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A 14-Year-Old Asks: When Should I Get a VPN?
"One of my students sent me this letter," writes Slashdot reader Hasaf. "I have a good idea how I will answer, but I wanted to put it before the Slashdot community." The letter reads:
Right now I am 14 years old, I was wondering when I should get a VPN... I was thinking about getting the yearly deal. But right now I really have no need for a VPN at the moment. I was thinking of getting a VPN when I'm in 11th grade or maybe in college. What do you think?
Of course, the larger question is what factors go into deciding whether your need to be using a VPN. So leave your best answers in the comments. When should you get your first VPN?
Of course, the larger question is what factors go into deciding whether your need to be using a VPN. So leave your best answers in the comments. When should you get your first VPN?
Ok, young man, here's some important details you should know about VPN
- Not all VPNs are equal. Some fit, some don't. They come and go. When your first VPN goes down, it will feel like the world is collapsing. Don't worry, it isn't. You'll get to see many VPNs in your life and eventually you'll find that one VPN that really fits and you'll stay together and maybe even start your own service. You'll know when the time is right and you've found the right VPN to do just that.
- Some VPNs come with flashy advertising and/or quite some legal block. Don't just look at such VPNs but also at the custom built ones that run their own self-built config scripts and services. Those are real gems and that is where you can find very special VPNs.
- Don't just fantasize and read about VPNs online. Go out and meet some real world VPNs in real life. That is where you will gain the experience to judge VPNs and which work best with you.
- When you get your first real VPN, you still need to protect yourself! I can't stress this enough. Practice applying Firewalls and such when you're in the mood for trying out some VPN.
- When you get your first VPN it might not connect in the first night. Don't worry, it will get better. Soon you'll be VPNing like a bunny.
- If you think you've found the right VPN and want to stick with that for life (very significant decision), do write up a contract covering all the details concerning you and your special VPN - it will save you pain later if things don't quite work out as planned.
Those are the basics, the rest you'll learn along the way.
Godspeed!
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
Not to mention that such parenting sets kids up for a lucrative career in IT security, with thwarting such MitM attempts without parents noticing it being the first ITSEC project.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
14-year-old is too young to use VPN. They want to act like adults and yes, they are physically ready to use it and in some cultures even younger ones have been using VPN, but they are not mentally ready. Especially if the worst happens and you get some nasty virus or a worm. And are you ready to take responsibility of the new networks that might born as a result? Young people don't usually considered at all all the negative results that might occur, they only think the positive side or the moment.
That all being said, I think parents should talk with their kids about VPN. Or if that is too embarrassing, you can read some wikipedia articles about it.
Except that, in 2017, unless you roll your own VPN, there's really not much to learn. You just whip out a credit card, pay for a service, install their software (if you don´t just log into their https website), and you're done.
On a business environment (which's not the case in the story), unless you're the admin, you're given a user ID and password to log in a Citrix client. Done.
Remember, we're dealing with the iPone generation that replaces a smartphone when the battery doesn't hold enough charge, or tosses out a notebook when it's running "slow."