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cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/35967051

Most people turn to a VPN for one reason: privacy. And with its verified badge, featured placement, and 100k+ installs, FreeVPN.One looked like a safe choice. But once it’s in your browser, it’s not working to keep you safe, it’s continuously watching you.

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[-] TheGreenWizard@lemmy.zip 42 points 3 days ago

God that ai image the article uses is such shit

[-] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 15 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

The dingy color scheme gives it away immediately. AI thinks comics should look dingy. Are all LLMs trained on comics printed on old newspaper or something?

[-] TheGreenWizard@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 days ago

It's similar to something we'd do on purpose in the mid 2010's, deep frying, when people made satirical MLG compilations they would throw memes in as many filters as possible, making a piss yellow slowly cover the meme the more filters you used.

[-] RedPandaRaider@feddit.org 109 points 4 days ago

Never use VPN add-ons for your browser. Unless you get them along with your paid VPN. You should run your entire network through the VPN, not just a browser.

Do you not run into issues doing this? I'm constantly having to split my VPN or disable my VPN for certain logins to work, such as banks, government sites and shit.

[-] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 17 points 4 days ago

Most people don't need to run everything though a VPN. That just slows everything down. You would normally only use them to access resources on a private LAN such as when working from home or accessing your self hosted services when away from home.

[-] exu@feditown.com 19 points 3 days ago

That's a completely different VPN than what the rest the comments are talking about

[-] RedPandaRaider@feddit.org 7 points 3 days ago

For some games and websites I have to turn it off yeah. Or at least switch the server to one that isn't blocked.

It's a shame that websites are allowed to track and block VPNs.

[-] Wildly_Utilize@infosec.pub 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Seperate browser for Clearnet /KYC

For example "mullvad-exclude trivalent"

I actually go further and have seperate VMs with different networks (VPN1, VPN2, whonix, i2p, or clearnet

That way split tunneling feature Is not needed and I can have 2 mullvad clients on lockdownmode connected at once

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[-] sefra1@lemmy.zip 24 points 3 days ago

Sure THIS will protect the children!

/s

[-] drmoose@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago

There's no such thing as free vpn. Any idiot who falls for this quite frankly deserves it.

[-] turdburglar@sh.itjust.works 49 points 4 days ago

pay an illustrator, ai slophorse.

[-] ComradeRachel 62 points 4 days ago
[-] Electricd@lemmybefree.net 12 points 4 days ago

is ProtonVPN a scam then? no.

Most are, but not necessarily

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[-] artyom@piefed.social 11 points 4 days ago
[-] cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 13 points 3 days ago

andy yen is a pro big tech fash so yeah it is

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[-] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

There are things on the internet that are free and fine to use. VPNs are not one of them. They have ongoing hosting and bandwidth costs. They are not eating those costs without recouping them somehow.

[-] TheMinister@sh.itjust.works 19 points 3 days ago

How the fuck else do you think a for profit company is offering free tech?

[-] Amir@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 days ago

Free trial with limitations is a classic method that has worked well

[-] TheMinister@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 days ago

I’m saying it’s literally a free VPN. But they’re q company. If they’re offering you free shit, you’re the product.

[-] acosmichippo@lemmy.world 66 points 4 days ago

it’s FreeVPN.One

[-] abbiistabbii 45 points 4 days ago

Hey, you know when people in the UK were saying that the online safety act would drive teenagers to use dodgy vpns? This is what we meant.

[-] firepenny@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago

You can't trust extensions these days. Granted if you are using a "free" vpn, you are the product.

[-] LBP321@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I guess the P in VPN stands for "Public."

[-] cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 32 points 4 days ago

good thing they got rid of adblockers to make users safer tho

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[-] MacStainless@piefed.social 26 points 4 days ago

Stopped reading as soon as I saw an AI image for the article.

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[-] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 29 points 4 days ago

First mistake: using Chrome.

[-] callouscomic@lemmy.zip 15 points 4 days ago

VPNs are wild to me. "Hey! Pay some company to promise not to watch you so you can pretend to be private and not have some company watching you."

[-] Zetta@mander.xyz 14 points 3 days ago

Generally speaking, if you're paying for a VPN, then you should be paying for a provider that is no log. Free VPNs, you get what you pay for, which is nothing. So you don't really get any security with that.

[-] callouscomic@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago

I've watched this go down long enough in enough industries to know better than to believe their claim of not logging.

You're being watched. Hell, your data's probably being handed over to cops without your knowledge.

[-] Electricd@lemmybefree.net 17 points 4 days ago

better than having a company that is directly known as watching you and sending all of it to your government

some companies have built a strong reputation

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[-] moseschrute@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Ubiquiti router with all traffic (excluding streaming sites and video games) encrypted via Mulvad. Checkmate atheists.

Also PS, if you’re not paying for the product you’re the product. Checks notes: I’m not paying for Lemmy?

PPS reminder to donate to Lemmy/PieFed

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[-] rozodru@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

use either Mullvad (yes, I know, the GUI sucks) or set up your own VPN.

the mullvad cli is very quick and easy. it's a lot faster than what it was. OR set up your own wireguard VPN on your server, again very easy to set up.

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[-] RiQuY@lemmy.zip 12 points 4 days ago

So Microsoft Recall but by a third party?

[-] pHr34kY@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

People won't plug their phone into a USB socket in an airport lounge, but they will install software that sends 100% of their web traffic to a third party and has unfettered device permissions.

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 13 points 4 days ago

But you have to understand that it's still preferable to a wanking license.

[-] HeyJoe@lemmy.world 9 points 4 days ago

What about Firefox? Looks like it exists for more than just chrome. I know because I literally used it this week for the first time ever due to being on vacation in a state that wants my photo to view porn... I couldn't believe this shit actually exists now.

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this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2025
542 points (100.0% liked)

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