So I’m a dude who works in the Information Tech sector doing network-security type stuff. Pat happened to mention that he uses a VPN to bypass latency and route to better nodes, which is TBH something that I never thought of (though I do always have a VPN on). VPNs can also be used for security purposes, as they obfuscate your IP, and “tunnel” your exit connection to a different location. There are probably a lot of people here looking for VPNs now for the same reasons, and a few of you might have stumbled onto something known as a “free” VPN. DO NOT sign up for these. Much like a social media site (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) these will parse your data as it is being uploaded, and then sold to various companies so they can bombard you with ads. It is almost always better to bite that bullet, and pay the $15 for the actual VPN that will not only reduce your latency, but also won’t spy on you.
TLDR: VPNs are cool! DO NOT SIGN UP FOR A FREE VPN.
Edit: Some people have asked for recommendations on VPNs, so here’s mine (Note: I’d still do your research before buying!):
CyberGhost is best for torrenting and hacking (no logging, located in Romania). From what I’ve heard NordVPN, and ExpressVPN are good for streaming and gaming. For the cheaper side: HideMyAss is best for those who want something for only month-to-month, and SurfShark is pretty cheap. If you want to go the tech savvy route and not use a company, an old laptop with PFSense and OpenVPN will get you a Firewall/VPN combo, although you’ll have to setup and manage it yourself.
Should be mentioned from a recent report that almost a third of the world’s top VPN’s are owned by six Chinese companies. Many others are owned and based in countries with weak or little to no privacy laws.
Definitely do your research before signing up for one. As rule of thumb usually any service that is free means you are the monetization. I suggest checking sites like VPN Pro and reviewing their grading system for top VPN services.
Some extra information: internet providers will slow down your speed if you are downloading games, streaming movies not released and at times looking up the wrong thing will raise a red flag. Usually using a shit ton of data may aslo raise a red flag. Make sure your vpn keeps no logs of your activity. For max safety, sure you enable the opinion to only have internet access when the vpn is up.
I’ve used NordVPN for a while. I forget it exists much of the time because it often slows my already terrible connection down to borderline unusuable levels. It usually just goes on when the porn comes out. That or I search for anything even remotely unusual.
So how dangerous is using free vpns exactly? I live in the thirdworld where a lot of the internet is censored and paying for anything with dollars is hard to say the least. Would i be screwed if i used free vpn to circumvent internet censorship?