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Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

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Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#81

Post by egamirorrim »

gmac wrote: post #24

I’m in the UK and have been using a self-hosted VPN for years, since the Investigatory Powers Act obliged ISPs to keep records of what you browse and gave public bodies warrantless access to those records (which I think on principle is entirely wrong). Originally IKEv2 and more recently WireGuard, configured like so: https://github.com/jawj/IKEv2-setup https://github.com/jawj/wireguard-setup

I've often thought about doing this, and it's probably easier when ever just with a tailscale exit node or something. What's always given me pause though is that this basically just an ec2 instance or other cloud instance that you route all your traffic through? Doesn't that mean it's just an non anonymous as your home IP if so?

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#82

Post by constantcrying »

breppp wrote: post #76
constantcrying wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this mean I should allow the EU to surveil all my communications? That is a pretty bizarre argument.

No, if you will reread that was never my argument. What I was saying is that this is the real reason why speech is now curtailed and why this will get worse

But the reason is absurd. None of this propaganda is effective in any way, the influence is irrelevant.

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#83

Post by al_borland »

latexr wrote: post #12

> How many other people have done the same? For your own personal sake, you may be selfishly wishing it’s as few people as possible. Eventually they’ll outlaw VPNs too and by then you’ll have little recourse. You can’t hide behind them forever, deeper change is needed.

A bill was proposed in my state to outlaw VPNs, “for the children”. I am hoping the whole thing dies, but am curious what the ramifications would be. I work from home and need to connect to a corporate VPN for work. Will working from home become illegal, where I need to choose between my job or my home?

I don’t think these lawmakers understand what they’re doing.

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#84

Post by breppp »

constantcrying wrote: post #82
breppp wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, if you will reread that was never my argument. What I was saying is that this is the real reason why speech is now curtailed and why this will get worse

But the reason is absurd. None of this propaganda is effective in any way, the influence is irrelevant.

I disagree, we are living in one of the most turmoiled eras worldwide since the 1940s, so something must be happening

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#85

Post by pixelmelt »

cedws wrote: post #49
aprilnya wrote: post #47

> As of Monday morning, half of the top ten free apps in Apple's app download charts in the UK appeared to be for VPN services. > Proton VPN, an app offered by Swiss privacy tech firm Proton, told the BBC it had seen a 1800% spike in UK daily sign-ups over the weekend after age check rules took effect on Friday. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn72ydj70g5o

Last I checked, many of the top free VPNs on the App Store were dodgy no-name ones that probably funnel traffic through Russia. Well done UK government you saved the children.

The dodgy ones actually usually use you as an exit node for other users traffic as well as selling your connection commercially as a residential proxy

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#86

Post by gmac »

egamirorrim wrote: post #81
gmac wrote: post #24

I’m in the UK and have been using a self-hosted VPN for years, since the Investigatory Powers Act obliged ISPs to keep records of what you browse and gave public bodies warrantless access to those records (which I think on principle is entirely wrong). Originally IKEv2 and more recently WireGuard, configured like so: https://github.com/jawj/IKEv2-setup https://github.com/jawj/wireguard-setup

I've often thought about doing this, and it's probably easier when ever just with a tailscale exit node or something. What's always given me pause though is that this basically just an ec2 instance or other cloud instance that you route all your traffic through? Doesn't that mean it's just an non anonymous as your home IP if so?

Depends what you’re defending against. Certainly I don’t suggest you get up to bad things using this as your protection!

But if your VPS exit-point is outside the UK, it should defend against the indiscriminate traffic-logging dragnet mandated in the UK. (And maybe even if the VPS is in the UK it does that? I think these provisions might apply only to ISPs).

Basically I don’t mind too much that the spooks can figure out what I’m up to if they specifically make the effort. I object much more to having all my online movements observed and stored and made available to dozens of public bodies. The physical world analogy would probably be that someone is assigned to tail you and record what building you go into every time you leave the house, and I think almost nobody would be OK with that.

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#87

Post by latexr »

iamnothere wrote: post #74
latexr wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good luck having the general public using SSH connections to route their traffic. You’re not a hermit (or you wouldn’t be on HN). You live in a society and what affects your peers and their behaviours also influences your life.

If a VPN ban happens, I (a US citizen) and others will happily provide your people with easy to understand plain English circumvention instructions and tools, designed for the “regular Joe”, regularly adapting to whatever the latest conditions are. Maybe SSH based, maybe a VPN over SSL, maybe Tor, most likely some combination designed to evade detection. If your society is anti freedom of information, your society de…

You should look at your own society before criticising others. Your own US states are already implementing age-verification laws, your own government is attacking its own citizens and foreigners, you’re know for mass surveillance of your own citizens (the name Snowden ring a bell?) and others (which is exactly why other countries are avoiding US companies), and your government is hiding inconvenient files (Epstein) and ordering the erasure of scientific information (climate change). You’re not the bastion of freedom you believe you are, and you’re definitely not one to school others on “freedom of information”.

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#88

Post by iamnothere »

latexr wrote: post #87
iamnothere wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If a VPN ban happens, I (a US citizen) and others will happily provide your people with easy to understand plain English circumvention instructions and tools, designed for the “regular Joe”, regularly adapting to whatever the latest conditions are. Maybe SSH based, maybe a VPN over SSL, maybe Tor, most likely some combination designed to evade detection. If your society is anti freedom of information, your society de…

You should look at your own society before criticising others. Your own US states are already implementing age-verification laws, your own government is attacking its own citizens and foreigners, you’re know for mass surveillance of your own citizens (the name Snowden ring a bell?) and others (which is exactly why other countries are avoiding US companies), and your government is hiding inconvenient files (Epstein) a…

I have the capacity to fight for freedom of information both at home and abroad, and yes there is urgent need in both places.

My primary complaint with the UK and EU right now is that they have been attempting to restrict US freedom of information, versus say China who doesn’t make an effort overseas. Not only are the UK and EU exerting pressure against US companies to change their global policies, but especially in the case of the UK, they are attempting to change the legal framework governing the internet by claiming that sites are somehow subject to UK law unless they proactively block the UK. All this on top of long time EU/UK participation in shady “counter-misinformation” efforts that have spun up a web of state-funded NGOs who attempt to influence US policy against freedom of information. So yeah, I’m pissed at your countries in particular.

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#89

Post by kypro »

I'm kinda surprised at how many people I know who have gotten VPNs as a result.

Just a couple of weeks ago I was talking with a 12 year old in my family and he was showing me the free VPN apps him and his friends are using to get around the gov censorship.

Basically all my friends are using VPNs now too, but I suppose I have more tech literate friends so many that's less surprising.

But in general I get the sense if you're <50 and spend a decent amount of time online, you're probably using a VPN. It's kinda difficult to use the internet in the UK without one.

Re: Ask HN: How many people got VPNs in response to laws like UK Online Safety Act?

#90

Post by glimmung »

I've been using a VPN on and off for years when there was a privacy concern.

Now there is a privacy concern 24x7, and so I use a VPN 24x7. A bad law and risk-averse sites have made the web a complete PITA without one.

The number of e.g. news sites and other vanilla content that requires intrusive checks, photo-ID etc. is astonishing.

I wonder how many parents have had to ask their kids for help setting a VPN up?

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