The Big Lie: VPNs as Invisibility Cloaks
If you believe the ads, a VPN is basically Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility. “100% anonymous! Untraceable! Become invisible online!”
Yeah, right.
Here’s the truth: VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and hide your IP address, but they do not make you anonymous. They reduce how much your ISP and websites can see, but that’s a long way from being invisible.
Think of a VPN as tinted windows on your car, outsiders can’t easily see in, but the cops, your mechanic, or anyone who knows the license plate can still identify you.
What a VPN Actually Does
At its core, a VPN:
- Encrypts your traffic so your ISP, café Wi-Fi, or government snoops can’t read the contents.
- Masks your IP address by replacing it with one from the VPN server.
- Lets you bypass censorship and geo-blocks by routing traffic through another country.
That’s good. It’s useful. But it’s not a magic bullet.
Because the moment you log into Facebook, Google, or Netflix, they still know it’s you. Cookies, device fingerprints, and account logins bypass your VPN like it’s not even there.
VPN vs. Incognito Mode: Stop Confusing the Two
A lot of people think, “Why pay for a VPN when I can just use incognito mode?”
Here’s the difference, in plain English:
- Incognito Mode: Wipes your local history so your roommate, spouse, or coworker can’t see what sites you visited. Your ISP, your boss, and websites? They still see everything.
- VPN: Hides your browsing from your ISP and network admin. But your local device still keeps history unless you use incognito.
Put simply:
- Incognito protects you from people using your laptop.
- A VPN protects you from people running your network.
They’re complementary, not interchangeable.
But Wait, Isn’t HTTPS Already Enough?
Good question. Most of the web is HTTPS now, so isn’t that already encryption?
Yes, but with limits:
- HTTPS encrypts only your connection to a specific website. Your ISP still sees that you visited facebook.com, just not which page or what you typed.
- VPNs encrypt all traffic between your device and the VPN server. Your ISP just sees “encrypted blob → VPN server.”
So if you only browse harmless stuff at home on secure sites, HTTPS might be enough. But if you’re on sketchy Wi-Fi, in a country with surveillance, or you just don’t want your ISP selling your browsing history, a VPN plugs gaps HTTPS leaves open.
The Bottom Line: Privacy Layer, Not Anonymity Guarantee
Here’s the uncomfortable reality:
- VPNs do not make you anonymous.
- They’re just one layer of defense in a messy surveillance economy.
- If you’re logging into personal accounts, clicking “accept all cookies,” or using Chrome with ten Google services, your VPN isn’t saving you.
A VPN is best seen as a seatbelt, not an armored car. It makes online life safer, but you can still crash if you’re reckless.
Takeaway: Use a VPN for privacy, not anonymity. Pair it with incognito for local secrecy, HTTPS for secure sites, and tracker-blockers for everything else. Stop treating VPNs like invisibility cloaks, they’re just one tool in your privacy toolbox.