Is torrenting illegal in Australia?

Torrenting copyright materials in Australia is a crime, and the region has several laws regulating it. For instance, in 2016, a rule mandated 'three-strikes' to notify torrentors by ISPs on behalf of copyright holders. The same year, an Australian federal court compelled ISPs to block BitTorrent trackers, reducing Australians' visits to these sites by 35%. The following year, the court blocked 59 pirate sites. Then, in November 2018, the Australian government passed the Copyright Act, mandating ISPs to block minor and proxy sites without requiring a court order. It also required search engines, like Google, to demote or remove links to these sites. Therefore, ensure you do legal torrenting only to avoid facing lawsuits.

Does Australia consider it illegal to access the darknet?

No, accessing the deep web isn't illegal in Australia.

Will a VPN offer better privacy when using social media?

Yes. A VPN conceals your IP address from social networks and prevents ISPs from tracking your social media activities. However, since you will still log into your social media platform using your details, you cannot hide your identity. Also, VPNs cannot protect against social media tracking via cookies.

Can a VPN stop identity theft?

VPNs generally protect data in transit. Hence, it can defend against identity theft attacks from hackers on your network. But identity theft may happen in different ways, and a VPN cannot protect against all of them. For instance, it won't prevent phishing attempts, data breaches, or a thief from going through discarded documents in the bin.

Which VPN should I use to watch Aussie rules footy?

The best and most affordable way to watch Aussie rules footy (known initially as Australian Rules Football) is Kayo. Kayo is an Australian sports streaming service with prices as low as AU $25/month on two simultaneous devices. You can use a VPN to unblock Kayo and enjoy your favorite content.

Will a VPN help avoid Australia’s data retention law?

Yes. Using a VPN helps encrypts and routes your traffic through secure servers, thus helping you avoid data retention law. However, you should only use a VPN for legal purposes to avoid getting into trouble.

Is using a VPN in Australia to access U.S. Netflix legal?

While Netflix’s terms of service don’t allow streaming libraries using a VPN, it’s not illegal to access U.S. Netflix using a VPN in Australia.

Can a VPN improve my internet speed in Australia?

Since VPNs add extra overhead to your connection, they may sometimes slow down your internet. However, if you're experiencing ISP throttling, a VPN can help bypass this limitation, thus improving your speeds.

Can you be tracked if you use a VPN in Australia?

While it’s possible to track user activity, it is often more challenging than it sounds. Data encryption and traffic routing make it challenging to track user activity. However, tracking cookies can still be used to monitor online activity. Also, some VPNs retain user logs which could expose your activity.

8 best Australia VPNs (premium and free) for security and fast streaming in 2023

Sneak peek at using Australia VPNs

A robust Australia VPN is the ultimate solution for avoiding online tracking, evading content restrictions, and escaping unnecessary bandwidth throttling from the ISPs. Besides, the best VPNs also offer ample Australian IP addresses for users to access local content when abroad. The only trick to avail of these benefits lies in picking the right service provider that respects your privacy and meets your browsing needs. Keep reading this guide to know about such VPNs suitable to use in and outside Australia.

Although, Australia isn’t one of those countries that go after their citizens to the extent of surveillance. Nonetheless, the region, unfortunately, has a high cybercrime rate. Also, the country has implemented certain laws that require ISPs to log citizens’ data to some extent. Therefore, using a VPN is inevitable for online privacy and security in Australia.

Also, a VPN lets you stream online content to your heart’s desire without restrictions, regardless of your location.

But with numerous VPN services in the market, all claiming to be the best, choosing the right Australian VPN is challenging.

Therefore, this article saves you from this hassle by reviewing the best VPNs for Australia. Read along to find the right VPN service for you.

A quick look at the best VPNs for Australia

NordVPN – The number one VPN for users in and outside Australia who wish to protect their privacy and unblock restricted content.
Surfshark – Most affordable VPN solution that works as promised.
ExpressVPN – Robust security and fast speeds at an affordable price.
IPVanish – A fast and secure VPN with strong encryption and a no-logs policy.
CyberGhost– User-friendly VPN with excellent privacy features and a large server network.
Hotspot Shield– A popular VPN with fast speeds and military-grade encryption, perfect for streaming and online security.
Windscribe – Feature-packed VPN with a generous free plan and robust security measures.
TunnelBear – Free VPN service offers military-grade encryption and generous free data.

Why Australians need a VPN today

Why do you need a VPN to torrent — (Unsplash)

Australians are no strangers to state surveillance, content restrictions, cyber threats, and censorship.

Because it’s not an English-speaking market, filmmakers, game developers, and streaming services pay them the slightest attention. Unfortunately, this means fewer options for those who play mobile games or stream content with an Australian IP address.

Things become worse due to the extra taxes for Netflix purchases and streaming that the government imposes. First, they require users to pay a compulsory additional 10% tax on foreign digital goods, a rule that Netflix capitalized to increase their subscription fee by a whopping 20%.

Then, there is also a copyright act to worry about, which mandates ISPs to issue “three strikes” and other stiff penalties to defaulting persons. While the act has been scrapped for now since 2016, you never know when it may come back.

Also, Australia is a country with a high cybercrime rate and is among the ten most targeted countries.

Since advertisers, the government, and other mischievous persons keep trying to monitor your browsing history, it’s essential to have a VPN. Without a VPN, anyone can easily access your data.

If you aren’t still convinced, here I precisely list the key reasons why you should use a VPN in Australia or elsewhere.

1. Prevent government surveillance

The main reason to use VPNs in Australia is to avoid government surveillance.

Yes, Australia, like the USA, also surveils its citizens’ online activities. And it can even share with others since it’s part of the Five Eyes Alliance. So, you inevitably need a VPN if you don’t want unsolicited snooping on your online activities. Thankfully, the encryption quality VPNs implement remains unbreakable even by government authorities. Hence, you can trust the service to have protected your privacy from spying eyes.

8 best Australia VPNs (premium and free) for security and fast streaming in 2023

A quick look at the best VPNs for Australia

Why Australians need a VPN today

1. Prevent government surveillance

2. Protection against cybercrime