Eggplant.place

2y

You can shop for #VPN services that are audited for #privacy. Doing that with ISPs is basically impossible.

Edit: Some VPNs I consider to be decent are Mullvad, Nordvpn and Protonvpn.

Some to be avoided are PIA, Expressvpn and Cyberghost.

#mullvad #protonvpn #nordvpn

Edited 2y ago

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136d

Sooo... anyone got a VPN recommendation where my money won't go to financing far-right politics?

#mullvad

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136d

That's absolutely sad to read. The CEO of @mullvadnet is not only financing the far-right Swedish Örebro party, but he even is their main financer. 70+% of their money is his donation. He is the reason why they go nationwide this year.

For obvious reasons i cease to trust this service. Also i do not finance parties that aim for forced deportations.

https://www.flamman.se/techprofil-ger-miljoner-till-orebropartiet/

#Mullvad

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135d

RE: https://mastodon.online/@mullvadnet/116822264297340100

This is immensely disappointing, @mullvadnet.

Your co-CEO is funding far-right authoritarians. Authoritarianism is not compatible with free speech – anyone who claims to be fighting for free speech has to be aware of this. In fact, the reason we need free speech is to fend of authoritarianism!

You used "free speech" to defend anti-free-speech views. This is the "paradox of tolerance". Only, it is not a paradox. Allowing intolerance erodes a tolerant society:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance

#Mullvad

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110d

Today, one of the co-CEOs of #Mullvad (no, not that co-CEO, the other one) gave a keynote at the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium (PETS).

Someone passed these out while he was speaking.

I wasn't at the talk, but I hear the Q&A was spicy, all about this topic. I think it was recorded and will post a link if/when it goes up.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MULLVAD

Daniel Berntsson co-owns Mullvad VPN AB with Fredrik Stromberg, this morning's keynote speaker. Berntsson donated 5 million Swedish kronor (725,000 CAD of 500,000 USD) to the Orebro Party, a dangerous nationalist political party in Sweden.; The leader of the party has called immigrants to Sweden “parasites” and advocated for their mass deportation. The donation by Berntsson has elevated what had been only a regional party to national significance, constituting 72% of its funding in 2025.

Some portion of each Mullvad VPN subscription goes to support an extremist party that seeks to turn state violence against immigrant and other marginalized communities. It contributes directly to the global rising tide of fascism and authoritarianism. On Monday, Mullvad issued a statement about the donation saying that it “does not condone it, nor condemn it"

As privacy researchers, developers, and users, the profits of privacy tools being turned against the most vulnerable members of our community affects all of us. Mullvad claims this donation is free speech, but it is more than that: It is material support for those who would limit the freedom of whole populations. Privacy includes autonomy and self-determination, and freedom of movement is part of that. Let's demand better from companies that operate in our community.

Things you can do:

_ Get a refund for your Mullvad subscription: Mullvad has offered to give refunds to people who wish to cancel their subscriptions in response to this event. Refunds are not available for subscriptions paid via Apple App Store, cash, cryptocurrency, or vouchers.

~ Support your local immigrant rights efforts.

_ Research the donation practices of those profiting from tech companies in your locality.

~ Support privacy research that centers vulnerable communities.

ALT

Edited 110d ago

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91d

After the #Mullvad scandal a lot of folks had been looking around for a VPN provider they can trust.

The wonderful @activistchecklist got you covered there:
https://activistchecklist.org/vpn/

Not only does it list recommended VPNs and reasons for their recommendation (along with those they don't recommend, and why), but also explains what VPNs are good for, what they are not good for, and why giving VPN advice is so hard.

Clearly a lot of research, care, and thoughtful design went into this.

#VPN

Edited 91d ago