Virtual Private Networks: Are These Private?
November 30, 2020
About a month ago, Google rolled out its own virtual private network. The timing was mostly in sync with Facebook’s expansion of encrypted services for its chat apps. Is encryption good for users, good for large technology companies, and good for law enforcement.
The story “Google One VPN: Everything You Need To Know” is representative of the coverage of Google’s VPN. I noted:
Google isn’t new to the world of VPNs. It actually has used one for its customers on Google Fi for many years now. Essentially with Google Fi, whenever you connected to a public WiFi network, you would automatically be connected through Google Fi’s VPN. As mentioned before, this is because Public WiFi networks are not secure. So while keeping you from using a lot of data, since Fi charges per gigabyte, it also kept you protected. Now, Google is just moving its VPN to where everyone can use it. Whether they are a Fi customer or not.
The write up does not answer the question about the “goodness” of the Google service. The write up asserts:
Google has said numerous times that it will not use the VPN connection to track, log or sell your browsing activity. But then again, how will we know that Google is not doing that? We won’t. And that goes for any other company too. It’s up to you, whether you trust Google not to collect this data when you’re using its VPN. But don’t forget, that if Google really wanted that data, it could easily get it from your Android smartphone too.
As I said in response to questions posed to me by a former CIA professional (view full 20 minute video here):
Online services are inherently surveillance mechanisms.
Many will not agree with this Arnold Law. That’s okay, but VPNs are particularly interesting because the user agreeing to participate in an allegedly secure and private man in the middle service. How secure is a man in the middle service?
Another good question just like “Are VPNs private?”
Stephen E Arnold, November 30, 2020
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Humans are habitual and the collective fails to understand their patterns uncloak them so quickly and easily it’s not funny, as they reappear on the interweb…because they do what they always do. D’oh!