Twitter Suspension: Dangers You Must Know About Before Using VPN
Afnews Editor
Jun 05, 2021
The Federal government on Friday announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter operations in the country. This left many Nigerians with no other choice but to engage the services VPN providers as an alternative option to access Twitter and other social media networks.
READ ALSO: COVID 19: How my mother died in ESUTH Enugu (SO PAINFUL)
A virtual private network - better known as a VPN - is a key path for digital anonymity.
READ ALSO: How a Catholic Priest Slumped and Died While Delivering Homily in Delta Church
Checks shows that using a VPN understandably makes one feel invincible, but there are still a few important risks involved that should one keep in mind.
READ ALSO: Otti Set to Commission 55 Projects Across Abia - See Full List of Developments
VPNs provide two of the most important services which are encryption and virtual IP addresses.
READ ALSO: CJN: FRESH TROUBLE FOR ONNOGHEN AS NJC ISSUES HIM FRESH QUERY, REAFFIRMS UMARU AS CHAIRMAN
Encryption locks data in a layer of unbreakable code while virtual IP addresses help one to gain access to virtual, non-local IP addresses.
But a user on Twitter @Ohmsmaestro after the suspension said, "I have been warning some people to avoid doing any bank transactions via VPN. VPN is just like a router.
READ ALSO: Mother's Day: Abia Government Liaison Officer Honours Women, Says Mothers Shape Future Leaders
"It reroutes your request via another means, bypassing your network providers. Those at the other end can monitor what you are sending over the network.ÔÇØ
READ ALSO: Exclusive: Why Nigeria's foreign reserve plunges despite higher oil prices | READ DETAILS
With VPNs, you can still access the free internet through a tunnel. But can you trust the provider? Here are five dangers associated with using untrusted VPNs;
READ ALSO: "Ikwuano Locked Down For Alex OttiÔÇØ - Monday Ubani SAN Sends Strong Message To Opposition
Choosing the wrong VPN - One of the central dangers of using a VPN is choosing the wrong one.
Free services that advertise on browser extension stores and mobile marketplaces are notorious for claiming fast downloads and anonymized activities when in reality they can be more dangerous than not using a VPN at all.
READ ALSO: Ofuji Ndị Igbo Sets 2026 Agenda, Promises Greater Community Engagement
All devices aren't automatically protected - If you use VPN software to protect your PC or smartphone, that's the only device that gets protected.
READ ALSO: Kwankwaso Accuses Tinubu Government of Budget Bias, Warns of Regional Distrust | WATCH VIDEO
In order to keep data safe, you must install an app on every device that connects to the internet (or else use a VPN router).
READ ALSO: Bloodbath At Wedding: Bandits Kill 13, Abduct Many In Midnight Attack In Kaduna Community
Viruses and malware are still a threat - Most VPNs do not protect your computer from viruses or malware.
READ ALSO: COVID 19: How my mother died in ESUTH Enugu (SO PAINFUL)
You'll still need to be mindful of downloading suspicious files, especially through torrent and P2P networks.
READ ALSO: How a Catholic Priest Slumped and Died While Delivering Homily in Delta Church
Speed issues - VPN will often slow your connection speed by 10-25% depending on the service, all thanks to encryption overhead.
READ ALSO: Otti Set to Commission 55 Projects Across Abia - See Full List of Developments
This can be frustrating if you frequently stream HD movies or do a lot of online gaming.
READ ALSO: CJN: FRESH TROUBLE FOR ONNOGHEN AS NJC ISSUES HIM FRESH QUERY, REAFFIRMS UMARU AS CHAIRMAN
Fake VPN scams - In an ironic twist, many online hackers rely on scamming those who are working the hardest to avoid scams.
This means that consumers should be wary of free anti-virus installers, fake 'alert' pop-ups, and, yes, VPN software.
READ ALSO: Mother's Day: Abia Government Liaison Officer Honours Women, Says Mothers Shape Future Leaders
In the worst case, however, they also sell or supply data to government authorities. Even if the provider promises not to sell the data, it is already a risk that the data is stored at all.
READ ALSO: Exclusive: Why Nigeria's foreign reserve plunges despite higher oil prices | READ DETAILS
Not a day goes by without a new data leak being reported, whether due to poor security or criminal hacker attacks.
READ ALSO: "Ikwuano Locked Down For Alex OttiÔÇØ - Monday Ubani SAN Sends Strong Message To Opposition
Users Data Privacy - If a VPN service doesn't charge its customers, the company has to bring in revenue from somewhere else. All your data makes a detour via the VPN provider. But do you really know the company and what it's about? Essentially, you will have to trust your provider to maintain data privacy.
The most common source is selling user information the VPN promised to protect. If you aren't paying for the service, you're not the customer, you're the product. This holds true for nearly every free VPN service.
READ ALSO: Ofuji Ndị Igbo Sets 2026 Agenda, Promises Greater Community Engagement
So dear readers, the main concern is simple - you need to trust the VPN provider itself to look after your data. You also need to be certain that the app you are using is a genuine VPN, and not itself a scam.
Related Stories
Bloodbath At Wedding: Bandits Kill 13, Abduct Many In Midnight Attack In Kaduna Community
"Ikwuano Locked Down For Alex OttiÔÇØ - Monday Ubani SAN Sends Strong Message To Opposition
Mother's Day: Abia Government Liaison Officer Honours Women, Says Mothers Shape Future Leaders
Why ICPC Is Prosecuting Mike Ozekhome Over a London Property Deal That Has Shaken Nigeria's Legal Circle | READ DETAILS
Ofuji Ndị Igbo Sets 2026 Agenda, Promises Greater Community Engagement
How a Catholic Priest Slumped and Died While Delivering Homily in Delta Church
""
— Afnews Editor