Should we (inventors) use a VPN?

[richard256]

Hi. I'm basically an inventor (recently) and I spend time searching for appropriate products and technical and other articles that help me build prototypes.

Should we inventors use VPN, so our web searches and places we go to cannot be tracked? Thanks. Rich

 

[arnydnxluk]

I suppose that depends... who are you trying to hide from? What are you trying to achieve?

In general securing your connection is a good idea, particularly when using public wifi. But there are so many variables to this so it really depends on the above, plus what kind of 'VPN' you're using - for example if you're using a commercial VPN service rather than setting up your own private VPN, can that service provider be trusted any more than your ISP?

 

[SteveHa]

I always use a VPN (self-hosted) when I'm out and about. I want to freak the government spies out.

I also host my own email server and cloud storage, for the same reason.

 

[WESH.UK]

Hi. I'm basically an inventor (recently) and I spend time searching for appropriate products and technical and other articles that help me build prototypes.

Should we inventors use VPN, so our web searches and places we go to cannot be tracked? Thanks. Rich

Hi Rich

Unless what you are searching for or inventing is illegal, then no, it would be a total waste of time.

The only people you would be hiding your searches from are potential wifi snoopers.

Even your ISP wont see what searches you are carrying out if your using normal https, all they will see is which URL you go to, such as google dot co dot uk, but not your searches.

Don't waste your cash, save it for the inventions and the coffee

A VPN is only really of any use to those using internet connections that they cannot control, such as free Wi-Fi, to prevent their data being intercepted by snoopers.

Sorry to disappoint but unless you are upto illegal activities, the government really don't give 2 hoots about your online activities either. They don't even have the man-power to monitor the ones they do care about.

Regards
Rich

 

[dexterash]

so our web searches and places we go to cannot be tracked?

Unless your "web searches" mean direct accessing websites (via offline gathering of contact) or some other ways, your web searches will be logged - with or without a VPN - by the search engine you are using.

 

[SteveHa]

Unless your "web searches" mean direct accessing websites (via offline gathering of contact) or some other ways, your web searches will be logged - with or without a VPN - by the search engine you are using.

duckduckgo don't log.

 

[alan1302]

I want to freak the government spies out.

Don't worry they already know ;-)

 

[dexterash]

duckduckgo don't log.

Actually they do, but they do not tie it to a specific identification form (acccount, IP etc).

Straight from their website:
"Your search history is safe with us because it cannot be tied to you in any way."
duckduckgo .com/privacy#s2

So there is a search history.

 

[SteveHa]

So there is a search history.

Accepted, but not sufficient that it should concern anyone.

 

[dexterash]

Could be a problem if the search history is linked into a "bucket", even without an identifier or an anonymous/random identifier.

You could check this research (yes, it's related to browser history, but the same could be applied to search history logs stored by a service provider - it's a complex matter, but there is a chance you could be identified only by your search history):
http:// randomwalker.info /publications/browsing-history-deanonymization.pdf

 

[Richard Patey]

call me paranoid but everything I do is through a VPN

 

[Nico Albrecht]

Since when can VPN connections not being tracked and data stored about usages saved as well.

 

[Inva]

You can use the TOR browser and it's free. VPN is useful if you want to appear from somewhere else, but in that sense it hides you from your target more than from your ISP. For example, if an IP/URL is blocked in your country, you can't access it even with VPN. But with TOR you can.

For searches use www.startpage.com

 

[EmployMe]

I use VPN to be sure that my search will be precise for my needs. For example, I need to know keywords that my target audience use to find the services. Of course, I use Ahrefs and GA but also I want to check Google trends and do several custom searches depending on country and city.

 

[alan1302]

I use VPN to be sure that my search will be precise for my needs. For example, I need to know keywords that my target audience use to find the services. Of course, I use Ahrefs and GA but also I want to check Google trends and do several custom searches depending on country and city.

Not thought of using it for that reason - will have to use my VPN for that