3 fun ways to celebrate International VPN Day

The role of a VPN: protecting digital security, privacy, and freedom

Looking back to the history of the VPN, virtual private networks have been around for several decades, with their origins dating back several decades.

First used in the mid-1990s, VPNs has given internet users more control over their data and access to a safer, more private, and less restricted internet. It’s hard to imagine life before the VPN without any protection against censorship, surveillance, or cyber attacks.

NordVPN’s annual survey from 2023 showed that a third of Americans use a VPN for privacy, security, and more internet freedom. While this may sound like a lot, the majority of people still do not use one at all. Most of the population remains highly susceptible to cybersecurity threats, which VPNs could help prevent. And that’s just one of many VPN benefits.

With that in mind, we at NordVPN proposed celebrating International VPN Day to raise global VPN awareness and promote cybersecurity education.

What is International VPN Day?

International VPN Day is a cybersecurity event and special day on the calendar created to highlight the importance of online privacy and security. Celebrated on August 19 every year, it offers an opportunity to deepen your knowledge about cybersecurity and the potential dangers lurking online.

So, let’s use International VPN Day not only to celebrate people’s right to digital privacy, security, and freedom — but also to educate ourselves. Here are three fun ways to make International VPN Day count.

How to celebrate International VPN Day

There are several fun things you can do with a VPN on its special day, but they are probably less exciting than the following activities, which are aimed at actually challenging your knowledge.

Take the National Privacy Test

Do you know what to do with phishing emails or what app permissions mean? Do you accept all terms and conditions without a flinch — or read them to ensure you don’t agree to some shady privacy practices?

The National Privacy Test created by NordVPN is a fun and easy way to evaluate your digital privacy and security skills and knowledge. It only takes a few minutes, and after answering questions about digital habits, privacy awareness, and risk tolerance, you get a score out of 100.

Whether you’re hoping to get the full marks or not, NordVPN ran a survey in 2020 to evaluate the global level of cybersecurity knowledge. According to the 2023 report, the “world” only scored 61 points out of 100, showing room for improvement.

Learn something new about cybersecurity

The cybersecurity world is constantly evolving, and unless you read industry news daily, you likely still have things to learn.

Use this day to brush up on your digital security knowledge. Start by visiting the NordVPN’s cybersecurity hub and the NordVPN blog, then read a few articles. Pick a topic you don’t know much about — whether it’s insider threats or browser hijackers — and educate yourself.

For an even more fun way to learn, make some popcorn and watch a cybersecurity-themed movie. Here are some film ideas:

• Tinder Swindler (2022). This documentary captivated viewers all over the world. It tells the story of a notorious dating app conman and his influence over several women. Tinder Swindler is a cautionary tale for those who seek to meet someone online.
• The Great Hack (2019). You’ve probably heard about the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook scandal that resulted in illegal access to 50 million users’ data. Even if you haven’t, this engaging documentary paints the full picture.
• The Most Hated Man on the Internet (2022). This spine-chilling documentary tells the story of a convicted criminal, Hunter Moore, who founded a pornographic website called “Is Anyone Up?” The site primarily used stolen and hacked nude photos that were extremely difficult to take down.

For more films on cybersecurity, consider checking out our lists of movies about hackers and freedom-of-speech movies.

Spread awareness

Once you’ve brushed up on your knowledge, you’ll most likely want to share it with the outside world. This part often comes naturally — when we learn something that shocks or surprises us, we can’t help but relay that information to others wherever we go.

Not everyone is aware of the dangers of the online world. Some people can be quite (or completely) oblivious, making them more vulnerable to online threats.

Educating yourself gives you the power to educate others, too. Whether chatting with a friend over a cup of coffee or sharing an article on social media, you could be doing someone a favor.

This International VPN Day, be the messenger contributing to the mission of accessible digital privacy, security, and freedom for everyone. Plus, with so many attractive VPN deals online, you’re likely to find one you’ll want to recommend to your friends.