DEBUNKED - Am I Really Anonymous When I Use a VPN?
I can be anonymous on the Internet!
Anonymity is defined as not being named or identified. You are not anonymous when you are online, even when using privacy tools like Tor, Bitcoin or a VPN. Every service has at least one piece of information that can be used to distinguish different users, whether it’s a set of IP addresses (VPN and Tor) or a wallet (Bitcoin).
QUOTE : "[i]f someone tells you ‘you will be completely anonymous, [because] you’ll have VPN running all the time’, that’s a lie."
Anonymity and privacy are the same
Services that claim to make you anonymous attempt to eliminate any identifying data (which is not a realistic goal, as discussed in Myth #1). However, services designed to protect privacy instead allow users to control access to their personal data, but do not eliminate all identifying data.
When my VPN provider advertises an “anonymous” service, that means they don’t log any identifying information about me?
Several VPN providers advertise an “anonymous service” on the marketing pages of their website, but have terms in the fine print of their privacy policy indicating they do log.
For Example Let us check and see what Pure VPN i saying :
Privacy Policy: “…we will never release any information about you or your account to anyone except law enforcement personnel with the proper documentation and paperwork.”
When my VPN provider’s privacy policy says they “don’t log,” that means I am anonymous
When a VPN provider simply says they perform “no logging” it does not guarantee online anonymity or privacy. Any systems or network engineer will confirm that some minimal logging is required to properly maintain and optimize systems or the network. In fact, any provider claiming “no logging” should cause you to immediately question what is happening with your private data. If a VPN provider kept absolutely no logs, they wouldn’t be able to:
Offer plans with limits on GB usage or per user basis
Limit VPN connections to 1, 3 or 5 on a per user basis
Troubleshoot your connection or offer support for server-side problems
Handle your DNS requests when using the VPN service. They might rely on a 3rd Party DNS provider that logs DNS requests
Prevent abuse, such as spammers, port scanners and DDOS to protect their VPN service and their users
Is Tor is a better alternative than a VPN?
Tor is frequently cited as an alternative to using a VPN. However, as several publications have correctly pointed out, Tor doesn’t make you anonymous. Even Tor admits that it can’t solve all anonymity problems and cautions users to proceed accordingly. Tor is difficult for the average Internet user to setup, and users often complain that Tor is slow. One publication even said “If you still trust Tor to keep you safe, you’re out of your damn mind.”
Tor has even accused the FBI of paying Carnegie Melon $1 Million to use their “Tor-breaking research” to reveal the identity of some of the service’s users.
SOURCE : http://steem.link/aBHCo
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