While the purpose, in this case, was to circumvent the potential barriers the directive would introduce, as operating a VPN would, hypothetically, allow users to bypass regional restrictions by “pretending” they are operating in a different, unregulated region. Not long after the news of Article 13 went live, and as its reach became apparent, there was a noticeable spike in interest surrounding VPNs within meme communities. In particular, the EU directive of 2019, referred to as Article 13, troubled meme fans who were concerned that the directive would have a worldwide impact on the state and creativity of memes. Many people who are familiar with memes are hardcore web veterans and have likely been aware of the privacy implications of the modern internet long before the average user has. The various VPN services appeal to meme enthusiasts and creators alike, largely for the same reason that VPNs have cultivated interest among common internet users: privacy and security are a primary concern, more so in this day and age than ever before.Įver since the scraping and abuse of personal data have started to become public knowledge, there has been a massive market for VPN providers. The brand name is synonymous with sponsored content, as well, NordVPN is fighting in the “big leagues” of sponsored content, contending with other heavyweight champions of advertising, such as Skillshare or Raid Shadow Legends. What started as NordVPN’s YouTube sponsorship system has blossomed into an entirely new advertising platform: they’ve even launched their own “NordVPN for Influencers” program, allowing those with major social media followings to follow suit and become “ambassadors” of the product. Of these services with a network of sponsorships, no service has become as ubiquitous with VPNs in the minds of meme consumers as NordVPN.
![nord vpn man nord vpn man](https://9to5mac.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2016/10/nord-vpn.png)
Just how exactly? Let's discuss their intersection and uncover how memes have played a role in this phenomenon. Aside from ads, memes discussing the various aspects of VPNs have also played a noteworthy role in helping to increase awareness.
![nord vpn man nord vpn man](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_03_31_at_92331_pm.png)
Much of the advertising for VPNs largely stems from, as we all know, sponsorships - as is evidenced by the frequency of baked-in advertising from the likes of NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Tunnel Bear. At some point over the past few years, just about anyone with an internet connection could probably tell you about them. Despite originating as a tool to address specific privacy and security concerns (and, occasionally, to watch international movies or get PornHub Premium for free), they have arrived at a peak of popular knowledge. Between the countless YouTube sponsorships and ironic endorsements in memes, there’s been no shortage of discussion about virtual private networks (VPNs) on the web.