A VPN is a virtual private network. It masks your internet browsing by making it seem like the requests for data are coming from different sources, and depending on the VPN, this can make things such as ip bans completely useless, as the VPN makes it so that your data literally comes from a different ip every single time. Basically, a VPN is a network of machines available for use, whether by choice or via a botnet, that can send requests for data from specific servers between them until they get it, and then send it back. This tangled system slows down internet connectivity, but it also makes your internet use completely untraceable. Hope this basic definition helps anyone that’s confused. If you are still confused, send me a pm.