VPN by Google One shuts down

Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 392 points –
VPN by Google One shuts down
9to5google.com
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Tbh at least this one makes sense, who is going to use a VPN (an internet privacy tool) from Google?

My purpose for a VPN is more about connecting to WiFi APs I don't control. Google VPN worked just fine for that.

These days you don’t get much extra benefit on a VPN over TLS which you get on 99% of websites.

I disagree here, as an American using a Swiss exit node (most compliant) websites are forced to allow a much higher degree of privacy to comply with the laws there.

While I block all third party advertising and tracking anyway, it’s incredibly satisfying seeing websites explicitly list out everything they’re tracking about you and having that “reject all” button.

who is going to use a VPN (an internet privacy tool) from Google?

Exactly. That would be like using a web browser made by Google so they have direct access to your internet browsing history. Ridiculous!

when traveling Communist countries in Asia with google fi it was really nice to have

but then they revoked my data service while charging me the same amount every month, because they said I'm traveling too much.

How long did it take for them to turn it off?

two years I think. they told me I need to go to the United States at least once a year.

Seems entirely reasonable to me, depending on the country it costs them extra to route your calls overseas to another network.

Fi makes it pretty clear that use outside the US is meant to be temporary (unless you're on military duty overseas). The person you replied to got a really long run and honestly has no cause for complaint.

I wish they would at least give me a discount for the service without the data.

I did. Because it was free with another service I'm already paying for.

Yeah right? I have a VPN to prevent Google (amongst many others) from having too much of my data.

Other than source IP address, I don't see how does that prevent Google from having your data.

I completely block all Google access via DNS blocklists (I realize it’s not 100% bulletproof as you could get around the block by just knowing the IP address). Because their tracking is including in basically every app and website I think this is the only effective way to stop tracking.

Using a VPN might make you more anonymous in other ways, but that alone isn’t going to stop anything from building a profile on you.

People who live in countries with internet censorship?

Google VPN is/was only available in select countries.

https://support.google.com/googleone/answer/7582172

There are 2 lists of countries applicable here. The list of countries where the VPN is included with a Google One subscription and the list where you could use the VPN while traveling.

You'll notice that countries known for internet censorship are missing from both lists, so using it for that purpose wouldn't work at all.