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Slop posts go in c/slop. Don't post low-hanging fruit here.
Hello everyone!
Just a quick question on if you have a VPN and why? I'm struggling to see a reason beyond accessing media, but I already use Stremio plus AllDebrid for that (highly recommend by the way. ~4 USD a month for basically the netflix of torrents).
I use one because I do illegal stuff online. 
My understanding is that there are a lot of VPN providers which are operated by intelligence agencies of varying countries, for the explicit purpose of logging and monitoring decrypted network traffic. Supposedly that's to help supprt prevention or post-facto prosecution of things like quote unquote terrorism. But really tho? Ok ๐.
I use a specific VPN with a reputation for audited non-logging, which I pay for using a throw-away email address and a cryptocurrency payment. I setup a completely different account for renewals. This service does not support port forwarding so it's pretty useless as a method of IP address obfuscation for BitTorrent file sharing.
I hear there is one more similarly privacy focused VPN out there which still does support port forwarding, but I won't mention it's name, lest I accidentally narc on it.
Oh, also, it is helpful to have a VPN, even for casual Internet use, if you are connecting to unknown networks, like complimentary wireless access points at coffee shops, restaurants, or the airport. This helps secure your network connection from potentially compromised access points.
No but I don't do anything cool
Sometimes I get a little edge posty but meh
Anyone host their own mail server?
i have one and it's cuz i steal shit off the internet
My country does mandatory metadata logging at ISP level. Even if nothing I do is illegal, there's no guarantee it'll stay that way.
Yep, and TBs of... Iso images, and pictures, and open commons video and audio.
I don't generally. I do have a watchguard vpn set up on my home router with dynamic dns so I can reach my shit from hotels or whatever, but beyond that I don't really mess with vpns because I don't trust that they're not just logging shit or tapped by the TLAs anyway.
The only VPN I use is the VPN to get into my network at home, or my work VPN.
A dubious VPN is just as bad, if not worse than raw doggin it on the internet. It only changes who is able to log what you do (the VPN provider who probably expect you to do dubious things, or your ISP who hopes you don't get them DMCA notices). A good VPN provider doesn't harvest your data or keep any logs, but now you're on the same IP as 500 other people and you'll probably get blocked or captchaed out the ass by services.
I use a select few private trackers that are good at keeping bad people out so I don't really need a VPN for that. I do have access to Proton VPN through work but I don't use it because of above.
Proton is CIA
Do you have a source for that? I've only ever seen questionionable speculation. Not saying you're incorrect, just haven't seen actual examples of why people think they're CIA.
People accuse everything of being CIA. At a certain point you decide to either trust something or you decide not to trust anything. I can respect both.
I'm not techie but considering that Proton is open-source I expect we'd have someone pointing out a flaw or backdoor by now if it was compromised. I think it's probably good for now, things may change in the future as ownership or funding changes, but I also don't see many good alternatives.
Yeah, a commerical VPN isn't necessarily for everyone, especially if your needs/threat model are already covered.
Spinning your own wireguard or openvpn service at home or on a VPS does allow you to access your home or VPS network though, which has different functionality from a commercial VPN