN?<\/a><br>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#read\">Read the Reviews<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#examine\">Examine at the Privacy Policy<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#check\">Check the Level of Encryption<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#find\">Find Out Which VPN Protocols Are Supported<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#look\">Look at the Features List \n<\/a><\/section>\n<section style=\"text-indent: 15px;\"><a href=\"#options\">Check the Server Options<\/a><\/section>\n<a href=\"#test\">How Can I Test If My VPN Protects My Online Privacy?\n<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#bottom\">The Bottom Line: Does a VPN Hide What You Search?<\/a><br>\n<a href=\"#faq\">FAQ<\/a><br>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\"><strong>What Information Does Your US-based ISP Have on You?<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re in the US, your ISP has more information about you than you realize. As long as it knows your IP address, your US ISP can see which websites you visit and what you do when you visit them, the links you click and the search terms you enter. Your IP address also reveals your physical location, such as your exact city, state, ZIP code, and country.<br><br>That\u2019s not all. <strong>Your ISP can track your streaming and downloading activities too. It knows every time-stamp when you connect to a website or download a file and the size of every download you initiate<\/strong>. It may use this information to throttle your internet connection and slow down the speed at which your video downloads or your game responds, resulting in the dreaded buffer wheel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s even more concerning that since 2017, ISPs in the US have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/house-representatives-votes-215-205-away-broadband-privacy-allow-isps-sell-private-internet-history\/\">legally permitted to sell your personal data<\/a>. ISPs get to decide what is necessary to anonymize the information, so <strong>who knows who has full visibility into your internet actions?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/buy-vpn-online?conversionpoint=vpn_hide\"><button class=\"bg-btn-1\"> Hide My Browsing Now <\/button><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hide\"><strong>What Does a VPN Hide?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is that a VPN can hide a lot of information that you\u2019d often prefer to keep for yourself. Here are the most important answers to what does a VPN hide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A VPN Hides Your IP Address<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A VPN reroutes your online connection through a VPN tunnel to give you a new IP address. This masks your real IP address, so data thieves and snoopers will have a very tough time getting your real location, if they can at all. <strong>Hiding your IP address effectively hides your zip code, city, state, and country<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hiding your IP address also protects you from websites that adjust their pricing for visitors from different areas. Many services, especially<strong> hotels, airlines, and other travel sites, present different prices for locals than for tourists<\/strong>. When you use a VPN, you can connect to a local server and often enjoy cheaper rates and special offers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A VPN Hides Your Personal information\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VPNs use encryption to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/stay-anonymous-online\">scramble every piece of data<\/a> that leaves your device, so that even if someone hacks into your network and intercepts your internet traffic, they won\u2019t be able to read it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s particularly important if you\u2019re using public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.<strong> VPN encryption helps secure your sensitive information <\/strong>like passport numbers, banking details, or contact information, as well as any embarrassing messages you send your BFF.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A VPN Hides Your Online Activities\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s creepy when you check out a new recipe for Thai food, and then you\u2019re bombarded with ads for Thai take-out. That happens because retailers spy on your search history and browsing footprint. Sometimes, companies even hijack your browser to redirect you to sales pages.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A VPN helps stop the madness of targeted advertising in two ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Quality VPNs include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/ad-blocking-vpn\">ad blockers<\/a> that stop annoying ads, trackers, and malware before they hit your device.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>VPNs break the link between you and your browsing and search history, which means your search terms, the links you click on, and how long you spend on each webpage won\u2019t come to haunt your devices and apps in the future.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>With a reliable VPN, even your ISP can\u2019t see what you get up to online. <\/strong>That way, it can\u2019t throttle your connection when you stream live sports, or cap your bandwidth on Twitch. It also means that your ISP won\u2019t know what you download, if you use torrenting services, who you chat to in gaming rooms, or have any record of your online activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A VPN Hides Itself<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A VPN may stop third parties from seeing your personal information and what you get up to online, but it doesn\u2019t stop others from noticing that you\u2019re using a VPN. In authoritarian regimes like Iran or China, just using a VPN could be enough to get you arrested.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even in open societies like the US, some networks apply VPN blockers to prevent people from using a VPN. Top VPNs \u2013 including PIA \u2013 use obfuscation to hide the fact that you\u2019re using a VPN, giving you an extra layer of privacy. PIA also has a multi-hop for an extra layer of protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/buy-vpn-online?conversionpoint=vpn_hide\"><button class=\"bg-btn-1\"> Hide My Browsing Now <\/button><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"nothide\"><strong>What Does a VPN Not Hide?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although a VPN can be very powerful and hide many things online, it\u2019s not a perfect shield. There are still some things that a VPN can\u2019t protect you from.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/pX-my9VzzE0S3K_d0SXiWX5cOZSqyzxSe4Z02yKZam3vWandgfslqy70JHmdERP7RFgfzSQgx4rOdjFfadVCY3h4TWtHNjeG1Y5_x1DK50bjw922fDyAEZQij1p11NGy0rZHLLVmu6NPWfAR5fcmsBQ\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:500px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nobody can possibly recognize me now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"local\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udc49 Your Local Browsing History<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The browser you use to access the internet records everywhere you visit and every search you request. If someone takes your device, they could see everything stored in the browser, even if you use a VPN. You can get around this by using private and incognito browsing windows, and regularly clearing your browsing history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"activity\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udc49Your Account Activity<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot of websites and apps require you to log in whenever you use them. They know all the personal information you provided when you signed up, so they can track whatever you post, see, or do on their platform, even when you use a VPN.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This includes social media like Facebook or TikTok, online retailers like Nike or Sephora, banking platforms like PayPal or your local bank, and browsers like Google Chrome.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"cyberthreats\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udc49Your Devices From Cyberthreats<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VPNs on their own can\u2019t protect you against malware or viruses. For that, you need antivirus software, or a VPN that has the option of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/antivirus\">antivirus protection<\/a>. VPNs also can\u2019t stop phishing attacks that manipulate you into giving up your personal details.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"cookies\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udc49 Cookies That Are Already on Your Device<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A VPN blocks websites from placing cookies and trackers on your devices, but it can\u2019t remove the ones that are already there. Those existing cookies might still expose your data to third parties. Clear your cookies regularly to increase your privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"trust\"><strong>How Do I Know If I Can Trust My VPN?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s difficult to tell if your VPN delivers on all the promises around what a VPN is supposed to hide, but there are some ways to check your VPN\u2019s reliability. Here are a few things to look for to help you decide if your VPN is up to the task.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"read\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udd0d Read the Reviews\u00a0<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">User reviews can give an unbiased overview of each VPN. Look beyond the star ratings and read details of other users\u2019 personal experiences. Technical reviews in blogs and online publications usually provide details about the VPN\u2019s specs and usability, which is great if you want to know about the tech behind the tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"examine\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udd0d Examine at the Privacy Policy<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody likes reading the fine print, but it\u2019s worth reading your VPN\u2019s Privacy Policy. This is a legal document telling you how the VPN collects, stores, manages, and uses your data. Keep a lookout for details like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/privacy-policy\">No Logs policies<\/a>, which means the VPN itself doesn\u2019t store your online activity.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moreover, you should also check if the VPN\u2019s No Logs policy was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/privacy-audit\/\">audited by a third party<\/a>. Independent audits verify whether the privacy claims made by the service are true and they have become an industry standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"check\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udd0d Check the Level of Encryption<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not all encryption standards are created equal. For example, PIA uses military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, which is among the hardest encryption protocols to crack. The higher the encryption level, the more you can trust your VPN.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/zWHq8dpYh8JDu_7x6QeOuzZKSdS1Du3Z2fFPf9UaUX-JG_os6Jiu3x1CbujzFxxGed3huG40rpbSwcKhwGlA4hUeidhGrQdswbhvS1sLoeDjN1ftxMZYVeQS_lKQETIWFsNuDMYbRFx40kc3nOvyti4\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:700px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">PIA\u2019s customization is something to behold.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"find\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udd0d Find Out Which VPN Protocols Are Supported<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A trustworthy VPN<strong> should offer OpenVPN and Wireguard\u00ae, like PIA does<\/strong>. These are two of the most widely recognized VPN protocols that offer the best security.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"look\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udd0d\u00a0 Look at the Features List\u00a0<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like independent audits, certain VPN features have become staples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Kill Switch, which automatically breaks your connection if the VPN fails.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Split tunneling, so you can use both public and private networks at the same time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Obfuscated servers that hide your VPN use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dedicated IP servers, so you don\u2019t share an IP address with anyone else.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DNS leak protection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"options\" style=\"list-style-type: none\"><h3>\ud83d\udd0d Check the Server Options<\/h3><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With some VPNs, you can choose your preferred server from a long list of choices. This gives you more options for changing your location. PIA has servers in many countries around the world, not to mention <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/50-servers-50-states\/\">at least one server in each US State<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/buy-vpn-online?conversionpoint=vpn_hide\"><button class=\"bg-btn-1\"> Hide Your IP <\/button><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"test\"><strong>How Can I Test If My VPN Protects My Online Privacy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can perform several tests to check if your VPN is actually protecting your data.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An IP address test checks for an <strong>IP address leak<\/strong>. Turn off your VPN and use an IP Lookup Tool to check your real IP address, then turn on your VPN and check your IP address again. If it\u2019s still the same, your VPN has failed.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>DNS leak test<\/strong> checks if your DNS requests are exposed by your VPN. There are lots of free DNS test sites that give you the results in a few minutes.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A<strong> WebRTC leak test<\/strong> checks that your VPN is scrambling the technology that browsers use to communicate with each other, so they can\u2019t see your IP address. A WebRTC test site will give you the reassurance you need.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>VPN audit<\/strong> is carried out by an independent body to assess the VPN\u2019s security levels. You can read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/audit\/DeloitteNoLogsAudit.pdf\">PIA\u2019s audit report here.\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A court of law might test the VPN\u2019s privacy policy. PIA\u2019s No Logs policy was tested and proven in a court of law.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"bottom\"><strong>The Bottom Line: Does a VPN Hide What You Search?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you choose a reliable VPN, you can trust it to hide your search history, IP address, location, internet activities, personal information, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This does not apply to platforms that require you to log in to be able to use them. If you log into your Google or Facebook account, whatever you do on the platform will be associated with that username. No VPN can protect against that type of tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/buy-vpn-online?conversionpoint=vpn_hide\"><strong>Use PIA VPN<\/strong><\/a> to protect your privacy, secure your sensitive information and free yourself from throttling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/buy-vpn-online?conversionpoint=vpn_hide\"><button class=\"bg-btn-1\"> Get Private Internet Access <\/button><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq\"><strong>FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1678677381344\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does a VPN hide your search history?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. A VPN conceals your internet searches, but only after you install it. Third parties can still see your previous searches, so clear pre-existing browsing data and maintain your privacy.\u00a0<br><br>This does not apply to services that require a login. If you log into Facebook with the VPN on, the platform can still associate your activity with your account.<br><br>PIA VPN goes a step further by employing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/ad-blocking-vpn\">MACE<\/a> to block ads which could target you based on search terms.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1678677407187\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does a VPN hide your browsing history?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Absolutely. Your browsing history is the first answer to \u201cwhat does a VPN hide?\u201d VPNs with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/vpn-features\/vpn-encryption\">top-notch encryption<\/a> keep your browsing history private by scrambling and securing all the data that goes out from or into your device.<br><br>PIA VPN uses 256-bit AES encryption and world-class protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard\u00ae to hide your browsing activities.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1678677427473\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does a VPN hide everything you do online?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. A VPN can help you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/stay-anonymous-online\">be safer online<\/a>, but it can\u2019t hide you completely. For example, when you log into a website or app, it can track and record whatever you do on its platform.\u00a0<br><br>If you log into a browser like Google Chrome, Google can see your search queries, clicks, website visits, and more.<br><br><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1678677444350\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What does a VPN not hide?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Your VPN won\u2019t hide cookies and trackers already existing on your devices, your account activity on websites you log into, or any information that you choose to share with a website, app, or platform.<br><br>A typical VPN also can\u2019t stop viruses and malware from reaching your device, but some include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/antivirus\">antivirus software<\/a> that protects you from these attacks.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What does a VPN hide? That depends on the VPN. Get PIA to hide your IP address, GPS location, VPN use and your browsing and connection data from snoopers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":23529,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2579],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-online-privacy"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Does a VPN Hide? A Lot, But Not Everything - PIA VPN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What does a VPN hide? That depends on the VPN. Get PIA to hide your IP address, GPS location, VPN use and your browsing and connection data from snoopers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Does a VPN Hide? A Lot, But Not Everything - PIA VPN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What does a VPN hide? That depends on the VPN. 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If you log into Facebook with the VPN on, the platform can still associate your activity with your account.<br\/><br\/>PIA VPN goes a step further by employing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/ad-blocking-vpn\">MACE<\/a> to block ads which could target you based on search terms.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/#faq-question-1678677407187","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/#faq-question-1678677407187","name":"Does a VPN hide your browsing history?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Absolutely. Your browsing history is the first answer to \u201cwhat does a VPN hide?\u201d VPNs with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/vpn-features\/vpn-encryption\">top-notch encryption<\/a> keep your browsing history private by scrambling and securing all the data that goes out from or into your device.<br\/><br\/>PIA VPN uses 256-bit AES encryption and world-class protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard\u00ae to hide your browsing activities.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/#faq-question-1678677427473","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/#faq-question-1678677427473","name":"Does a VPN hide everything you do online?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. A VPN can help you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/stay-anonymous-online\">be safer online<\/a>, but it can\u2019t hide you completely. For example, when you log into a website or app, it can track and record whatever you do on its platform.\u00a0<br\/><br\/>If you log into a browser like Google Chrome, Google can see your search queries, clicks, website visits, and more.<br\/><br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/#faq-question-1678677444350","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/what-does-a-vpn-hide\/#faq-question-1678677444350","name":"What does a VPN not hide?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Your VPN won\u2019t hide cookies and trackers already existing on your devices, your account activity on websites you log into, or any information that you choose to share with a website, app, or platform.<br\/><br\/>A typical VPN also can\u2019t stop viruses and malware from reaching your device, but some include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/antivirus\">antivirus software<\/a> that protects you from these attacks.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23528"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23528\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38584,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23528\/revisions\/38584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.privateinternetaccess.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}