Hot Take Surfshark VPN Privacy policyTerms & conditions [Downside]

[Zeitas]

What you didn't know about Surfshark VPN

1:Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
2:Tracking via advertising identifiers
3:This service may keep personal data after a request for erasure for business interests or legal obligations
4:This service ignores the Do Not Track (DNT) header and tracks users anyway even if they set this header.
5:This service may use your personal information for marketing purposes
6:The service may use tracking pixels, web beacons, browser fingerprinting, and/or device fingerprinting on users.
7:The service uses your personal data to employ targeted third-party advertising
8:Your data may be processed and stored anywhere in the world
9:Tracking pixels are used in service-to-user communication
10:Third parties are involved in operating the service
11:This service collects your IP address, which can be used to view your approximate location
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[Shadowra]

Hello

Can I have the source of your words please?
SurfShark I gave it up since they force for their SurfShark One solution... (and especially because they were bought by Nord Security / NordVPN that I do not support)

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Oh no...

 

[HarborFront]

I don't see those mentioned items as something strange. It's basically data collection and usage. Most are indicated in its Privacy Policy which would be similar for other VPN providers just like for password managers

Yes, Surfshark VPN for android do have trackers. So far, AFAIK, Adguard VPN and Mullvad VPN for android do NOT have trackers

 

[Zeitas]

I don't see those mentioned items as something strange. It's basically data collection and usage. Most are indicated in its Privacy Policy which would be similar for other VPN providers just like for password managers

Yes, Surfshark VPN for android do have trackers. So far, AFAIK, Adguard VPN and Mullvad VPN for android do NOT have trackers

1: A VPN should never log information related to your online activities, though, including IP addresses, sites visited, and time stamps.
2:You don’t want to purchase a VPN that works with law enforcement or government agencies, and you don’t want to purchase one that hands data over to third-party vendors.

 

[Shadowra]

1: A VPN should never log information related to your online activities, though, including IP addresses, sites visited, and time stamps.
2:You don’t want to purchase a VPN that works with law enforcement or government agencies, and you don’t want to purchase one that hands data over to third-party vendors.

All VPNs can store data but cannot disclose it like this.
For example, CyberGhost does not record your activity, but can if it does not comply with their TOS (copyrighted Torrent downloads, P2P, Hacking, Viruses etc)

The only 2 that really don't record anything are Mullvad & IVPN. They have proven it several times

 

[HarborFront]

1: A VPN should never log information related to your online activities, though, including IP addresses, sites visited, and time stamps.
2:You don’t want to purchase a VPN that works with law enforcement or government agencies, and you don’t want to purchase one that hands data over to third-party vendors.

There are many criteria in the selection of a VPN. Those you specifically want and be of 100% privacy is not there

People say Mullvad VPN is the best in terms of privacy. But Mullvad VPN cannot surf in China and is weak in its speed in the Far East despite running on 10Gbps servers. That's not want I want since I'm staying in the Far East.

FI, some of my criteria in choosing a VPN

1) Company and servers not based in 5/9/14-eye countries. US/UK/Australia/Canada/New Zealand/Netherlands/Norway/Sweden/ Germany/Italy/Belgium/Denmark/France/Spain
2) Servers not in countries with close affiliation with the 5-eye countries e.g. Israel, S Korea, Japan and Singapore
3) Countries must not have Data Retention Law In Force
4) Best to have 10Gbps servers (based on ExpressVPN/Surfshark VPN/NordVPN/MullVad VPN/PIA)

VPN-Friendly Countries

Data Retention Laws By Countries - An Update - PureVPN Blog

A detailed comparison of Australia with the countries in the EU and US, according to data retention laws and policies.

www.purevpn.com

1) Czech Republic (ExpressVPN/Mullvad VPN)
2) Taiwan (ExpressVPN)
3) Hong Kong (ExpressVPN/Surfshark VPN/Mullvad VPN)
4) Austria (ExpressVPN/Mullvad VPN)
5) Switzerland (ExpressVPN/Surfshark VPN/Mullvad VPN)
6) Ukraine (ExpressVPN/Surfshark VPN)
7) Romania (Mullvad VPN)
8) Luxembourg
9) Panama
10) Cyprus
11) Bulgaria
12) Slovenia

 

[Ink]

@Shadowra @HarborFront
Here’s what TOSDR gives Surfshark: Grade B.

Surfshark - ToS;DR - ToS;DR

tosdr.org

• Terms may be changed any time at their discretion, without notice to the user
• Tracking via advertising identifiers
• This service may keep personal data after a request for erasure for business interests or legal obligations
• This service ignores the Do Not Track (DNT) header and tracks users anyway even if they set this header.
• You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold the service harmless in case of a claim related to your use of the service
• This service assumes no liability for any losses or damages resulting from any matter relating to the service
• This service may use your personal information for marketing purposes
• Instead of asking directly, this Service will assume your consent merely from your usage.
• The service may use tracking pixels, web beacons, browser fingerprinting, and/or device fingerprinting on users.
• The service uses your personal data to employ targeted third-party advertising
• The service provider makes no warranty regarding uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free service
• Your data may be processed and stored anywhere in the world
• This service uses third-party cookies for statistics
• Tracking pixels are used in service-to-user communication

Bookmark it: Hot Take - Terms of Service; Didn't Read - Grading system for Privacy Polices and ToS [TL;DR]

 

[HarborFront]

@Shadowra @HarborFront
Here’s what TOSDR gives Surfshark: Grade B.

Surfshark - ToS;DR - ToS;DR

tosdr.org

Bookmark it: Hot Take - Terms of Service; Didn't Read - Grading system for Privacy Polices and ToS [TL;DR]

Like I said. What's the point of a great privacy VPN like Mullvad if it cannot surf in China and is weak in its speed in the Far East despite running on 10Gbps servers. That's not want I want since I'm staying in the Far East.

Just make sure you choose a VPN which meets your daily and special needs. Grading is secondary

 

[Zero Knowledge]

2:You don’t want to purchase a VPN that works with law enforcement or government agencies

Name one that doesn't comply with a valid court order. You won't find one. They all do otherwise they would be made illegal. You can bet on that.

Now if they are set up that means they have no to little data that's different, but they can and are every day forced to hand over data and monitor users.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

The only 2 that really don't record anything are Mullvad & IVPN. They have proven it several times

I like both companies, but I'm 99% sure they have both been forced to hand over whatever user data they have had on a user and monitor said users.

 

[TheErzengel]

All VPNs collect user data in one way or another.

Choose the one that is backed by a reputation and meets your needs.

I need it to watch NETFLIX USA and Star+ in South America, that it has excellent encryption and speeds that don't affect my internet performance much.

 

[Ink]

Like I said. What's the point of a great privacy VPN like Mullvad if it cannot surf in China and is weak in its speed in the Far East despite running on 10Gbps servers. That's not want I want since I'm staying in the Far East.

Just make sure you choose a VPN which meets your daily and special needs. Grading is secondary

My response was purely informational, as OP never stated any source.

 

[codswollip]

What you didn't know about Surfshark VPN

Yea... I'm free of those concerns with AirVPN.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Yea... I'm free of those concerns with AirVPN.

AirVPN is a very good VPN , fast servers/good privacy/good client and I really like it (plus they have discounts around holiday time) but it's same deal as every other VPN. If they get a valid court order (AirVPN resides in Italy so an Italian court order) they will have to comply! What it comes down to is how they setup their business and operations like servers and how they dispose of logs and how much information they keep when users sign up and what payment information they keep. It does on and on !

It's not a simple yes/no answer . Do they keep information? It depends on how they are setup. They probably have to at the minimum keep payment data/subscription information for billing purposes and signup info to create/recover accounts. How they get away with the no logs spin/advertising is that they claim they do not log what sites you browse while connected, that's fine and may be true but they probably store everything else like I.P address/user I.D/server connected to/connection time/disconnection time/bandwidth.

 

[CyberTech]

Guys, how about this one its called Diskless Server?

 

[piquiteco]

2:You don’t want to purchase a VPN that works with law enforcement or government agencies, and you don’t want to purchase one that hands data over to third-party vendors.

In this particular case, you would have to use Tor.

 

[calcu007]

AirVPN is a very good VPN , fast servers/good privacy/good client and I really like it (plus they have discounts around holiday time) but it's same deal as every other VPN. If they get a valid court order (AirVPN resides in Italy so an Italian court order) they will have to comply! What it comes down to is how they setup their business and operations like servers and how they dispose of logs and how much information they keep when users sign up and what payment information they keep. It does on and on !

It's not a simple yes/no answer . Do they keep information? It depends on how they are setup. They probably have to at the minimum keep payment data/subscription information for billing purposes and signup info to create/recover accounts. How they get away with the no logs spin/advertising is that they claim they do not log what sites you browse while connected, that's fine and may be true but they probably store everything else like I.P address/user I.D/server connected to/connection time/disconnection time/bandwidth.

You need to research more about AirVPN. They dont logs IP address or other things.