Having a trustworthy VPN on your side is important, grab a two-year subscription for $47

There are a number of reasons to consider signing up for a VPN service including added protection for your data and access to geo-blocked content. Not to mention some of the things happening legislatively in our country that are potential causes for concern.

We’ve partnered with Private Internet Access, one of the best providers around, to offer a two-year subscription for $47 (Orig. $166) with coupon code 9TO5VPN at 9to5Toys Specials. Here’s why you should consider grabbing the deal.

Online Privacy Protection

Imagine you’re in a coffee shop, idly scrolling down your news feed. The endless stream of baby pictures and #firstworldproblems offers a little light relief from the daily grind.

Out of the blue, some stranger walks up behind you and starts reading every status update. This same person then spends the whole day walking along behind you, making notes on every website you visit. Most of us would object to this strange and intrusive behavior in the real world (i.e., call for help). Yet we allow it to happen online every single day.

Sites like Facebook and Google make money by analyzing your browsing habits. Thanks to Congress, your ISP can now operate in the same way. In addition, many governments gather information on their citizens using digital means. Using a VPN allows you to escape these privacy traps.

Every internet-connected device has an IP address. This virtual passport identifies you across the web and gives away your physical location. If it seems like there’s no workaround for the way stuff just works, think again: you can use a VPN to hide your IP address. The service works by rerouting your data through masking servers as you browse the web.

Instead of seeing your details, snoopers only see the IP address and location of your VPN.

Better Internet

Aside from privacy, this misdirection play actually improves your internet experience.

For starters, it makes public Wi-Fi much more secure. Scammers often set up bogus hotspots in the name of stealing your details. As most VPN connections are encrypted, no cyber criminal can steal your cash or other personal information.

Furthermore, using a VPN gives you access to content from around the world. Sites like Netflix and Hulu block viewers from certain countries — hence the annoying “not available in your region” message. When you use a VPN, these sites cannot trace your location. Consequently, you can enjoy all the great TV shows and movies they have to offer.

The same goes for apps that are restricted in certain countries, such as Skype. For regular travelers, VPN protection is pretty essential.

Private Internet Access

There are literally hundreds of VPN services to choose from, but not all are made equal. Private Internet Access VPN stands out from the crowd, with rave reviews and a huge list of important features.

This service works across PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, protecting up to five devices simultaneously. The one-click installers make it easy to start protecting yourself with custom settings available for advanced users.

Private Internet Access has 3,310 servers in 25 countries, meaning you can always find a fast, local connection. Having this much choice is also great for those all-important streaming sites. You get unlimited bandwidth, and your connection is encrypted.

The kill-switch feature ensures that you are never left unprotected, and this VPN blocks ads, trackers and malware at source. Most importantly of all, the folks at Private Internet Access store zero data.

Two years of service is normally $166, but you can protect yourself now for just $47 with coupon code 9TO5VPN.