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Washington, DC - As a business person, you know that accessing the public Wi-Fi network in an airport lounge, coffee shop, or other location can be risky. Public networks aren’t very secure – or, well, private – and it could be easy for others to intercept your confidential business or personal data. But there are times when every executive has to be out and about. So what can you do to keep your mobile data private and secure? Some people use Virtual Private Network (VPN) apps to shield traffic from their mobile devices from prying eyes on public networks. Before you download a VPN app, consider the benefits – and the risks. The FTC has answers to the questions business people are asking.

How do VPN apps work? When you use a VPN app, data sent from your phone – for example, your browsing data or the apps you’re using – is first routed through servers controlled by the VPN provider. A VPN app can make traffic from your phone to a website appear to come from the VPN’s servers. Some VPN apps also encrypt the data sent between your phone and the VPN server. So let’s say you’re using a public Wi-Fi network that isn’t secure – for example, a network that allows anyone to use it, even if they don’t have a password. Other people on the same network can see your traffic. But when you use a VPN app that encrypts the data, anyone monitoring your Wi-Fi network connection only sees gibberish – even if the particular site you’re visiting doesn’t itself employ encryption.

Why do some people use a VPN app? Some VPN apps promise to keep your information secure on public networks. Others also claim to keep your information private from advertisers and other third parties. And because VPN apps route your traffic through another network, they can make it appear as if your traffic is coming from somewhere else. This is similar to how your company might use a VPN to allow employees to use their work computers as if they were on the company’s network, even while they’re on the road.

What are some privacy and data security concerns about using a VPN app? First, when you use a VPN app, you’re giving the app permission to intercept all of your internet traffic. You shouldn’t grant that permission lightly. Also, a group of technical researchers who studied almost 300 VPN apps found (link is external) potential privacy and security risks with some VPN apps. According to the study, for example, some VPN apps didn’t use encryption. Some asked for sensitive – and possibly unexpected – privileges. And some shared data with third parties for purposes like serving ads or analyzing the data to see how people are using a particular site or service.

Given these findings and the considerable trust you place in a VPN app once you give it access to your online traffic, here are some things to consider before you download a VPN app.