The last several weeks I've had to keep constantly switching #NordVPN servers to sustain significant activity on my phone, and I've just had enough of it now, so the last few days relied on my backup #RiseupVPN free option, with a single server over in Paris, France (lol) but it's *flying* and I've been using the web and apps loading without stalling interruptions. Only a temporary fix, of course. Will probably switch to #Surfshark when my #VPN renewal comes up. No idea why Nord deteriorated so much in recent months.
Oh, and a VPN isn't just for when you're sharing WiFi with other people who could use that shared connection to hack you. I started using VPNs as soon as the UK "pry minister" oversaw the introduction of the Snoopers Charter - which requires all ISPs to log all users' web activity, because the state is full of spooky perverts. And now the latest attacks on not only VPNs but also encryption show what many of us were warning of: with the UK government now in a fascist mode, who do you think they will consider to be "undesirable" groups? Already, protest is being banned, unions are under attack, and anarchists are on public lists. Here. In the UK. Today. Now. Not some fictional faraway dystopian future. Use a VPN.
Tor is free tho
@big_louse Tor browser? Yeah I've used it, it's really good! But what about outside of browsing?
Not Tor browser, you can have Tor running as a service on your machine. Depending on the OS there are different ways to make your traffic go through it, for example on Android just install and run Orbot, it will fake a local VPN and all your apps will use that.
In general you can use everything with Tor except torrents and you need some extra measures to be safe.
Using a VPN doesn't help AT ALL, so called VPN are nothing to do with being "private". The VPN acronym refers to the technology used to provide their service.
But so called VPNs are just virtual ISPs.
@post @big_louse That's interesting. Thank you!