The Shady Business of VPNs

If you want to be private and anonymous online, just use a VPN! Now you're safe from all the bad guys online, right? The VPN industry makes a lot of claims. But are they telling the truth? And can you trust these companies with your data?

0:00 Intro
0:51 Stretching the truth
5:21 Trust issues
7:18 The congomerates
8:19 Conflicts of interest
11:44 Skeletons in the closet
14:03 Free lunch
15:55 Should you use a VPN?

[NathanaelV]

A VPN tierlist would actually be hillarious

Privacy and security is a constant, ever-changing effort. Before choosing a VPN, you have to think about your threat model.
Who are you worried about, the ISP? The government and/or three letter agencies? Big corporations like Google or Microsoft? Your parents? The school/university? Advertisement companies?
Each answer requires different efforts, and it also depends on what exactly you don't want them knowing.

[weltsiebenhundert]

7:46 Speed test by Ookla OWNED by a VPN provider - Explains the ADs

[false_positive]

the saying 'nothing personal, just business' gets a new interpretation, when talking about vpns : 'nothing private, just business'

[CuteSkyler]

Go to a random relative's, who doesn't know much about internet security, house, set up a server in their attic connected to their router via ethernet, open ports that only you would access, install a local VPN service on the server, connect to it via your own machine at home. Boom, perfectly private internet. (Can be improved by going to a stranger's house and doing it there instead)

[sprinklednights]

This is why I have never paid for a VPN. Use Tor if you want to be more private instead of using a VPN. It's not a panacea either, but much better than using something like NordVPN.

[ariathyf]

Thank you for saying out loud what many in the field have concluded.
Exposing the track records and historical associations is important to realize the magnitude of what is going on.

You're a true internet Chad.

[domojestic]

Goddamn, these vids are just so good now. I mean, you had some solid work before your hiatus, but this is just a whole different level!

[TheLexikitty]

Yea, I only use a commercial VPN because I’ve seen too many ISPs believe they are the enforcers of copyright law. Everything important is airgapped, and three letter agencies already know what they want to know about anyone.

[Lnd]

a few days ago LTT accepted PIA sponsor and made a new video about VPNs and didn’t even mention another good alternative to PIA like Mullvad or Proton

[rabbitos]

I hate that VPN companies lie to the general public about what they can do, but there is something comforting about a bunch more people using them these days since the first assumption is no longer you must be downloading super secret linux distros lol

[golderzoa]

finally someone actually is talking about this! vpns are scams unless you make it yourself but most people don't know how.

[somni]

I use proton vpn for spotify cos the ads are less annoying when I can’t understand them.

[Emancipatriot]

I love the way you write your scripts. The random quips mixed in the way do is basically your brand at this point.

[sireasy]

I was waiting for the sponsor. really hit the nail there!

[ArturdeSousaRocha]

VPNs were created for a different type of use, like connecting to your company's intranet from a remote location. Personal use is just an attempt at monetizing the technology further.

[hoomanbing]

Another banger. I had been waiting on your take on vpns for some time now.

[friponraymond]

Thanks for your videos. You brought awareness to me and this is more than enough already.
I'd happily watch a VPN tier list video. Good work, keep it up sir.

[comesignotus]

Nice, got some info I wasn't aware of. I hope this video ranks higher in recommendations.

[FireMao]

Thanks for this info, Eric, much appreciated.