Anyone Use VPNs?

[Fool's Requiem]

I feel like in this day and age, a VPN may need to be required. Never really bothered me before and I was typically more concerned with VPNs slowing network performance, but I feel like this is something I should probably be setting up.

However, there seems to be to much out there that is not trustworthy. I know the free VPNs can't be trusted, and popular ones that are often advertised are sus as fuck, like Nord.

Do you guys use VPNs? If so, what do you use? How has your experience been?

 

[Crystal]

I was for a good while, but I haven't recently as I just can't afford to. I did actually deploy my own via OpenVPN for a while, but stopped, it wasn't all that effective.

I was using BitDefender VPN because I had the security suite, but I've stopped all of it at this point. It was ok, but not great as a VPN, a bit much interference. I did try Private Internet Access and it was pretty good, minimal slow down and lots of servers. I'd probably go back to them if I could.

 

[Ben]

I've had similar thoughts lately, that using one would probably be wise.

But at the same time, any website you've already visited is going to have your actual IP logged already. I kind of feel unless you're using a VPN from the very beginning it's not really going to be effective at keeping your identity hidden... Like, if I turned one on to browse Reddit today, sure new traffic will come in through the VPN but it's not going to delete my history and 'they' would just be able to find it via username anyway.

I don't particularly care about accessing content in other regions by faking where I am, etc.... I just foresee the dystopian future where the government has an AI bot crawling the web looking for mentions of X, and targeting people.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I fear a future where we are controlled by a dictator...

Also been thinking of ways to just more secure my "network" at home and on my phone, even if it's not from domestic terrorists.

 

[MC74]

Like Crystal, I can vouch for Private Internet Access. They were solid.

 

[shortkut]

I intermittently use windscribe. I bought a lifetime membership one Black Friday for like $10 a number of years ago

 

[Quagmire]

Like Crystal, I can vouch for Private Internet Access. They were solid.

I also use PIA

 

[Smacktard]

I've tried NordVPN and a few others. I didn't like any of them. They were all extremely slow.

I've used ExpressVPN for about 7 years now, and it's excellent. Highly recommended.

 

[Friel]

I've used PIA for years now. I'm so happy with it that I subscribe for 3 years at a time.

Like @Ben said though, it's not really effective for privacy if I continue using the same accounts. I just use it mostly for geo blocked content on my Firestick.