Here we go again. Millions of iPhone and Android users are suddenly at risk as the latest porn ban comes into effect. But it turns out the most serious threat to all those smartphone users is not the content, but the dangerous workarounds.
In the U.S., as state after state has passed porn ban legislation, users have turned to virtual private networks (VPNs) to maintain their adult content fix. These apps tunnel web traffic via remote servers. And if those servers are located in a different state or country, the porn site thinks the phone is there as well. The porn ban is bypassed.
Now the U.K. has enacted its own version of this leaky, pointless legislation, resulting in VPNs suddenly dominating app download charts. One app developer told BBC News, “it had seen an 1,800% spike in downloads” and many others have experienced the same.
Similar surges have been seen in the U.S. as each new ban comes into effect. The reality is that the bans or requirement for age verification — which amount to the same when users don’t want to associate real-world identifies with porn sites — do not work. Much worse though, these countermeasures are dangerous and are putting millions at risk.
To run a VPN, a developer needs to operate expensive infrastructure — the servers and network capacity to route traffic between devices and websites. Good VPNs offer a menu of locations, enabling users to pick the country or state where they will seem to be.
Porn sites take your IP address at face value. If there’s a ban or restriction in your location but your IP address suggests you’re somewhere else, you will be granted access. It would be very easy for the websites to check if you’re using a VPN. A clash between your IP address and your browser fingerprints for example. But they don’t.
The risk is that users don’t need a complex, fully-featured VPN to beat the bans. Any app will do. And China’s free app industry is happy to oblige. Using a free VPN without good security and data protection is very much worse than using no app at all.
Researchers have even found many free VPNs are linked to the Chinese government and its military. The Tech Transparency Project warns “millions of Americans have downloaded apps that secretly route their internet traffic through Chinese companies.”
Top10VPN’s Simon Migliano says this means “the risks are too great,” and “in light of these findings, I strongly urge users to avoid Chinese-owned VPNs altogether.”
You should actually avoid any free VPN. Either use one you subscribe to, or one from a bluechip provider which is an add-on to its other services. As BeyondTrust’s James Maude points out, “if you aren’t paying for a product, you are the product; these VPN services are a perfect example of the hidden costs of free apps.”
My advice on VPNs is simple:
- Only install VPNs from Google’s Play Store or Apple’s App Store
- Only use paid VPNs on a clear monthly or annual subscription for a sensible amount, never use a VPN with obfuscated in-app purchases
- Only use VPNs from recognized developers that you can easily find on mainstream websites, and never any that operate out of China
- Always ensure Play Protect is enabled on Android, and never disable or pause Play Protect to install a VPN that has been flagged as high-risk.
