Don't Use VPN Services (2016)

Even if your content data are encrypted using TLS, your metadata will still be logged.

And metadata can be just as useful for violating your privacy as content data.

I can't seem to find a reliable source, would AWS or Azure penalise you for using a VPN for torrenting? I've heard about accounts being terminated because of hosted seedboxes on VMs, but I'm not sure what would happen with a VPN + Torrent combination.

In defence of the big VPN providers.

1) Why would you keep logs, when you could then be compelled to hand them over?

2) As setting up a VPN company is easy/cheap, you conversely have to spend a large pile of cash to advertize your way to the top. The only asset you really end up with is your name/reputation. Publicly burning a customer would be incredibly expensive.

Adjusts tinfoil hat I think the point about VPN providers acting as a honey-pot might have some legs though. Seems incredible to think that whilst NSA and the rest are determined to detect illegal activity online, VPN providers seemingly thrive without any interference/intrusion. My view is that as long as you're not doing anything too bad, you're safe as the cost of your exposure isn't worth it.

Of course if the government was having trouble infiltrating/extracting information from the big VPNs due to the volume of traffic, pushing the 'people who really want privacy' to self-identify even further, by creating their own service makes sense. All the traffic emerging from it (even if encrypted, you know where it's going) can be tied back to the single user.

It's good enough to stop the government to know what exactly you send, but not who you send it to. The VPN provider can know what servers you send it to, but that's usually not your threat model.

Short of using a VPN provider that's a front operation of the government you're trying to avoid, VPNs do a good job in adding a layer of protection. The proposed solution in the article (rent a VPS) does not, as the IP is unique to you and tied to your identity, the hoster has no incentive to protect your identity.

Unless you explicitly need speed, or they're your only option, why do people use VPNs for privacy over Tor? Do they provide any benefits other than being faster? I thought Tor was a much more secure option if privacy in particular is your objective.