By JAMIE TUCKER Consumer Technology Reporter

Would you walk up to a total stranger and tell them your home address? Probably not.

But when you browse the internet, that’s exactly what you might be doing without even knowing it.

Every time you go online, websites and apps collect more than just your clicks. They can also see your general location, thanks to something called an IP address. That string of numbers is tied to every internet connection and acts like a digital zip code. Anyone with basic tech knowledge can use it to figure out where you are.

Want to see yours? Just open a browser and search “What’s my IP address?” That number is visible to every website you visit.

Fortunately, there is a way to hide it. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, masks your real IP address and makes

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