Why VPN Jurisdictions Matter
Even in 2021, there’s still a lot of debate going around the topic of VPN jurisdictions. Many users highly emphasize that the privacy laws of a country in which a VPN is based are the difference maker, while others claim that this is not that important.
As a service that highly values its users’ privacy, this hot topic prompted us to throw in our two cents and bring this crucial matter to light. In this week’s Zlog, we’ll discuss why VPN jurisdictions matter and how to make sure you choose a privacy-friendly VPN you can rely on.
VPN Jurisdictions and Surveillance Alliances
While we, as online users, look at VPN services as useful privacy tools for unblocking sites and accessing the Internet without any restrictions, the bottom line is that they are businesses just like any other. They are governed by the laws and regulations of the country they’re based in. This means that they are required to provide any data requested by them by the country’s authorities.
And, although there’s nothing inherently problematic with this fact, things start to get worrying if a country the service is based in has unfavorable online privacy laws or is a part of one of the international surveillance alliances. Three major organizations operate globally. They are:
- The Five Eyes Alliance – the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Additional unofficial members that contribute to the alliance are Japan, Israel, Singapore, and South Korea.
- The Nine Eyes Alliance – Above listed countries plus Denmark, France, Norway, and the Netherlands.
- The Fourteen Eyes Alliance – Above listed countries, plus Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and Belgium.
It doesn’t make a difference in which alliance the country is a part of. As long as you can find it on this list, it’s bad news. The countries that are a part of these alliances exchange information with each other. This includes any valuable online data collected by sites, platforms, and services, including VPNs.
How to Protect Yourself From Prying “Eyes”
Protecting yourself from intrusive government agencies and international surveillance alliances is very difficult nowadays. And this might sound paranoid, but they are always watching. We’ll share with you three things to keep in mind if you want to regain your online privacy and keep a low profile:
- Use a VPN Not Based in an “Alliance” Country – The first aspect to pay attention to when choosing a VPN is where it’s based. Ideally, the VPN should be based in a country that isn’t a part of any alliance we’ve talked about above.
- Make Sure That The VPN Has A Zero Log Policy – The “no logs” policy is equally, if not more important, than the VPN’s location. A VPN provider that doesn’t keep any logs won’t leak any logs in case of a security breach. This bit does require a bit more research, as you need to read up on the service to find if and what data it logs.
- Use a Tor Browser – We’ve mentioned many times in the past how significant a Tor browser can be in helping you maintain online anonymity. Tor is a much more private alternative to mainstream browsers. It’s free, easy to use, and will help you add another layer of privacy to your online activities.
Of course, it’s important to note that employing these actions won’t make you completely invisible online. It will just increase your online anonymity and make you harder to be seen online.
That’s why you shouldn’t engage in any illegal or malicious activities under cover of this protection. Additionally, by using a privacy-friendly VPN in combination with a Tor browser, you’ll secure your online identity and sensitive information from any hackers or scammers.
Pick a Private and Safe VPN
At ZoogVPN, we offer you a service that meets all of the essential VPN privacy criteria. Our business is based in Greece, a country that’s not a part of any international surveillance organizations. Additionally, all of our servers are backed up by our DNS service.
Plus, as a VPN entirely dedicated to its users’ privacy, we don’t log any of our subscribers’ information. If you want to protect your data, sign up today or try our limited free service for as long as you want!
Yaroslav S.CEO at ZoogVPN. Yaroslav is a versatile manager with extensive customer support experience. His historical background and a deep passion for philosophy perfectly complete a real desire to create meaningful content and tech products.
