4 ms·

Residential internets are now proxies for AI scrapers. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45741357 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45741357

fragmede 11mo ago
specifically, “free” VPN isn’t free. They use your computer that has the VPN software installed as an exit nodes for other customers. Those other customers hammer websites for their AI until it gets blocked. Sucks for you, unfortunately. Talk to your kids about the dangers of VPNs before it's too late.
- cuu508 11mo ago
  Which VPNs are like that?
  - fragmede 11mo ago
    Hola is the big one, but in practice, if we hypothesis that no one's running a VPN as a charity, free VPN products need to make money someway, and if you're not paying to use it, how else are they gonna make money? So basically be suspicious of every single "free" or suspiciously cheap VPN. Go with known brands that come recommended by mulitple people, especially from people "in the know". Though PirateSoftware (a person) has a good bit on why he doesn't advertise for VPNs on his channel.
    - WorldMaker 11mo ago
      Hola's worst division got spun out into a separate company, Bright Data. Bright Data's worst innovations since "Free VPN" are using those "Watch this ad for 30 seconds for bonus in-game currency" things in many, many awful mobile games and using those as a "opt-in" signal to use the user's device for those 30 seconds (or however long) as an exit node for whatever scanning/botting processes they resell. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Data https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Data
  - ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
    All the ones you don't construct for yourself out of an inexpensive VPS.
    - shermantanktop 11mo ago
      your preferences don't sound like facts. Are you claiming that paid VPNs "all" do this as well?
      - ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
        How do you think they make money?
        Wingman4l7 11mo ago
        ...through the subscription fee.
        ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
        And from selling your data to whoever shows up with enough cash. What, you think they're leaving that money sitting on the table?
        cuu508 11mo ago
        It's one thing to operate with an assumption that any VPN other than your own should not be fully trusted. It's another thing to claim all of them are obviously corrupt.
        ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
        If you had a company whose core business proposition was Quite Obviously Shady, would you expect them to be scrupulously legit in other areas? Quick question for you - rhino poaching is a huge problem in Africa, with poachers getting a surprisingly small amount of money per rhino they shoot, because the buyers only want the horns. Do you think paying the poachers more to not shoot the rhinos would solve that problem?

fragmede 11mo ago

specifically, “free” VPN isn’t free. They use your computer that has the VPN software installed as an exit nodes for other customers. Those other customers hammer websites for their AI until it gets blocked. Sucks for you, unfortunately. Talk to your kids about the dangers of VPNs before it's too late.

cuu508 11mo ago
Which VPNs are like that?
- fragmede 11mo ago
  Hola is the big one, but in practice, if we hypothesis that no one's running a VPN as a charity, free VPN products need to make money someway, and if you're not paying to use it, how else are they gonna make money? So basically be suspicious of every single "free" or suspiciously cheap VPN. Go with known brands that come recommended by mulitple people, especially from people "in the know". Though PirateSoftware (a person) has a good bit on why he doesn't advertise for VPNs on his channel.
  - WorldMaker 11mo ago
    Hola's worst division got spun out into a separate company, Bright Data. Bright Data's worst innovations since "Free VPN" are using those "Watch this ad for 30 seconds for bonus in-game currency" things in many, many awful mobile games and using those as a "opt-in" signal to use the user's device for those 30 seconds (or however long) as an exit node for whatever scanning/botting processes they resell. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Data https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Data
- ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
  All the ones you don't construct for yourself out of an inexpensive VPS.
  - shermantanktop 11mo ago
    your preferences don't sound like facts. Are you claiming that paid VPNs "all" do this as well?
    - ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
      How do you think they make money?
      - Wingman4l7 11mo ago
        ...through the subscription fee.
        ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
        And from selling your data to whoever shows up with enough cash. What, you think they're leaving that money sitting on the table?
        cuu508 11mo ago
        It's one thing to operate with an assumption that any VPN other than your own should not be fully trusted. It's another thing to claim all of them are obviously corrupt.
        ErroneousBosh 11mo ago
        If you had a company whose core business proposition was Quite Obviously Shady, would you expect them to be scrupulously legit in other areas? Quick question for you - rhino poaching is a huge problem in Africa, with poachers getting a surprisingly small amount of money per rhino they shoot, because the buyers only want the horns. Do you think paying the poachers more to not shoot the rhinos would solve that problem?