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The FCC's rollback of net neutrality rules has sparked an ongoing battle over the future of the internet. The federal government is fighting with states, internet service providers (ISPs) and tech companies are joining the fray, and consumers are simply doing anything in their power to maintain some control and security over their digital lives.

One concrete step that more and more people are taking is to adopt virtual private network (VPN) apps to maintain anonymity and data security while they're browsing. PCMag recently surveyed 3,000 US consumers about VPN use and buying trends.

We found that while fewer than a third of consumers currently use VPNs, 52 percent of respondents said they're more likely to use a VPN since net neutrality rules officially went kaput in June. More significantly, one in four respondents (26 percent) said that the net neutrality rollback directly influenced them to purchase a VPN app.

That's not surprising, as security is the top concern for VPN users. Tasks such as safely accessing public Wi-Fi, sharing data securely, and avoiding government surveillance are all additional reasons consumers have bought VPNs.

For more information, check out PCMag's explainers on what VPNs are and how to set up and use them. And find out which is the best vpn for net neutrality.