The increasing demand for VPN services in Ireland

The internet and IT industries are huge factors in Ireland’s culture and economy. As a leading member of the European Union, in 2019, Ireland ranked 7 out of 28 EU member states in the EU Digital Economy and Society index.

An Irish government report outlined a cybersecurity strategy for 2019-2024. The report points out that over 30 percent of all EU data is stored in Ireland. That is because 9 of the 10 world’s largest tech companies are headquartered in Europe.

The good news is that Ireland is recognized by Reporters Without Borders as relatively liberal in terms of lack of censorship and information access. However, there are other reasons and restrictions for using a VPN (short for virtual private network) in Ireland.

Barriers to Unrestricted Internet Access in Ireland

Trade regulations and other licensing agreements add barriers to free internet access in Ireland. Specifically:

• Ireland upholds a variety of vastly different copyright infringement and enforcement laws of other countries.
• Those agreements and regulations bar access to entertainment streaming sites.
• Copyright holders who detect unauthorized downloads can take legal action.

What a VPN in Ireland Does

Copyright holders can only go after downloaders if they can detect and track the downloader’s true IP address. A reliable  Irish VPN server like Surfshark does the following for users logging into an Irish VPN server:

• The VPN masks the user’s IP address and keeps the user’s identity and location concealed.
• A VPN secures a user’s web browsing through an encrypted virtual “tunnel,” making the data safe from prying eyes.
• A VPN displays the user’s IP address as the Ireland-based VPN server.
• The server routes the user to a destination site in encrypted form.
• If the user logs into the public web, the data stays secure, provided the website address begins with “HTTPS.”
• Even if the site is not secure, spies and hackers experience greater difficulty tracing the user because of location masking.
• A VPN like Surfshark with a no-logs policy prevents user tracking and blocks annoying and often insecure ad downloads.

Other Advantages of Using an Irish VPN

Outside users can access content physically hosted in Ireland and only available to local users. Over a million Irish people living abroad can access their favourite Irish TV programs by unlocking that popular streaming service with a VPN. RTE takes strong geo-blocking measures to restrict outside access. Use a reliable Ireland VPN like Surfshark, rated “best budget-friendly VPN” by VPN mentor, to bypass geo-blocking.

Likewise, online gamers know that they cannot always select their favourite game server. Game servers often connect the user to the nearest server in their region. A VPN tunnel spoofs the IP address to allow the gamer to access gaming that may not be otherwise available.

Conclusion

Ireland has freer and more open internet laws but still has content that Irish users cannot access. Use an Ireland-based VPN service like Surfshark and bypass geo-blocking. Protect your online privacy and access restricted content with a VPN. Surfshark, for example, has a no-logs policy that prevents the internet service provider from collecting and recording online user activity.