White-Label VPNs and Trust Concerns

Viktor Vescei from IVPN gives us a brutally honest VPN interview. He admits you can't truly verify no-logs claims, explains why most audits are "snapshots in time," and reveals why IVPN shut down their affiliate program due to industry-wide misinformation. This is an insider's perspective on what's really broken in the VPN industry and how to actually evaluate providers. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.

📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:

• https://www.ivpn.net/

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:54 - Viktor's background & journey to IVPN

00:04:47 - IVPN's 15-year history

00:07:33 - VPN company ownership & acquisition attempts

00:11:24 - IVPN's brutally honest blog

00:12:56 - White labeling in the VPN industry

00:15:55 - VPN use cases beyond privacy

00:19:04 - Using a VPN for streaming?

00:20:17 - Compartmentalization techniques

00:21:32 - Normalizing VPN usage

00:22:27 - Privacy vs. streaming compatibility

00:25:32 - Websites blocking VPN users

00:29:04 - VPN technology deep dive

00:30:11 - Are VPN comparison charts useful?

00:34:29 - VPN jurisdiction & the "eyes" debate

00:42:09 - Multi-hop VPN connections

00:44:38 - Threat modeling for VPNs

00:45:30 - Picking a VPN server location

00:48:44 - Transparency reports & warrant canaries

00:52:04 - VPN logging: the uncomfortable truth

00:54:42 - Why VPN audits are "snapshots in time"

00:55:28 - Diskless servers explained

00:57:17 - System transparency project

01:00:09 - Being an open source VPN

01:01:54 - VPN payment methods (cash & Monero)

01:06:09 - Simultaneous device limits

01:09:58 - WireGuard history & privacy issues

01:14:34 - First-party vs. rented servers

01:19:35 - Sponsors & affiliate program problems

01:32:15 - VPN provider relationships behind the scenes

01:35:04 - Acquiring Safing (Portmaster)

01:37:08 - DNS filtering plans

01:38:39 - Firewalls (Safing Portmaster integration)

01:40:50 - Safing SPN network

01:42:05 - IVPN's 2025 roadmap

01:44:33 - Outro

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