I want to try one of them just for random internet browsing. which one do i pick?
Mullvad.
OperaVPN: a sick practical joke
ProtonVPN is good enough if you just want to mask your IP for basic browsing stuff, but if your threat level is even slightly above the most basic needs none of those two are good enough.
so for shitposting on 4chan protonvpn is good enough
You might discover that most of the protonvpn endpoints are banned from 4chan already. I don’t know, I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised.
so what do you suggest
Specifically for dodging 4chan bans or what?
nah just for posting
Why not just use TOR browser ? It is free and in my opinion its fast enough for even 480p video. Sure you can’t use some services all the time, but thankfully we have “privacy redirect” plugin and proxies for those services like invidious for youtube…
There are a handful of cases where a VPN might be a better choice than Tor for certain traffic. Such as using bit torrent or keeping traffic off of Tor exit nodes as they are monitored more heavily.
It’s also useful to have a home network VPN for local services, but I don’t think that is what OP is needing.
doesn’t tor do just ip spoofing?
Tor is like a VPN but sends your traffic through multiple servers (so that no single server has all the information). The Tor Browser also has great tracking protection: it makes it very difficult for websites to distinguish you from other Tor Browser users and makes you look different everytime you restart the Browser.
and why do people use both?
I am not sure but i can imagine the following reasons:
- You do not want anyone (like your ISP) to know that you use tor (to avoid being flagged as suspicious). They will only see that you use a VPN.
- Tor is blocked but the VPN not
- You do not want the Tor entrance node (the first server in the chain) to see you IP (The entry node only knows your IP, the middle nodes knows nothing (only forwards encrypted traffic from one Tor node to another) and the exit node only knows what websites someone is connecting to but has no idea who that is)
I use mullvad, not because i expect 100% privacy (pretty sure it’s in 5 eye country too), but because i trust them to handle it slightly better than my ISP at least.
It’s 14 eyes. 5 eyes is only the Anglo-Saxon countries because they still believe in cultural and societal supremacy over the rest of the world.
If you expect privacy then none of the above.
Any suggestion?
Mullvad, AirVPN, areaVPN
I’ve been a happy user of AirVPN for about 6 years, just perfect for me.
proton is located on 5 eye country also it doesnt have no log so you dont give your data to your isp but you give your data to proton servers so really none of the 2
protonvpn is run by a swiss company so it’s not in the 5 eyes group
do you trust proton your data ? i believe he is talking on the free version, so yes 5 eye country servers
any suggestions then?
This website has s good list of VPNs:
use proxy sockets5
I recommend AirVPN
A lot of anecdotes in the comments with no sources. look it up yourself, I guess
Opera is a terribly shady company. They’re involved in a predatory loan scheme. And with how they marketed their in-browser proxy as an anonymity tool, I wouldn’t trust them worth a shit. ProtonVPN’s creators lied about the capabilities of their email service and are also extremely untrustworthy and shaky in a myriad of ways. All and all, buy Mullvad or IVPN if you truly need a VPN, or just use Tor.
This is the first thing ive heard bad about proton. You have a link to any of the shady stuff youre reffering to? They are all open source iirc, that alone makes them the best out there imo.
Most of this applies to ProtonMail, but it really turns me off of all of their products, as they’re the same people, after all.
The developers of ProtonMail, don’t even use ProtonMail, they use almost exclusively GMail or Outlook.
ProtonMail doesn’t let you register over their .onion. If you go to their .onion and then click register, it redirects you to their clearnet site.
Its next to impossible to make an account over Tor for ProtonMail, as they make you supply another email, your phone number (destroying any anonymity), or even forcing you to donate them money (also destroying anonymity).
ProtonMail can’t provide the zero-access or full un-tamperable e2ee that they claim. Its functionally impossible on the email protocol.
They’re partially owned and closely tied with the Swiss government.
ProtonMail was developed with NSA and CIA oversight.
They engage in illegal cybercrimes.
ProtonMail raised $550,000 to “stay independent” but then immediately after the funding campaign ended they sold to a U.S. capital firm.
If you don’t mind any of this, then use their services. If you do, I’d suggest you look elsewhere.
Do you have sources for any of your claims?
I also want to know but everything that Mullvad does is also libre. They are very supporting of the Hong Kong bullshit, which is meh but they’re not a company after all.
As far I can check only client is FLOSS in ProtonVPN. The same applies for Mullvad and this is referenced in the F-Droid app itself.
Proton. Opera is a Chinese VPN, that should tell you enough
Chinese does not automatically mean bad. By your logic, 14 Eyes VPNs should be order of magnitudes worse since you are implying berating Chinese VPNs for China’s track record on privacy, which while true, holds much more for 14 Eyes and affiliate nations.
By that logic you can berate Mullvad VPN from Sweden, part of 14 Eyes (not 9 or 5) as well.
In all, dumb logic. Use technical merits. We all know China is not a bastion of privacy, does not mean 14 Eyes is better in any way.
Chinese services aren’t bad because of the government’s privacy policies. It’s because seemingly Chinese corporations can do whatever the heck they want. There is not a whole a lot in place to force them to do the right thing, if Opera was a community project I’d recommend it.
OperaVPN is a botnet proxy, but it is no worse than the VPN addons like Browsec or any free commercial Western VPN apps.
Are VPN services regulated anywhere?
Based. I’d rather my data be used by China than my own government or, god forbid, Amerika.
