3 ms·

You're just trading your ISP for a different third-party who has all the same incentives.

by stouset 3y ago

yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
> You're just trading your ISP for a different third-party Yes. > who has all the same incentives. And no. The ISP has little to no competition or incentive to not sell my information, while the VPN provider has loads of competition and often has user privacy as a core part of their value proposition. Besides - even if both of the did have the same incentives, one openly says they're selling my data and one says they're not. At worst it's a gamble between the VPN lying and the ISP telling the truth.
- M2Ys4U 3y ago
  You don't have competition between ISPs? I can trivially switch between as many (if not more) ISPs as well-known VPN providers.
  - soylentcola 3y ago
    In many (US, at least) locations, there is only a single provider of fixed broadband. Not sure how it is elsewhere, but without a more customer-friendly framework (infrastructure isn't owned by the same entity selling user access), I can't imagine too many places have multiple, parallel cable or fiber networks in a single town/city.
  - unsignedint 3y ago
    The availability of internet service providers typically varies by state and even by city. In many cases, your choices might be limited. Often, you may find yourself restricted to a single cable provider, with the possibility of DSL, but not much else, unless you consider wireless options. Installing a wired line can range from very difficult to nearly impossible. Cities might impose a moratorium on new installations, often due to lobbying, and even if installation is permitted, the costs can be exorbitant. For example, the cost of laying new lines can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, with service providers generally unwilling to cover these costs. One recent quote I saw was as high as $160,000.

3 ms·

You're just trading your ISP for a different third-party who has all the same incentives.

by stouset 3y ago

You're just trading your ISP for a different third-party who has all the same incentives.

yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
> You're just trading your ISP for a different third-party Yes. > who has all the same incentives. And no. The ISP has little to no competition or incentive to not sell my information, while the VPN provider has loads of competition and often has user privacy as a core part of their value proposition. Besides - even if both of the did have the same incentives, one openly says they're selling my data and one says they're not. At worst it's a gamble between the VPN lying and the ISP telling the truth.
- M2Ys4U 3y ago
  You don't have competition between ISPs? I can trivially switch between as many (if not more) ISPs as well-known VPN providers.
  - soylentcola 3y ago
    In many (US, at least) locations, there is only a single provider of fixed broadband. Not sure how it is elsewhere, but without a more customer-friendly framework (infrastructure isn't owned by the same entity selling user access), I can't imagine too many places have multiple, parallel cable or fiber networks in a single town/city.
  - unsignedint 3y ago
    The availability of internet service providers typically varies by state and even by city. In many cases, your choices might be limited. Often, you may find yourself restricted to a single cable provider, with the possibility of DSL, but not much else, unless you consider wireless options. Installing a wired line can range from very difficult to nearly impossible. Cities might impose a moratorium on new installations, often due to lobbying, and even if installation is permitted, the costs can be exorbitant. For example, the cost of laying new lines can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, with service providers generally unwilling to cover these costs. One recent quote I saw was as high as $160,000.