Everyone needs a VPN! Using a VPN is the only way to keep your online activity truly private! These and other unethical, hyperbolic claims are just a few of the false marketing narratives surrounding the use of Virtual Private Networks.
February 16, 2024
Everyone needs a VPN! Using a VPN is the only way to keep your online activity truly private! These and other unethical, hyperbolic claims are just a few of the false marketing narratives surrounding the use of Virtual Private Networks.
In reality, a VPN that logs its users could land your private data on everything from the black web to government watch lists.
If your VPN provider doesn’t clearly spell out how long it will keep your data, for what explicit purposes (like an active legal case), and what the retention process will be should the company dissolve, proceed with extreme caution.
“14 of the 16 VPNs we analysed failed to state in their documentation that they will immediately and permanently delete all personal user information when a user closes or deletes their account, and that they’ll do so within 30 days,” explains Consumer Reports. “Even then, the terms specify that old backups containing user data could retain personal information.”
Worried your VPN may be engaging in invasive data collection or retention practices? Here’s how to protect your privacy.
There are several reasons an entity or website may want to collect some portion of your personal data or browsing history – many of them legitimate.
This sampling is a mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the ugly of VPN data retention:
In tech there’s a saying: if you’re not paying for the product you are the product.
That’s certainly the case here. In order for a VPN to provide this “free” service, it’s likely they’ll have to log user data and sell it to other entities and third parties. Any mention of the word “free” should be an instant red flag. The same goes for browsing logs, which collect usage data and really amount to nothing more than spyware.
Instead, stick to one of these two other VPN types:
So how is it that VPN companies are able to get away with storing and even selling user data? The answer lies in the non-existent international standardising body. Without one, it’s up to the VPN providers themselves to define their own terms and keep them intentionally vague.
If you’re not an international criminal, the chances of a VPN willingly overturning your data are slim. Still, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be wary of having your online activities outed to bad actors. As PC Magazine recommends, “By choosing a VPN that is upfront about its logging policies, you can at least be sure that your data is used exactly as advertised by the company you’re relying on to protect it.”
And when you want a truly private browsing experience, go no-log. But make sure you read the fine print first.
For personalised service, the very best financial products and exceptional customer service where you really matter, look no further than the professional team at Mainland Finance
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