How can I trust that VPNs make sure my search data isn’t being recorded? Help a sceptic out!

VPN
1

The concept of VPNs sound nice but I’m kinda convinced they’re too good to be true.

2

Do everything you can to remove any need to trust the VPN provider:

  • use HTTPS.

  • give fake info when signing up for VPN; all they care is that your payment works.

  • use your OS’s generic VPN client (usually OpenVPN), or a protocol project’s generic VPN client (usually Wireguard, strongSwan), instead of VPN company’s VPN client.

  • don’t install any root certificate from the VPN into your browser’s cert store.

If you do those things, all the VPN knows is “someone at IP address N is accessing domains A, B, C”. So even the most malicious VPN in the world can’t do much damage to you by selling or using that data.

A different question: why use a VPN ? And the answer partly is because you want to hide data from your ISP, a company which knows FAR too much about you (starting with your home postal address and real name) and can do much damage to you by selling your data. Using a VPN reduces the damage your ISP could do to you.

Bottom line: don’t trust your ISP, your VPN, your banks, etc. Compartmentalize, encrypt, monitor them, test them.

3

If you’re logged into your google account and you search on google, it will still be “recorded” and google will know exactly who you are, with or without a VPN.

Even without being logged in Google is quite adept at knowing who you are anyway. So use something like DDG for that

4

Additionally, for mobile devices: is it a bad idea to keep a VPN turned on for a long period of time?

Sorry, I’m kinda out of the loop on this stuff.

5

Even without a VPN, your ISP can’t see your search history.

Because you’re using HTTPS.

6

Most privacy conscious individuals keep their VPN on 24/7. I recommend you do the same.

Now to go back to your original question - Yes, a VPN will prevent your ISP from snooping on your internet traffic. A VPN can (depending on how you implement it) also make it extremely difficult for websites and other third parties to know who you are.

If search history is your main concern thenI would use a privacy based search engine like DuckDuckGo. DDG doesn’t log or track your search history. Google on the other hand, will make every attempt to track and log your every move.

7

thank you so much for this, that explains everything lol