Iffadmin: /* Additional Notes */

2022-10-19T18:59:46Z

Additional Notes

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:59, 19 October 2022
Line 74:		Line 74:
	* What threat models are VPNs actually useful for?		* What threat models are VPNs actually useful for?

	~~===~~Additional Notes~~===~~		'''Additional Notes on the Report and Report Recommendations'''
	* VPNalyzer is working on expanding the survey to address users with different threat models (VPNalyzer will advertise any updated survey with the community.)		* VPNalyzer is working on expanding the survey to address users with different threat models (VPNalyzer will advertise any updated survey with the community.)
	* Reasons users are using free accounts outside of Western Europe and North America:'''		* Reasons users are using free accounts outside of Western Europe and North America:'''

Iffadmin: /* Presentation */ Additional Formatting

2022-10-19T18:58:57Z

Presentation: Additional Formatting

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:58, 19 October 2022
Line 60:		Line 60:

	''Data Collection''		''Data Collection''
	* Over 40% of users are not sure about what data is being collected ~~abotu~~ them.		* Over 40% of users are not sure about what data is being collected about them.
	* Providers think that they share clear and accurate information about data privacy and logs to the users.		* Providers think that they share clear and accurate information about data privacy and logs to the users.

	'~~'Recommendations~~''		===Recommendations from the Report===
	* Oversight on VPN ads and marketing		'''Oversight on VPN ads and marketing is sorely needed.'''
	** NordVPN ads were blocked in the UK		* NordVPN ads were blocked in the UK because they were found to be misleading.
	* Attention to ~~flawed recommendation sites~~.
	** [https://reethika.info/papers/conpro22-vpn-rec.pdf Investigating the VPN Recommendation Ecosystem]

	''User ~~Education Campaigns~~''		'''Attention needs to be paid to flawed recommendation sites.'''
			* [https://reethika.info/papers/conpro22-vpn-rec.pdf Investigating the VPN Recommendation Ecosystem]

			'''User education campaigns are needed.'''
	* What does a VPN do?		* What does a VPN do?
	* What threat models are VPNs actually useful for?		* What threat models are VPNs actually useful for?

	~~'''~~Additional Notes~~'''~~		===Additional Notes===
	* VPNalyzer is working on expanding the survey to address users with different threat models (VPNalyzer will advertise any updated survey with the community.)		* VPNalyzer is working on expanding the survey to address users with different threat models (VPNalyzer will advertise any updated survey with the community.)
	* Reasons users are using free accounts outside of Western Europe and North America:'''		* Reasons users are using free accounts outside of Western Europe and North America:'''

Iffadmin: Created September VPN Gathering Notes

2022-10-19T18:52:00Z

Created September VPN Gathering Notes

New page

=Resources=
* [https://vpnalyzer.org/survey2022.html “All of them claim to be the best”: A multi-perspective study of VPN users and VPN providers] - ''VPNalyzer''
* [https://vpnalyzer.org/ VPNalyzer Site]
* [https://reethika.info/papers/conpro22-vpn-rec.pdf Investigating the VPN Recommendation Ecosystem]
* [https://www.pcmag.com/news/nordvpn-ad-banned-for-exaggerating-threat-of-public-wi-fi NordVPN Ad Banned for Exaggerating Threat of Public Wi-Fi]

=Notes=
==Updates==
* VPN Village 2022
** Proposed dates: Week of November 14
** Opportunity to host hour-long presentations, discussions and workshops related to the VPN ecosystem that are open to the broader internet freedom and digital rights community.
** Opportunity to host invite-only discussions around specific VPN-related topics.
** Previous VPN Village Sessions:
* VPN User Needs Discussion with Myanmar Frontline Defenders
** Discussion to address criminalization of VPN use in Myanmar and approaches to safely using VPNs and circumvention tech.
** Need for data on what is going on on the ground in Iran to find ways to respond rapidly to the censorship situation.

==Presentation==
[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m27DOuYpD2TDhIJukEcx_fkhaHnwdCio/view?usp=sharing VPNalyzer User Survey Slides]

'''Questions that remain unanswered from the user survey:'''
* Why are users looking to VPNs?
** Distrust of ISPs?
** Geo-locked content?
* What are the perceived benefits of using a VPN?

'''Survey Overview'''
* Over 1200 users in the U.S participated in the survey.
** 1500 responses were received from users in over 40 countries.
** There were 27 questions in the user survey.
* 9 VPN providers were interviewed
** CalyxVPN, Hide.me, IVPN, Jigsaw Outline, Mullvad VPN, RiseupVPN, Surfshark, TunnelBear VPN, and Windscribe were interviewed.
** 15 questions were asked of each provider on average.

'''User Subsets'''<br>
Users could ultimately be grouped by:
* Expertise level
** Expectations around logging more of a priority for experienced users.
* VPN payment preferences
** Price was important for limited to moderate experienced users. However speed still prioritized by users over price.

'''Emotional Connections'''
* Do users have any emotional values associated with chosing and using a VPN?
* Users using paid VPNs tend to feel safer while using a VPN than users who are using a free VPN.

'''Mental Models around VPNs'''
* Results found flawed mental models around how VPNs work and what they do across expertise levels.

'''Alignment between users and providers'''<br>
''Privacy''
* Respect for user privacy results in limited information about user habits and needs.
''Mental Models''
* VPN providers agreed that they believed users had flawed mental models around VPNs.

'''Misalignment between users and providers'''<br>
''Reliance on recommendation sites''
* High portion of people who use recommendation sites, think that they are really trustworthy.
**Users think they are reliable.
* Providers believe they are not reliable - the recommendation ecosystem is not objective.

''Data Collection''
* Over 40% of users are not sure about what data is being collected abotu them.
* Providers think that they share clear and accurate information about data privacy and logs to the users.

''Recommendations''
* Oversight on VPN ads and marketing
** NordVPN ads were blocked in the UK
* Attention to flawed recommendation sites.
** [https://reethika.info/papers/conpro22-vpn-rec.pdf Investigating the VPN Recommendation Ecosystem]

''User Education Campaigns''
* What does a VPN do?
* What threat models are VPNs actually useful for?

'''Additional Notes'''
* VPNalyzer is working on expanding the survey to address users with different threat models (VPNalyzer will advertise any updated survey with the community.)
* Reasons users are using free accounts outside of Western Europe and North America:'''
** Sanctions (payments)
** VPN monitoring, tracking and cat-and-mouse blocking.
* Think about all of the different things that the user should be doing, not just recommending VPN.'''
* Participant Comment: Providers are not incentivized to make the recommended changes in the paper.
** What can incentivize them to make these changes?

==Presentation Q&A==

'''What advice do you have to convey the message that recommendations sites are not trustworthy?'''<br>
Should you share trustworthy recommendations sites? Or just tell people not to trust the sites over all?
* Compile a list of trusted resources to share yourself.
* [https://securityplanner.consumerreports.org/ Security Planner] can be a good resource for users. Includes resources outside of VPNs.
* The clearest filter is to check if the recommendation site has affiliate links on it.
** The best recommendation sites will not have affiliate links.
*** PC Mag and other big sites will have affiliate links.
*** [https://freedom.press/training/choosing-a-vpn/ Freedom of the Press Foundation], [https://www.consumerreports.org/vpn-services/mullvad-ivpn-mozilla-vpn-top-consumer-reports-vpn-testing-a9588707317/ Consumer Reports], [https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-vpn-service/ Wirecutter] all have non-affiliate recommendations.

'''How do users learn how to recognize affiliate links? How do they learn what the implications of affiliate links are?'''
* You usually have to look at [https://wheregoes.com/trace/20224622936/ URL parameters].
* The average user will not be able to recognize what an affiliate link is.
* Maybe this is where regulation is required.
** Forcing disclosure of affiliate profits.
* It's uncertain how many of the recommendation sites are hosted in the US and are subject to US laws.

'''Open Questions'''
* What about expanding the research to a wider user audience?'''
* What were the provider profiles that you interviewed for this project?'''

September 22 2022, VPN Community Gathering - Revision history

Iffadmin: /* Additional Notes */

Iffadmin: /* Presentation */ Additional Formatting

Iffadmin: Created September VPN Gathering Notes