INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Verizon has rolled out a new product called Safe Wi-Fi, a VPN that provides a security stop gap for its mobile customers logging onto a
It also being marketed as a way to block ads.
SoWTF is a VPNand why does it matter A VPN is a virtual private network
It sitsbetween a device in front of you and a server in a data center
Think of it as a tunnel that cloaks or hides your internet traffic from other folks on your local network
That open Wi-Fi at your local coffee shop can give advertisers and more nefarious types the ability to track your IP address
A VPN provides a secure connection between you and the server, and hides the IP address from prying eyes.
Safe Wi-Fi (check out the video
below) costs $3.99 a month per account and is available to Verizon customers on Android and iOS
Safe Wi-Fi covers up to 10 devices on a single account.
Verizon customers can sign into My Verizon and go to theProducts Appspage, scroll
toSafe Wi-Fi and then click &get it now& to subscribe
The Safe Wi-Fi feature is then added to their account
Customers can download theSafe Wi-Fi app from theGoogle Play StoreorApple App Storeon their device and then follow the onscreen instruction
to sign up with a one-month free promotion.
Users can turn on the &Ad Tracker Blocker& within the Safe Wi-Fi settings
The Ad Tracker Blocker prevents customers from ad network tracking while browsing the internet, and from ads generated from the device
downloaded apps, according to Verizon FAQ page on the feature
In some cases,ads will be blocked entirely to prevent ad trackers from working
A gray image will replace the ad on the screen, Verizon says.
Websites that require ad trackers may be blocked, according to the company.
It
important to remember that a VPN doesn''t eliminate the risk entirely
As TechCrunch reporter Romain Dillet notes, the risk just moves down the VPN tunnel
The person operating the server can see all unencrypted traffic
VPN companies might examine a customer browsing habit and sell them to advertisers, for example.
Disclosure: Verizon owns TechCrunch parent
