TheaterFire

Did anybody ever actually have a VPN on their phone before the government started asking ID for sites?

Posted by Hour_Course_9876@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 164 comments

The fun part would be finding out what % of Men Vs Women got it

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164 Comments

BetterCall_Melissa@reddit

I had one before all that, mostly just for privacy and streaming, I use NordVPN and it’s been fine, I run it with my work stuff like zenzap, Notion, Gmail, no issues at all, plus it’s useful for Netflix too
View on Reddit #81749174

Northerlies@reddit

Yes, VPN was bundled in with my annual security renewal.
View on Reddit #80581049

Magnetrans@reddit

I had one for a few years, mostly used it when connected to public WiFi or when I wanted to watch German shows on Netflix etc
View on Reddit #80230360

intergalacticscooter@reddit

Ah those German shows. Cough cough
View on Reddit #80230779

TelephoneOrnery1394@reddit

Hallo, your waszhing machine is kaput, ya!?
View on Reddit #80372570

DoublePepper1976@reddit

And on certain corners, those Germans really do show
View on Reddit #80242206

Skate_beard@reddit

Been using one for years, essential equipment when sailing the seven seas 🏴‍☠️
View on Reddit #80320027

Brian-Kellett@reddit

Yep. Tailscale so that I can ‘dial home’ to my home network without exposing stuff to the internet as much. And make remote desktopping easier. (More complicated than that, but that’s the basics). And yes, I’m an old man.
View on Reddit #80230852

A_Chicken_Called_Kip@reddit

Tailscale is incredible for home network access. It just works so well, and it’s free too! 
View on Reddit #80235475

fussyfella@reddit

I cannot really see the need for tailscale (a third party dependent VPN) when it is so easy to spin up your own VPN server. The only use case that it makes easier is when you are stuck behind a CGNAT configuration without the possibility of opening inbound ports, when you would need a VPS as well - but since you can get a VPS for around £1 a month, it seems a small price to pay not to be dependent on someone else's VPN.
View on Reddit #80236287

aje0200@reddit

My upload speed at home is still only 6 mbit/s so tailscale is good for accessing my home network without sending all my traffic through it like I used to do with wireguard.
View on Reddit #80250978

fussyfella@reddit

That is just a matter of getting your routing tables right
View on Reddit #80316132

Brian-Kellett@reddit

I *could* but I’m a hobbyist and opening a port direct to wherever I’m running my VPN is doable - but I’m not security certified, I don’t keep up with the latest vulnerabilities, etc, etc. So having someone more knowledgeable about it than me, and who is paid to keep up with the latest issues is worth offloading the cognitive load. And it makes backing up my NAS offsite to my brother’s house so much easier. 😉
View on Reddit #80254583

deadlygaming11@reddit

The main thing is that if you spin up your own server, you need to open a port which exposes your network to the internet and you have to configure everything to make it secure. With tailscale, I just enable it and connect without much fuss. 
View on Reddit #80238488

jmabbz@reddit

Same. Tailscale is how I sync all my photos to my home server and also how I access my work network from home.
View on Reddit #80244486

Brian-Kellett@reddit

Running the exit node is how I get around work blocking… Reddit. Which is where I am right now 😂
View on Reddit #80254641

jmabbz@reddit

That is a handy feature.
View on Reddit #80257204

Logical_Strain_6165@reddit

It's awesome. Add in a cheap VPS to avoid geoblocks as an exit node and does every thing I need.
View on Reddit #80232121

No_Pea-1@reddit

No. I never did and I still don't.
View on Reddit #80231119

Ayanhart@reddit

Same. I don't bother and no one I know irl does. Reddit is a big bubble when it comes to this kind of thing.
View on Reddit #80238273

Mean-Dinner-8780@reddit

I bet at least someone you know does. It's baked in to Opera for example, so you don't need to know anything technical, you just turn on both private mode and VPN if you want to look at adult sites. They just (reasonably enough) are not talking to you about their porn habbits.
View on Reddit #80239972

Ayanhart@reddit

We literally talk about what smutty books people are reading lmao.
View on Reddit #80244293

threetimesalion@reddit

There’s a pretty significant male / female divide between watching porn (mostly men) and reading porn (mostly women). I have no data on this but suspect the vast majority of VPN users are also male, for this reason. I’m guessing you aren’t having those discussions with men?
View on Reddit #80313389

DoJ-Mole@reddit

I guess none of you watch online porn then in which case that makes sense, or do you actually watch and feel fine with handing over your anonymity?
View on Reddit #80247502

VFrosty3@reddit

I have had a VPN on all my devices for years. Mostly due to streaming or accessing sites that are blocked by ISPs. I know a lot of male and female colleagues (work in IT) that are the same.
View on Reddit #80226155

skdowksnzal@reddit

I work in IT, I’ve had a VPN for over 10yrs at this point. Never connect to a free or public wifi without one. I use it mainly for security but it does come in handy when you need to spoof your location for whatever reason (eg. Streaming)
View on Reddit #80234447

OldManChino@reddit

Recommended VPN provider?
View on Reddit #80236767

vertigo90@reddit

Mullvad my beloved
View on Reddit #80269661

krysus@reddit

Same. Just topped up for 6 months with a £27 Mullvad gift card from Amazon.
View on Reddit #80277489

appletinicyclone@reddit

Respectfully the less people know about this the longer it lasts lol
View on Reddit #80310842

skdowksnzal@reddit

I use ProtonVPN
View on Reddit #80247510

floor9represent@reddit

I’ve used a few.. currently with proton for the last three years as they have some of the strongest privacy. Nord is free if you have a revolut plan so that should be considered.
View on Reddit #80240290

eggmayonnaise@reddit

https://vpntierlists.com/ Proton is recommended on this list. I believe their no logs audit has turned out better than Nord but I could be wrong there.
View on Reddit #80237352

OldManChino@reddit

thanks
View on Reddit #80238433

nohairday@reddit

I'm quite happy with NordVPN, myself. Seems good for reliability and speed of connection. Been using them for about 5 years at this point.
View on Reddit #80236991

Known-Bumblebee2498@reddit

I was going to suggest Surfshark but I see they merged with NordVPN about 4 years ago! You can often find sign up deals with both.
View on Reddit #80237354

Ivan_Dobsky_MD@reddit

Same here. Changing the region to US is the only way that Netflix is worth the money because the US catalogue is so much larger.
View on Reddit #80241455

AnonymousTimewaster@reddit

Every VPN I've ever used gets recognised when watching things like Netflix, how do you stop that from happening?
View on Reddit #80239084

davehemm@reddit

Just been trialling tailscale, using one of my NAS as the exit node for my tailnet, currently spoofing my sister-in-law as being at our IP address for sharing Disney+ - haven't had to reauthorise her login for several weeks now.
View on Reddit #80271086

Success_With_Lettuce@reddit

I very rarely have that with NordVPN, if on the few occasions it is stubborn, refreshing the VPN server always fixes it.
View on Reddit #80253272

Matharis@reddit

Just refresh the connection on the VPN. Most providers have multiple servers in 1 location so it should connect to a different IP that will hopefully not be blacklisted. You can also change states/regions if the country your spoofing is large enough. Another option is use a smaller service that is less likely to have a huge number of users, so its less likely to be scraped and added to the blocklist. Clearing cookies and cache of browsers can sometimes help to reduce the chance of being blocked. You should also be activating and selecting your vpn connection before logging into the site too. The days of quickly and easily bouncing around the globe checking the sites content catalogues are pretty much over as they are much better at detecting changes and recognising VPN use. Its just another part of the cat and mouse aspect of tech where both sides are continually improving on blocking/evading.
View on Reddit #80240196

flashdashrick@reddit

I've had VPN for about 5 years now. I use NordVPN and the subscription is worth it. I can use it for work never had issues with gmail, zenzap, zoom etc. And I heavily use it on my phone whenever I'm out or watching shows/streaming.
View on Reddit #80308922

fisothemes@reddit

Always had one. You get to see more search results and when you're on holiday you get to see results in your native tongue or country. I have used it mostly to bypass censorship (sadly becoming more common, since many people have stopped respecting personal freedom and have become zealots, dogmatic and intolerant). It's also useful for finding out if it's your IP that's funky or the website.
View on Reddit #80304194

khanempire@reddit

Yeah I already had one for public WiFi and streaming long before all these ID checks started
View on Reddit #80302185

Fish_Goes_Moo@reddit

I've had one since the snoopers charter came in. It's ridiculous to force isps to log connection records for a year, but give the mps an opt out. They are the most dodgy people in the country. Targeted on suspects, fine, mass logging of everyone is just more mass surveillance. I'm well aware if I was really up to no good a vpn alone won't hide me, but it will at least shield from that nonsense. Proton is audited every year, so I'm quite confident they are true to their word. Outside of that, it's now handy for the OSA and for watching Stargate on Pluto tv.
View on Reddit #80294146

Highlord_Salem@reddit

Yea ive allways had one. Especially when connecting out and about. You never know who's hijacked or snooping on thoes unsecured public wifi network's or the works wifi.
View on Reddit #80231226

GlitchyRaven_@reddit

That was my main reason as well. Public WiFi always feels a bit dodgy so a VPN just makes me feel a bit safer using it.
View on Reddit #80291354

Aromatic-Report8866@reddit

\*tor browser has entered the chat\*
View on Reddit #80277191

Flat___________@reddit

I did/do and used it when on public wifi
View on Reddit #80276858

Busy-Doughnut6180@reddit

No. I (F) got one for 3 reasons.  One is I like to use twitter for language learning immersion, where I set everything to that language and country so even the trending topics are from that country. Without a VPN, twitter now forces my country back to the UK, and I get less tweets in my algorithm from the intended country. It's annoying.  The second reason is I like illustration, comics, other nerdy things, and fanart. Some of that content is 18+. Twitter needs ID for that now. No thank you.  The third is because I can't look at certain health subreddits without age verification now. Which is insane to me. So much of that information should not be age restricted.  I have had a vpn on my PC since before all of this because sometimes I just want to be able to access content in the language I'm learning, but you can't unless you're a citizen of that country. And also, the seas are rough these days. 
View on Reddit #80275455

danrobson1@reddit

Yeah, Opera has it built in.
View on Reddit #80275399

OsotoViking@reddit

Not me. I got it specifically to see women's pink bits.
View on Reddit #80272773

Evening-Web-3038@reddit

I only started using one after the OSA came into effect. Not because I'm doing anything illegal, but rather because of how grating the whole thing is these days: 1. Can't view porn without doing a selfie/giving up your data. And on this one but I do actually occasionally view it on mobile with no VPN and it asks me everytime. It never remembers me between visits, so it's an absolute ballache every single time. 2. Can't view a lot of people's Reddit profile. There's one user on here I semi regularly check in on because they constantly post pictures of regional food that I enjoy. But because one time they said something triggering (think it was a really old self harm comment from like 10 years ago) I can't view their profile anymore without a VPN. 3. I watch a streamer who occasionally does a modest giveaway, and it involves playing a slot game on a non-UK casino and top score wins. Completely free to enter/play and you don't even need to sign up to the casino, but you also cannot play it from the UK. VPN ftw. All of the above are solved with just 2 clicks.
View on Reddit #80271498

Baggins_1420@reddit

Yes. Proton and now the one baked into iOS. Although I’m not sure that is actually a VPN.
View on Reddit #80229340

dickanova@reddit

Isn’t this just a short cut to the vpn already installed on your phone? I wasn’t aware that iOS came with its own one. Might well be wrong!
View on Reddit #80236348

Flaruwu@reddit

Google has their own VPN built into pixels too, never used it because I've used my own for years but it's there.
View on Reddit #80270634

TheDroolingFool@reddit

Private relay (the iOS one) isn’t bad… I ended up switching it off as the number of ‘are you human’ style prompts especially Google drove me absolutely insane but I suppose it might be the same for all VPN providers.
View on Reddit #80239447

onionsareawful@reddit

It's definitely a private relay problem, I rarely have that issue with my actual VPN.
View on Reddit #80263517

pip_goes_pop@reddit

iOS comes with "iCloud Private Relay" (assuming you have an iCloud+ sub). It's like a VPN in the way it hops your connection through proxies to avoid tracking, but doesn't have the encryption levels a proper VPN does. That'll be that Baggins\_1420 is referring to.
View on Reddit #80239312

Baggins_1420@reddit

Thank you!
View on Reddit #80260914

Racing_Fox@reddit

Nope But I sure as hell so now.
View on Reddit #80268146

jethrothegamer@reddit

A VPN is a good extra layer of security, regardless of online, government ID requests.
View on Reddit #80263110

khazroar@reddit

Yes, because my mobile network already had age blocking and only accepted forms of ID that I don't have. I couldn't even use Urban Dictionary or the Internet Archive without giving them a passport, despite the fact that my phone number itself is probably over 18 years old now.
View on Reddit #80230885

turtleship_2006@reddit

I think I vaguely remember a law/rule where mobile providers had to restrict adult content by default and give the option to unrestrict it, but I don't think actually verifying the age was a requirement.
View on Reddit #80256390

khazroar@reddit

Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard anyone else complain about the same issue, so I don't think all providers are as strict, but also I'm in an unusual position of almost exclusively using mobile data, and also not having a passport or driver's license. But this is what I see if I try to go to something as inoccuous as archive.org. https://preview.redd.it/ylkq2u7jf1og1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e54c84c6cc9ee35147210202728b63c41d5630d5
View on Reddit #80257999

turtleship_2006@reddit

Hmm, according to [this](https://www.giffgaff.com/blog/internet-safety-parental-controls/) they're required to have the option, but not to have it on by default? >The good news is that mobile operators are required by law to have content restrictions on their networks, making it easy for you to control (and tough for your children to access) unsuitable material. Each of the major UK networks has now signed up to the [Independent Mobile Classification](http://www.imcb.org.uk/) Body’s code of conduct, which means mobile operators restrict content classified as suitable for over-18s only. They also explain that you can disable it in settings on pay monthly plans at any time, but you need to verify yourself to disable it on PAYG plans as "anyone can buy them" but you need a credit card for the monthly one
View on Reddit #80261750

Sparko_Marco@reddit

I didn't and still don't. I just don't bother with any sites that ask for ID.
View on Reddit #80259198

TujiTV@reddit

Absolutely, I've had a subscription to my current VPN for nearly 14 years now. I started using it in South Korea to get around certain geoblocking rules, although back then I had to pay for it with gift cards because my Korean bank would block the payment, became incredibly useful when I had to travel in China for work (at lot of my family were using Google Chat at the time, and even Beijing airport wifi would block that). Came back to the UK and saw the way the government were heading with reducing online privacy and kept my subscription ever since.
View on Reddit #80259157

ilikeavocadotoast@reddit

Probably been using VPNs for just over a decade now - firstly mainly for public wifi as older smartphones were more vulnerable back then, secondly because my housemate in uni thought it was a good idea to torrent The Simpsons while we had Sky Broadband of all providers
View on Reddit #80259054

Reasonable_Bat_3583@reddit

Yes I’ve had one for a while
View on Reddit #80258692

Ragnarsdad1@reddit

i did for streaming and for checking prices on virgin media website as if you were already with Virgin they blocked your ability to see what the current prices were.
View on Reddit #80256976

vivalacoulter@reddit

I used to for when I used hotel/public WiFi
View on Reddit #80253689

skawarrior@reddit

Yeah, I've been letting IPSOS use a VPN to rout my traffic so it can spy on me and give me credits towards gift cards every month
View on Reddit #80253479

four_ethers2024@reddit

Always, for over five years now!
View on Reddit #80250392

ArseholeWithAPhone@reddit

Yes, I got one as soon as the government decided to force service providers to start blocking RT during the initial stages of the Ukraine invasion. Not because I have a yearning to read Russian propaganda, but because I do noy recognise the right of parliament to determine for me what it is acceptable for me to read. I can do that for myself.
View on Reddit #80249880

GlitteringCase7577@reddit

I got a VPN a couple of years ago to watch the final few episodes of traitors while away skiing. Haven’t really thought about cancelling it as it is quite cheap and keeps my devices safe.
View on Reddit #80249613

BrowsingnDaydreaming@reddit

For several years yes! It helps for privacy and streaming sites (particularly for kdramas and Turkish dramas lol) \- a woman
View on Reddit #80249516

Visual_Seaweed8292@reddit

Its quite interesting, when you VPN to different locations the hub gives you different recommendations. Spain seems to be lots of Anal Milf, and Germany has more bandage and kink stuff.
View on Reddit #80249027

celaconacr@reddit

I did but only used it for going on public WiFi or connecting to my home. Now it's on by default except for a few apps.
View on Reddit #80248329

DoJ-Mole@reddit

For a long time yeah, when I was younger and living with my parents I didn’t want my dad to be able to see me looking at porn even when I could access it without. Then that carried over to when I lived alone too because I don’t want my ISP seeing it either
View on Reddit #80247076

Mysterious_County154@reddit

Yes for watching korean streaming services
View on Reddit #80246270

OK_LK@reddit

Woman here I've been using VPN for 10 years or so
View on Reddit #80245351

sarahlizzy@reddit

I have two. Used to have three.
View on Reddit #80244591

IAmJustTryingToExist@reddit

I started using one in the early 2020s and I wouldn't even use my home network without it.. I've been telling people to use them for years and now I've been spending the last few months telling them I told you so
View on Reddit #80244004

arentwealwayssunny@reddit

Yes but for sailing the seas
View on Reddit #80243967

RaspberryJammm@reddit

I was going to get one anyway to watch New Zealand Taskmaster but then had to in order to access the subreddits about cannabis. Not looking at boobies, I promise. 
View on Reddit #80243502

Bacon4Lyf@reddit

I’ve always had one, but I work in engineering and tech so you were weird if you didn’t use one for something
View on Reddit #80243391

buy_me_a_pint@reddit

We just have a basic pay as you go phone, no internet
View on Reddit #80243126

agground@reddit

I already had one, Albania has no ads on YouTube or other sites, so it’s functionally an adblocker on my iPhone
View on Reddit #80243077

veryblocky@reddit

I already had one even before the new law came in
View on Reddit #80242911

dOOmBardhi@reddit

Lots of websites/apps don’t work well with VPNs so I find it frustrating. Having to turn off VPN to use things just seems pointless
View on Reddit #80242463

ChickenPijja@reddit

Yes, but “only” for about 2 years before it came it. I would try to watch shows on YouTube, that were region locked and doing vpn to Sweden usually cleared nearly every region lock.
View on Reddit #80242298

hdhddf@reddit

no, only using a VPN to bypass the stupid OSA and digital ID laws. ofcom needs to get in the bin along with all the lobby groups
View on Reddit #80241596

penguin62@reddit

I get a vpn subscription with my password manager so I've had it for years.
View on Reddit #80241542

Stinkinhippy@reddit

Still don't have one.. Haven't found it limits my activity all that much.. think I'm boring, lol.
View on Reddit #80241469

Long-Iron-1824@reddit

Yes since a lot of useful study websites were blocked on my school’s WiFi. Also I didn’t like the idea of going on public WiFi without it. With there being free* options available to us, there is no reason to hesitate getting one if u live in the UK. *you should still be careful ofc. Get a paid one if you can
View on Reddit #80241416

lanky_doodle@reddit

I use one but the other way around - I have my own VPN at home so when not at home it appears I'm accessing from home. Mainly for geolocation streaming service requirements. I tried VPNs the 'usual' way but most of the services I used were blocked because of VPN (public IP) detection. One thing I will say... it won't be long until Government / ICO start asking VPN providers for details of people using them, so I think days are numbered if people are giving their real details to these providers.
View on Reddit #80241212

BansheeLabs@reddit

Always used VPNs.
View on Reddit #80241164

redbullcat@reddit

Yes, so I could watch F1 without needing to pay tons of money to Sky to get channels I don't want.
View on Reddit #80240911

IgnoranceDisclaimer@reddit

I didn’t, I got one as soon as this ID shit happened. I’m a woman. 
View on Reddit #80240562

glasgowgeg@reddit

Yes, Google offers free use of Google VPN for owners of the Pixel 7 and above, so for about 3-4 years now. I don't use it. I use Operas built-in VPN for accessing torrent sites on my desktop, since my ISP proactively block a few.
View on Reddit #80240122

lovesorangesoda636@reddit

Not on my phone but I've had one on my tablet for years. Mainly so my kid could watch iPlayer while on holiday. And on my computers - had one since '08 because I needed it for uni.
View on Reddit #80240045

BuncleCar@reddit

Yes for the last 10 years as I use coffee shop WiFi a lot and it was recommended on the log on screen
View on Reddit #80239686

audigex@reddit

I’ve always used VPNs, although I got a lifetime subscription cheap about 15 years ago which meant I didn’t feel like I was wasting money if I didn’t use it They’re great for downloading “Linux ISOs, honest guvna” without getting annoying “stop pirating stuff” emails from your ISP, and they do add a bit of privacy when on a public WiFi Also useful for eg checking flight prices or whatever without having them charge you more because you searched for they same flight twice from your home network I also have a VPN connection back to my own network at my house, which is great for accessing my server or IP-KVM to reboot it etc, checking my security cameras, that kinda stuff I do use it a lot more now though
View on Reddit #80239613

MrPloppyHead@reddit

So how long has the OSA been in effect? Hasn’t impacted me at all.
View on Reddit #80239487

Original-Material301@reddit

Always had one. Be it for work or personal use.
View on Reddit #80239141

MrCowabs@reddit

Yep. Has one for a good few years now. It’s been for streaming and watching MLS matches.
View on Reddit #80239037

ClacksInTheSky@reddit

Yeah, I have A VPN on my home network that I connect to when I'm outside the house so that I can use my pihole for DNS and get ad blocking on the go.
View on Reddit #80238862

peteyourdoom@reddit

Yes. Had various VPNs for years.
View on Reddit #80238834

ImTalkingGibberish@reddit

Yes. I don’t trust airports, hotels and much less coffee shops. There use to be a Firefox plugin that lists everyone’s security sessions connected to the same open wifi. You log into someone else’s gmail or facebook with one click.
View on Reddit #80238692

chrisrazor@reddit

I got one when the government started blocking torrent sites, whenever that was... mid 2010s?
View on Reddit #80238563

deadlygaming11@reddit

No, but I was planning on getting one anyway so once I got one and could get around the restrictions, it was nice 
View on Reddit #80238403

ducksoupmilliband@reddit

Yep for work and for when I was on "public" WiFi hotspots. What's the male vs female angle? Perhaps assuming women don't look at pornography? 
View on Reddit #80238192

Acquilas@reddit

Yup. Have used one for many many years now. On pc, laptop, and phone.
View on Reddit #80238113

IndividualCurious322@reddit

I dont use one at all because I can access free streaming sites without them.
View on Reddit #80237946

TieDyePandas@reddit

nope. never felt the need to get one. still don't tbh.
View on Reddit #80237913

missuseme@reddit

I didn't, now I do.
View on Reddit #80237444

eufemiapiccio77@reddit

Yeah. I’ve built my own running in other countries
View on Reddit #80237203

Pedantichrist@reddit

Yes. I was unable to access some work things when out of the country and I traveled a lot.
View on Reddit #80237177

OldBorktonian@reddit

Been using VPNs for years, extra level of security and to access geo locked sites such as Imgur.
View on Reddit #80236507

theped26@reddit

Yep, to get around the ads on YouTube
View on Reddit #80231566

Putrid_Flamingo_6736@reddit

Morphe for android and uBlocker for desktop
View on Reddit #80236362

theped26@reddit

I’m on iPhone
View on Reddit #80236422

EuroSong@reddit

Albania, right? 😊
View on Reddit #80233436

theped26@reddit

Yep
View on Reddit #80233464

fussyfella@reddit

I had VPNs on devices before Smartphones were even a thing. We used them for business purposes so remote offices and remote workers could connect to the corporate network.
View on Reddit #80236064

Sharktistic@reddit

Yes, I've been using a VPN for many, many years. It's only recently that I've had it essentially permanently activated though.
View on Reddit #80235956

ooh_bit_of_bush@reddit

Yeah, mostly for browsing geolocked sites and dodgy football streams. Also if I was using a cafe's WiFi or something.
View on Reddit #80235628

RandomSher@reddit

Yes I did and u like everyone else who are not being honest I got it for NSFW content. That includes many Reddit pages you would not even think would be blocked.
View on Reddit #80235561

hhfugrr3@reddit

Yep, had a vpn for years. Needed it when I went to China in 2019 but I'm pretty sure I had one before then anyway.
View on Reddit #80235173

eren_yeegarr@reddit

Yes, for remote desktop access, for around 15 years now.
View on Reddit #80235053

Martipar@reddit

Yes but it's built into the browser, it's not like i chose one separately. It's like the ad blocker, it's just part of Opera.
View on Reddit #80227268

P-l-Staker@reddit

The thing I hate about Opera VPN is that it just kills your Internet connection. It's complete and utter rubbish if you wanna watch anything that isn't 360p, and even that isn't guaranteed to work without buffering!
View on Reddit #80231267

Martipar@reddit

I don't use it, i wouldn't know.
View on Reddit #80233120

P-l-Staker@reddit

So what the hell are you on in the comment above? 😂
View on Reddit #80234412

Martipar@reddit

I have one, i don't use one, it's part of the browser.
View on Reddit #80234747

BillWilberforce@reddit

Which means that you're handing all of your web traffic to the Chinese government. As Opera has been Chinese owned for years.
View on Reddit #80230699

Martipar@reddit

They are still headquartered in Norway and abide by GDPR. The racism regarding ownership is a bit nuts though, just because it's partly owned by China it doesn't mean the Chinese are any more interested in my visits to Reddit or whatever than a US, UK or Australian owned browser would result in their respective governments having a look.
View on Reddit #80233251

Logical_Strain_6165@reddit

It's weird people blindly trust a VPN more then an ISP.
View on Reddit #80232169

tom-mart@reddit

I had at least 2 VPNs installed on my smartphones for years. One commercial, mainly used to unblock country restricted content on streaming services. Second to connect to my home network to access all my self-hosted services.
View on Reddit #80234565

TheEnglishNorwegian@reddit

Yes, mostly used for work stuff, but also for connecting to any form of public WiFi.
View on Reddit #80234553

Thin_Pin2863@reddit

I've had one for several years, predominantly to get around geoblocking.
View on Reddit #80234466

NorthernStar2184@reddit

I've never been asked for ID online.
View on Reddit #80234364

OldLondon@reddit

No, still don’t.  Have one on my work phone but not my own.
View on Reddit #80234124

EmotionalDesign2876@reddit

I got a Swiss-based VPN on my laptop around the time the current US president took office.
View on Reddit #80233548

EuroSong@reddit

Yes - I use it to block ads!
View on Reddit #80233402

Artificial100@reddit

Never had or used a VPN. Now both of those boxes are ticked.
View on Reddit #80232678

Astronaut_Street@reddit

Yes I'm security conscious and never connect to public WiFi without a vpn. I usually use mobile data and refuse public WiFi. It's handy when travelling. It's free with revolut metal so I might as well.
View on Reddit #80232583

Logical_Strain_6165@reddit

We monitor suspicious sign ins at work and we get a lot more alerts since the Online Safety Act. Most of these are personal devices using a VPN.
View on Reddit #80232222

ohmygodadameget@reddit

I've used a VPN for years just on principle, successive governments seem to have a hard on for wanting to know anything and everything you browse and companies have always had one for your personal data, so I've always viewed it as a bit of a "fuck you all", despite me not having anything particular of interest to hide. It's more a case of, the more they seem to want to police and snoop on our viewing habits the less I want them to know over anything else, in the same way we would tell an incessantly nosy neighbor to just go fuck themselves.
View on Reddit #80231177

Logical_Strain_6165@reddit

Hopefully you trust your VPN provider more then your ISP
View on Reddit #80232145

iamnosuperman123@reddit

Yes I did to watch the rugby.
View on Reddit #80231914

Richmonds-a-Dorkie@reddit

Yes. I’ve been using VPNs for years.
View on Reddit #80231802

N3vvyn@reddit

Yes, various actually depending on what I'm doing.
View on Reddit #80231756

LordSexyAsshole@reddit

Ever since the snoopers charter. I don’t want my ISP to log my internet history. Reddit was up in arms over this at the time. But most people forgot. Like they’ll forget everytime the government increases its overreach. We are apathetic.
View on Reddit #80231731

Justan0therthrow4way@reddit

Had one for years
View on Reddit #80231464

QueefInMyKisser@reddit

I have a VPN on a Raspberry Pi that gets me back to my home broadband connection. But that’s the opposite of getting around sites that are blocked in the UK, but because some services don’t work when I travel abroad.
View on Reddit #80231395

mjratchada@reddit

Yes the country I am from blocks countless websites that have content critical of the government. The same in many other countries. People also used it for streaming and privacy concerns. So yes, millions have had done it. previously.
View on Reddit #80230841

ActionBirbie@reddit

Literally billions of people, FFS.
View on Reddit #80230181

garlicmayosquad@reddit

Yes, because we have pretty 1984 laws around surveillance and mass data collection, it makes that ever so slightly harder for the powers that be.
View on Reddit #80230022

Ricky_Martins_Vagina@reddit

Yes. Main reason being I spend most of my time in the Middle East where even a lot of regular services / websites are blocked - Whatsapp calls in particular, for example. I also found that my bank cards and credit cards would regularly get blocked for suspicious activity when I was ordering stuff online from one country or another. Ever since I started using VPN and setting it to UK I rarely have that issue.
View on Reddit #80229448

TheNotSpecialOne@reddit

Nope. Only now I do
View on Reddit #80229419

Motor-Command-2680@reddit

I did but i rarely used it. Now i never surf online without it.
View on Reddit #80226759

peacemongler@reddit

Only for travel.
View on Reddit #80226561