 Monday, February 20, 2023 in Security  No Comments |  | It’s one of the most-asked questions to The Washington Post’s Help Desk: Do I need a VPN — and if so, which one?
Interest in virtual private networks, a technology that helps you hide what you do online, surged after the Supreme Court ended legal abortion in some states and dramatically raised the stakes for digital privacy.
There’s just one problem: There are hundreds of VPNs, and some of them are snake oil. Many over-promise, making you think your activity is more hidden than it really is. Some may market themselves as free, but covertly mine your Web surfing for profit, or hand it over to the government. Constant industry consolidation means a VPN you trust today might be shady next month.
And to make matters even more confusing, some VPN reviews are just paid promotions. “We’re highly concerned that this deceptive advertising is giving abortion-seekers a false sense of security when searching for abortion-related care or information,” Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote in a recent letter to the Federal Trade Commission.
So how do you choose?
The short answer: Be especially suspicious of any free VPN. And three particular paid VPNs do a better job at earning our trust, according to researchers at Consumer Reports and the Freedom of the Press Foundation who each recently conducted independent reviews of the market. They are:
- IVPN, which costs $5 per month with a year-long plan.
- Mullvad, which costs €5 per month (currently $5).
- Mozilla VPN (from the makers of the Firefox browser), which costs $5 per month with a year-long plan.
These aren’t necessarily the VPN brands that do a lot of advertising. If your current VPN isn’t on this list, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a problem — but definitely keep reading.
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