Privacy

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For those looking to migrate away from Mullvad VPN, what are some alternatives that the community recommends? (reddthat.com)

submitted 6 days ago by somereaduser@reddthat.com to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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I've heard a lot about AirVPN, but it doesn't have an app on Fdroid or anything. Yes you can download it directly from their site, but that is a little cumbersome.

Another option I'm considering is Windscribe.One major knock against it (and the same thing for AirVPN) is that htere is no tutorial available for installing the wireguard version on openwrt.

I really don't know enough about these. Windscribe has been sort of tested in court (again that was in Greece, and they don't have the same might of an authoritarian state as the US or some place), so that's a plus.

I don't know, I'm so confused that it sort of makes sense to stick with Mullvad at times.

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[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 36 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Proton made one positive comment about some Trump anti censorship policy. Their "controversy" is really overblown.

Mullvad is directly donating to Nazis.

That said Proton doesn't have the same extreme privacy as Mullvad. But they are much cheaper with promos and also have good app support.

[–] sudoer777@lemmy.ml 0 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Proton also keeps leaking information to the government that led to protesters getting arrested

Edit: Links for the downvoters:

https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/proton-mail-discloses-user-data-leading-to-arrest-in-spain/18191

https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/proton-mail-helped-fbi-unmask-anonymous-stop-cop-city-protester/36007

[–] potustheplant@feddit.nl 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Dude, they provided payment information because they were legally required to do so by swiss law. They did not share any actual user data from within the product. It sucks but if you use a roundabout payment method this wouldn't be an issue.

[–] sudoer777@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

At the same time, Proton makes paying anonymously difficult. If you want to pay with Monero they don't officially support it and you have to go through a third party and buy a gift card, which is also not documented on their website, or exchange Monero for Bitcoin and pay with that. Contrast with IVPN/AirVPN/Mullvad which all officially support Monero. Also looking at their payment page, if you do pay with credit card they automatically renew by default, thus storing your credit card information without making that clear. Contrast with IVPN which doesn't by default and clarifies the privacy drawbacks, and Mullvad which doesn't do that at all. Sure the activist shouldn't have used a credit card, but at the same time Proton aggressively markets themselves as a privacy service so they need to act like one instead of encouraging bad privacy practices because subscriptions are profitable.

[–] imminent_nebula@lemmy.ca 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Privacy and anonymity are two different things. Proton doesn't market themselves as anonymous, they market as a privacy service, as you said. And as for the info given to gov'ts, they were legally required to do so. No company, including Mullvad, will break the law for you. Mullvad/IVPN/AirVPN, etc, will all abide by law and give up info if required.

[–] sudoer777@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Yet anonymity is one of the main points of VPNs

[–] potustheplant@feddit.nl 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That's your personal opinion. It's fine to view it that way, but you can't assume that literally every single vpn user thinks the same way.

[–] sudoer777@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

it's the opinion of a large number of VPN users, not just me personally, and their practices are still clearly dogshit compared to ones like IVPN. And on the topic on privacy vs anonymity, the fact that they can't keep users' payment info private seems like a privacy issue as well.

[–] potustheplant@feddit.nl 1 points 4 days ago

Sure buddy.

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Not that much

[–] sudoer777@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

It is for people who want to not get arrested, especially when the alternatives don't have the same level of neglect that Proton does (and some of them have a proven track record of not leaking information). IVPN and AirVPN at least accept Monero so I'd trust them more