Why I’ll be Taking VPN Sponsorships Again… and Why I Stopped

Linus Tech Tips
27 May 202411:40

Summary

TLDRThe video script addresses the concerns around VPNs sparked by misinformation and highlights the real capabilities and limitations of VPNs. It explains that while VPNs can obscure IP addresses and encrypt traffic, they're not a complete solution for online safety. The script promotes 'Private Internet Access' for its no-logs policy, court-tested privacy, and independent audits. It also emphasizes the importance of additional privacy measures and introduces 'Delete Me', a service that helps protect against identity theft by removing personal data from data broker websites.

Takeaways

  • 🚫 The speaker's organization will no longer promote VPNs, but acknowledges that concerns about the VPN industry were valid.
  • 🔍 Tom Scott's video highlighted some of the inaccuracies and fear-mongering in VPN marketing, which contributed to distrust.
  • 💼 The speaker differentiates between the actual service provided by a VPN and the additional features offered by commercial VPN providers.
  • 🔒 A VPN's primary function is to establish an encrypted connection, obscuring the user's IP address and encrypting internet traffic.
  • 🌐 VPNs are not a complete solution for online safety, security, and privacy; they do not prevent risky online behaviors or data breaches.
  • 🎮 Historically, VPNs were used for legitimate purposes such as remote work and gaming, long before they became mainstream.
  • 🏠 The speaker emphasizes that a VPN does not protect against all online threats and should be part of a broader privacy toolkit.
  • 👀 The video mentions that using a VPN for accessing geo-restricted content can be detected by services like Netflix.
  • 🔑 The speaker discusses the importance of choosing a VPN provider with a strong track record of protecting user privacy.
  • 📝 The endorsement of Private Internet Access (PIA) is based on its no-logs policy, court-tested privacy, and independent audits.
  • 🛡️ The video concludes by reminding viewers that a VPN is just one tool and should be used responsibly alongside other privacy measures.

Q & A

  • Why did the speaker initially decide not to promote VPNs?

    -The speaker initially decided not to promote VPNs due to the wave of distrust ignited by inaccurate fear-mongering VPN talking points and the misunderstanding of these points by popular podcasters.

  • What does a VPN do in terms of network traffic?

    -A VPN establishes an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a remote server, allowing some or all of your network traffic to be routed through that server before it goes to its destination.

  • How has virtual private networking been used traditionally?

    -Traditionally, virtual private networking has been used to connect to shared drives and internal servers as though one were physically in the office, and for gaming purposes to play LAN games over the internet with friends who are geographically distant.

  • What are the common misconceptions about what a VPN can do?

    -Common misconceptions include that a VPN is an all-in-one solution for online safety, security, and privacy, and that it can prevent personal data leaks and make illegal activities legal, which is not true.

  • What are some add-ons offered by commercial VPN providers?

    -Commercial VPN providers often offer add-ons like ad blocking, antivirus software, password managers, remote access, and dark web monitoring to entice users away from the competition.

  • How does a VPN help with online privacy?

    -A VPN helps with online privacy by obscuring the user's IP address, hiding the physical location from sites and services used online, and encrypting internet traffic to conceal browsing habits from the internet service provider and other entities.

  • Why might using a VPN for media acquisition not be foolproof?

    -Using a VPN for media acquisition is not foolproof because while the IP address may be obscured, the VPN's IP address is visible to the service being used, and services like Netflix know what the user is watching due to account information attached.

  • What should one consider when choosing a VPN provider?

    -When choosing a VPN provider, one should consider the provider's no-logs policy, their track record in court, independent audits of their services, open-source clients, and their commitment to privacy as demonstrated by actions such as server removals in response to anti-privacy laws.

  • What is the role of 'delete me' in the context of this script?

    -'Delete me' is the sponsor of the video and helps protect against identity theft, phishing, and scams by removing personal data from hundreds of data broker websites.

  • Why did the speaker choose to continue partnering with Private Internet Access (PIA)?

    -The speaker chose to continue partnering with PIA because of their proven no-logs policy tested in court, independent audits, open-source clients, and their commitment to privacy as demonstrated by their actions and policies.

  • What are some additional layers of protection one should consider when using a VPN for sensitive activities?

    -Additional layers of protection include using a throwaway email from a provider with strong privacy protections, using fake names, making payments with cryptocurrencies, and choosing a VPN with a history of refusing to provide data logs.

Outlines

00:00

🛡️ Understanding VPNs and Their Purposes

This paragraph begins with an acknowledgment of the public's concerns regarding VPNs, referencing a video by Tom Scott that highlighted the issue of fear-mongering about VPNs. The speaker clarifies that the concerns were valid and that the discussion will address the true nature and uses of VPNs. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is explained as a tool that creates an encrypted tunnel between a user's computer and a remote server, allowing network traffic to be routed through the server before reaching its destination. The paragraph emphasizes that while VPNs are simple in concept, they can be powerful and versatile, with historical uses including accessing shared drives, gaming, and protecting privacy. It also mentions that the primary purpose of a VPN is to obscure IP addresses and encrypt internet traffic, protecting users' physical location and browsing habits from being tracked by third parties.

05:02

🔍 VPNs and Online Security

This paragraph delves into the nuances of using VPNs for online security. It explains that while a VPN can be a powerful tool for accessing media and other services, it is not a silver bullet and should be used in conjunction with other protective measures. The speaker advises using throwaway email, a fake name, and payment methods that cannot be traced back to the user. The paragraph also discusses the importance of choosing a VPN with a strong privacy policy, such as Private Internet Access, and highlights the company's history of not providing data logs to entities demanding them. It emphasizes the need for additional layers of protection, like torrent protocol encryption, and the challenges of verifying a VPN provider's trustworthiness. The speaker concludes by sharing personal experiences and the reasons for choosing Private Internet Access, a company with a strong track record of privacy and security.

10:05

🛒 Choosing a VPN and Privacy Tools

This paragraph focuses on the selection process for a VPN and other privacy tools. It acknowledges the sketchy characters and potential conflicts of interest in the online security and privacy industry, leading to skepticism about the credibility of reviews and information. The speaker emphasizes the importance of personal experiences and a proven track record when choosing a VPN provider. They share their preference for Private Internet Access, despite the lack of direct sponsorship, due to its strong privacy policies and independent audits. The paragraph also discusses the importance of using throwaway email, fake names, and payment methods that are untraceable, and the potential benefits of using a VPN with torrent protocol encryption. The speaker concludes by discussing the importance of using a VPN as part of a broader digital privacy toolkit and highlights the sponsor, Delete Me, which helps protect against identity theft and data breaches by removing data from data broker websites.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡VPN

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, establishes an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a remote server, routing your internet traffic through that server. This helps obscure your IP address and can encrypt your internet traffic. The video explains its uses, such as bypassing geographical restrictions and protecting online privacy, but also clarifies that it is not a comprehensive solution for online security.

💡Tom Scott

Tom Scott is referenced in the video as a creator who highlighted issues with VPN marketing, particularly the fear-mongering tactics used by some providers. His critique helped fuel public distrust in the VPN industry, emphasizing the need for transparency and accuracy in advertising VPN services.

💡Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is the VPN provider endorsed in the video. The speaker highlights PIA's no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, and independent audits as reasons for trust. PIA's ability to protect user privacy even under government demands is stressed as a critical feature.

💡DeleteMe

DeleteMe is the sponsor of the video, a service that helps remove personal information from data broker websites. This service is positioned as a complementary tool to VPNs for maintaining online privacy and security, protecting users from identity theft and other risks.

💡Encrypted Tunnel

An encrypted tunnel refers to the secure connection established by a VPN between a user's device and a remote server. This encryption helps protect the user's data from being intercepted or monitored by third parties, including ISPs and potential hackers.

💡No-logs Policy

A no-logs policy means that a VPN provider does not keep records of user activity. This is a key feature for privacy, as it ensures that even if the provider is compelled by authorities, they have no data to hand over. The video emphasizes PIA's strict adherence to this policy, tested in court.

💡Data Brokers

Data brokers collect and sell personal information from various sources. The video discusses how services like DeleteMe help users remove their data from these brokers, enhancing privacy. This is important because data brokers can expose individuals to risks like identity theft and spam.

💡RAM-only Servers

RAM-only servers are a security feature where all data is stored in volatile memory rather than on disk. This ensures that no data remains on the server after a reboot, enhancing user privacy. PIA uses this technology to prevent data retention, even if a server is seized.

💡Internet Service Provider (ISP)

An ISP is a company that provides internet access to users. The video explains that a properly configured VPN can hide your browsing activities from your ISP, preventing them from monitoring your internet usage and potentially sharing this information with third parties.

💡Identity Theft

Identity theft is the fraudulent acquisition and use of someone's personal information. The video highlights how both VPNs and services like DeleteMe can mitigate risks related to identity theft by protecting user data and removing it from data broker sites.

Highlights

The speaker announces they will no longer promote VPNs and addresses concerns about the VPN industry.

Tom Scott's video is mentioned for covering nuanced points about VPNs and the wave of distrust they ignited.

The speaker clarifies that their deal with Private Internet Access (PIA) was not affected by the general distrust of VPNs.

A VPN is defined as establishing an encrypted tunnel for network traffic, with built-in functionality in Windows for nearly 30 years.

Early uses of VPNs included remote work access and gaming with friends over long distances.

Commercial VPN providers are differentiated from the core VPN functionality by offering additional features like ad blocking and antivirus.

The primary functions of a VPN are to obscure IP addresses and encrypt internet traffic to protect user privacy.

VPNs are not a complete solution for online safety and cannot prevent risky behaviors like entering credit card information on insecure sites.

Delete Me is introduced as a sponsor that helps protect against identity theft and scams by removing personal data from data broker websites.

A scenario where using a VPN to access Netflix via a Japanese server doesn't fully protect user privacy is discussed.

The importance of using additional privacy measures like throwaway emails and cryptocurrency payments when using VPNs is highlighted.

The speaker emphasizes the need to choose a VPN with a proven track record of protecting user privacy.

Conflicts of interest in the VPN industry are discussed, including the fact that many VPN review sites are owned by corporations that also own VPN companies.

Private Internet Access (PIA) is recommended based on their no-logs policy, independent audits, and commitment to customer privacy.

PIA's transparency is highlighted through their publishing of government requests for data, bug bounty submissions, and company news.

The speaker shares their personal experience and trust in PIA, despite the complexities and potential 'sketchy' characters in the VPN industry.

Delete Me is promoted again for its service in monitoring and removing personal data from data broker websites, offering a 20% discount.

Transcripts

00:00

[Applause]

00:01

my people we've heard you we will no

00:05

longer be promoting

00:07

vpns all right let's go what that's it

00:11

yes king lonus that's it but as short as

00:14

the outrage cycle was that doesn't mean

00:16

that people's concerns about the VPN

00:18

industry were invalid Tom Scott did a

00:21

great video Back Then covering a lot of

00:23

them and we're going to touch on some of

00:24

his more nuanced points later but the

00:26

big one that really ignited the wave of

00:28

distrust was his takedown of the

00:30

inaccurate fear-mongering VPN talking

00:33

points that your Nana's favorite

00:35

podcaster was paring without the

00:37

slightest understanding of them that was

00:39

a big problem but the thing is none of

00:43

that was ever part of our deal with

00:45

private internet access and even Tom

00:47

worked with a VPN provider recently

00:49

before he went on Hiatus earlier this

00:51

year so I think it's time for us to take

00:53

another look at what vpn's do what they

00:56

don't do and whether they're worth it in

00:58

insert current year now to keep things

01:00

clean this video will not be brought to

01:02

you by a VPN but rather by our sponsor

01:05

delete me delete me helps protect you

01:08

against the risks of identity theft

01:10

fishing and even rooc calls and other

01:12

scams by removing your data from

01:13

hundreds of data broker websites we'll

01:15

talk more about them later a VPN or

01:18

virtual private network does exactly

01:20

what it says on the tin it establishes

01:22

an encrypted tunnel between your

01:24

computer and a remote server allowing

01:27

some or all of your network traffic to

01:29

be routed through that server before it

01:31

goes to its destination that's about it

01:35

but don't let the Simplicity fool you a

01:37

VPN can be an incredibly powerful and

01:39

versatile tool which is why virtual

01:41

private networking has been built into

01:43

Windows for almost 30 years now back in

01:46

those days the server you were

01:47

connecting to was probably run by your

01:49

work it department and enabled you to do

01:51

exciting things like connect to Shared

01:54

drives and internal servers as though

01:56

you were physically in the office when

01:58

you were actually working from home or

02:00

abroad and another big one at least for

02:03

young me was gaming see in the early

02:06

days many games supported land

02:08

multiplayer but didn't necessarily

02:10

Support internet multiplayer so virtual

02:12

private networking was a way for me and

02:15

my friend who were actually many miles

02:17

apart to play land games together now

02:20

both of those are still common use cases

02:22

but they aren't the ones that get a lot

02:24

of marketing so when the average

02:27

consumer thinks of a VPN it's more

02:29

likely that they're thinking about a

02:30

commercial VPN provider who has servers

02:33

all over the world to give your internet

02:34

traffic let's say a British accent so

02:38

you can watch your favorite baking

02:39

program without getting burnt by a

02:40

location check now most commercial VPN

02:43

providers also offer extras like ad

02:46

blocking antivirus password managers

02:48

remote access and even dark web

02:50

monitoring but none of that is the VPN

02:53

it's just add-ons to entice you away

02:55

from the competition in a very

02:57

competitive Marketplace so at the end of

02:59

of the day the VPN portion does two

03:02

things it obscures your IP address

03:05

helping hide your physical location from

03:07

the sites and services that you use

03:08

online and if it's properly configured

03:11

and that's a major if it encrypts all

03:14

your internet traffic including services

03:16

like DNS concealing your browsing habits

03:19

from your internet service provider and

03:21

by extension any entity like a

03:23

government or special interest group who

03:25

might compel them to share that data

03:28

what a VPN isn't though is some kind of

03:31

all-in-one solution for Online safety

03:33

security and privacy and this was and

03:36

continues to be a major contributor to

03:38

the backlash surrounding VPN marketing

03:41

see a VPN doesn't prevent you from

03:43

punching your credit card number into a

03:45

sketchy website and it doesn't prevent

03:47

you from giving your real personal

03:48

information to that mysterious cutie

03:50

that you met on a dating app for the

03:53

personal data that's already out there

03:54

you need something completely different

03:56

like from our sponsor delete me data

03:58

Brokers collect massive amounts of

04:00

personal information from anywhere they

04:02

can get it and they sell or rent it to

04:04

anyone that pays their fee now you could

04:07

go to each broker's website and follow

04:08

their opt out process then go back and

04:10

do it again every so often to make sure

04:12

your info stays offline or delete me can

04:15

do the work for you getting your data

04:17

removed from hundreds of online data

04:18

Brokers back to vpns though let's look

04:21

at a scenario where it wouldn't help you

04:23

one bit you sign into Netflix through a

04:26

Japanese server in order to get access

04:28

to your favorite anime that still hasn't

04:30

made it to the US there's a couple small

04:32

problems for one thing your IP address

04:35

might be obscured but your vpn's IP

04:38

address is visible to the service that

04:40

you're using and they can tell that uh

04:43

hey that's not a residential IP that's

04:45

coming from a Data Center and you're

04:47

watching Netflix you're probably using a

04:50

VPN the other thing is that okay while

04:53

your ISP might not be able to see what

04:55

data you're downloading Netflix

04:57

absolutely knows what you're up to

04:59

because you signed in with your Netflix

05:01

account that has your credit card info

05:03

and your billing address attached which

05:06

might not be a big concern with Netflix

05:08

but let's be real here many of you are

05:11

relying on vpns for media acquisition on

05:14

other services and the truth is that a

05:17

VPN can be an extremely powerful tool

05:20

for such Endeavors but it still isn't a

05:22

silver bullet and depending on the laws

05:24

in your jurisdiction there are a number

05:26

of other protections that you should

05:28

absolutely have in place before sailing

05:31

the high seas for one thing you should

05:33

be using a throwaway email ideally from

05:36

a provider with strong privacy

05:38

protections like proton mail use a fake

05:40

name or the real name of someone you

05:42

hate and don't enter any payment

05:45

information that can be traced back to

05:47

you Pia for instance takes

05:49

cryptocurrency for payment though that's

05:51

probably not as untraceable as we once

05:53

thought it was and finally choose a VPN

05:56

that has a long history of not just

05:58

refusing to Prov provide data logs to

06:00

entities who demand them but being

06:02

unable to cuz that's kind of An

06:05

Inconvenient Truth of the VPN industry

06:08

without additional layers of protection

06:10

like torrent protocol encryption your

06:12

VPN provider has a pretty good idea of

06:15

where you go and what you're up to and

06:17

all of that is only as secure as their

06:20

willingness and ability to protect you

06:22

which requires a lot of trust without

06:25

much ability for the average person to

06:27

verify so how do we choose a VPN to

06:30

partner with I mean that VPN is owned by

06:33

so and so and those guys own all these

06:36

other VPN and those guys hired that

06:38

sketchy dude you know the one but the

06:41

fact of the matter is guys in the

06:42

Cutthroat world of online security and

06:44

privacy you're going to find sketchy

06:47

characters who came over from the other

06:49

side unscrupulous Crypt Bros and

06:52

conspiracy theories Galore some of which

06:54

turn out to be a lot more than just

06:56

theories and depending on who's doing

06:59

the spinning of the facts the same

07:01

developer could be a nefarious former

07:04

hacker with ties to the Middle Eastern

07:05

intelligence Community or they could be

07:08

a computer nerd that served the

07:10

mandatory time in their country's Armed

07:11

Forces when they were a teenager another

07:14

concern is that according to VPN pro at

07:16

least 105 VPN providers are owned by

07:20

just 24 corporations and making it worse

07:24

many VPN review sites and even giants

07:28

like PC magaz azine and IGN are owned by

07:32

Umbrella corporations that also own VPN

07:35

companies so with so many conflicts of

07:37

interest everywhere it's hard to trust

07:39

pretty much anything that you read about

07:41

this industry so for me what It

07:43

ultimately comes down to is my personal

07:46

experiences and who's got the provable

07:49

track record which is why more than 6

07:52

years after we first partnered with them

07:54

I'm still happy to tell you guys that

07:56

we're going to be sticking with private

07:57

internet access who again is not the

08:00

sponsor of this video but we do have an

08:03

affiliate relationship with them I use

08:05

them Luke uses them and a bunch of other

08:07

folks here at lmg do too but lonus how

08:10

can you trust them I hear you asking

08:12

well they had me at bro too

08:16

soon okay to start with Pia's no logs

08:19

policy has been tested in court multiple

08:22

times they have never produced logs in

08:24

response to a government's demands for

08:26

data I mean you can't hand over logs if

08:28

they don't exist and depending on where

08:30

you live in the 100 Acre Wood or beyond

08:32

that can be the difference between

08:34

freedom and imprisonment or Worse on top

08:37

of that their Ram only server

08:39

architecture their logging prevention

08:41

architecture and even their Anonymous

08:42

dedicated IP offering have all been

08:45

independently audited by one of the big

08:47

four Professional Services networks

08:49

multiple times with the most recent

08:51

audit results released just a few weeks

08:52

before shooting this video the Android

08:55

app has been independently reviewed with

08:56

a mobile application security assessment

08:58

something only a handful of VPN apps can

09:00

boast and if all of that still isn't

09:02

good enough for you all of their clients

09:04

are open source and you can go over

09:06

every line of code for yourself or you

09:09

can even just not use them and connect

09:11

to their servers with a generic openvpn

09:13

client pia has also removed their

09:16

physical servers from a number of

09:17

countries in response to changes in

09:19

legislation law enforcement action and

09:21

other threats to customer privacy when

09:23

they removed their servers from Hong

09:24

Kong back in 2020 they stated that Pia

09:27

will not operate servers in locations

09:29

that have enacted anti-privacy internet

09:31

laws or who have proven to not follow

09:33

the rule of law they also publish

09:35

quarterly reports detailing government

09:37

requests for data bug Bounty submissions

09:40

along with some company and industry

09:41

news their blog archive goes back more

09:43

than a decade and in between General

09:45

Industry news and security tips you'll

09:47

find explanations for controversial

09:49

hiring and policy decisions and some

09:51

excellent essays on digital privacy most

09:54

importantly though while I have

09:55

acknowledged in the past that VPN deals

09:57

can be pretty lucrative and more

09:59

subscriptions you drive the more money

10:01

you can make Pia doesn't push us to say

10:05

anything that is misleading whatsoever

10:06

in fact they give us zero guidelines

10:09

other than to say hey don't say the

10:11

product does something that it can't do

10:13

and don't drag us into any of your

10:15

endless controversies they actually

10:17

didn't even say that second part which

10:19

leaves us free to keep the BS completely

10:21

out of our talking points and stay

10:23

focused on real world benefits for our

10:25

audience like the aforementioned

10:27

privateering for which uh

10:30

Pia uh definitely works pretty well so

10:33

if you guys evaluate things for yourself

10:35

and decide Pia is for you we're going to

10:36

have an affiliate link to Pia in the

10:38

description but whatever you decide just

10:40

remember that a VPN any VPN doesn't give

10:44

you some kind of digital diplomatic

10:46

immunity and they don't make illegal

10:48

activities any more legal they're just

10:50

one piece of your broader digital

10:52

privacy toolkit just like our sponsor

10:55

delete me your personal data is already

10:57

out there getting gathered up by

10:59

countless data Brokers and putting you

11:00

at increased risk of identity theft

11:02

online harassment and even good

11:04

oldfashioned spam and Robo calls delete

11:07

me saves you time while helping reduce

11:09

the risk of your data getting into the

11:10

wrong hands by removing your data from

11:12

hundreds of data broker websites but

11:14

they don't stop there delete me actively

11:17

monitors data broker websites making

11:18

sure that your personal info stays

11:20

removed for 20% off all us consumer

11:23

plans just follow the link in the video

11:25

description if you guys liked this video

11:28

maybe check out our how to browse the

11:30

internet anonymously video from a few

11:31

years ago it's got a few more things

11:33

that you might want to add to your

11:34

privacy toolkit and some of them are

11:36

free so there's no reason not to do it

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Связанные теги
VPNPrivacySecurityTom ScottData BrokersInternet SafetyPrivate Internet AccessOnline AnonymityDelete MeDigital Privacy
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