Not everyone is tech savvy. Many of us have limited knowledge on how the web world works. You might have heard the term VPN many times before, but you are still not sure what it means. In this article we will be explaining briefly and in simple words what VPNs are and why users need to have a VPN installed on their devices.

What is a VPN?

VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network”. It is a service that protects your internet connection and privacy online. It masks your IP address, and therefore enables you to securely share data and surf the web, while your identity remains covered. Additionally, many people use VPN to enter webpages and to use applications that are prohibited in certain countries.

What does VPN do?

VPN makes your internet connection more secure, helps you stay anonymous when surfing the web and helps you access censored sites. It lends you a temporary IP address and hides your real IP address from others. In simple words, it enables you to enter websites that you normally would not have access to. Governments and other authorities, such as schools, universities, libraries etc., often prevent users from entering specific websites. VPN acts as a website unblocker by routing your traffic through an encrypted tunnel, so that your browsing activity cannot be detected or controlled.

Why should I get one?

VPN will encrypt your online activity and unblock the websites you want, even if they are censored in your area or blocked by your academic institution, workplace or by a public Wi-Fi. Having a VPN installed on your phone or laptop, lets you watch your favourite Netflix series on your lunchbreak and enjoy YouTube everywhere. It allows you to stay connected with friends on Facebook and Instagram, from all parts of the world, even at places where these sort of apps are blocked. Imagine VPN as an online master key. When you connect to one of the multiple global servers of your VPN provider, you will be able to browse the web with a new IP address and access sites that otherwise would be censored for you. Are you convinced yet?

Click here to get yours today.

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Changes in social media apps can be confusing. Young users are quick at understanding and experimenting, however, for middle-aged users, this can be a source of stress. With more and more small businesses thriving on social media, business owners need to be on top of things. Recently Instagram updated its app and there have been some changes.

If you are wondering how to make a photo carousel with the new version, you can follow these simple steps, according to The Verge:

• Select the plus icon to add a post.
• This opens the photo sections. Just above the photos on the left, there is an option to select a different folder for pictures.
• Select the first picture by pressing and holding for a few seconds. The picture will be selected with number 1 appearing on it.
• You can continue doing this until you have selected all the photos. This process is the only way to do it on iOS.
• For Android, there is another option to select multiple photos. Above the photos on the right is an icon that appears to be two pages. You can select that and then select the photos.
• Once done, proceed to posting the carousel.
• Write a caption, add hashtags, and post.

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At Spigot, Inc. we acknowledge that behind our success, is our people. Our most valuable asset is our employees. Each goal we’ve achieved, is because each and every one of us has worked hard, smart and efficiently. Therefore, we always make sure that after every big win, we show our appreciation to our team with parties, outings and little surprises.

Last week, Spigot celebrated hitting a company goal by taking everyone to a Florida Everblades hockey game! Spigot employees shared the adrenaline rush and bonded over the action. One of our employees, Jordin, even got to rep Spigot and played a mini game on the ice.

Usually our team events include some type of competition and games, but this time it was a nice change of pace to just chill and enjoy the game. The magic of hockey games is that they always get everyone involved, whether people watching are hockey fans or not. On top of that, the feeling of being back out with everyone was really nice.

One of the best parts about working for Spigot, Inc. is the opportunity we have for collaboration and team building. We love celebrating small and big wins, and just showing appreciation for all the hard work our employees put in. Team building trips, dinners, lunches and just fun in the office are a big part of our success. If this culture is something you think you would be a good fit for, we would love to speak with you!

Send your resume and cover letter to careers@spigot.com for review! Check out all of our adventures on the Spigot, Inc. blog. Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram…like us on Facebook and never miss out on the Spigot Inc lifestyle.

Signal is a messaging app, similar to WhatsApp or Telegram. However, Signal prioritizes users’ privacy by encrypting messages sent and received with the app. Signal was developed by the Signal Technology Foundation and Open Whisper Systems to be a privacy-friendly alternative to many of the popular messaging platforms on the market. All messages and calls on Signal are end-to-end encrypted, which means that no one can view the contents of your messages.

Why Use Signal?

If you’re already using an app like WhatsApp or Telegram to chat with people online, you may be thinking — why should I switch to signal? There are a number of reasons that Signal is better than traditional messaging apps or SMS texting on your phone. Signal does a better job of keeping your communications confidential and is open-source, which means you can verify what is happening when you use the app.

Signal Protects Your Privacy

Signal uses end-to-end encryption to keep anyone but the intended recipient of your message from viewing your messages. With this level of encryption, even if Signal gets hacked, the contents of your communications are safe. Signal does not use any of your information to advertise to you or to sell to third-parties.

You Can Trust Signal

Signal is open-source software, which means that you can view the source code for the app. This allows third-parties to verify Signal’s claims that it doesn’t track you or collect your information. Another benefit to using an open-source messenger is that you are 100 percent certain that there is no “back door” used for surveillance by governments or other organizations. Signal can’t decrypt messages for the government, for example, even under subpoena – not because of policy, but because it’s not technically possible.

How To Use Signal

Even though signal uses encryption and is very privacy-friendly, it’s incredibly easy to use. The functionality is the same as other messaging apps, like iMessage or WhatsApp.

Text Messaging: Signal allows you to send text messages to other Signal users, with a few great features like disappearing messages and expiring messages.

Voice Calls: Voice calls on Signal are encrypted just like text messages on the platform. It’s a great alternative to using an app like Google voice, which may link your communications to your Gmail and other accounts.

Video Calls: The video feature on Signal is as easy as FaceTime and Google Meetings, but adds the peace of mind that comes from using a private service.

Thanks for reading, and we hope you learned something about Signal and why it’s important to protect your privacy on the internet. For more information about Spigot and the products we love, connect with us on LinkedIn.