Part 5/12:
A common source of confusion around VPNs, Padfield explains, is their actual purpose and capabilities. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other privacy advocates, VPN companies often overpromise about the security benefits they provide.
For example, CyberGhost claims to offer “complete privacy on all devices,” a sweeping statement that Padfield finds extremely misleading. In reality, no VPN can guarantee total anonymity or privacy. When you connect to the internet without a VPN, your data travels from your device, through your Internet Service Provider (ISP), directly to the websites you visit. ISPs often collect vast amounts of your browsing data and sell it to advertisers, highlighting how vulnerable your privacy really is.