Taylor Lorenz’s Power User The Shocking Plan to Kill Online Privacy: A VPN Ban Will Break the Web
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Oct 3, 2025 Lia Holland, an activist at Fight for the Future, dives into the urgent need to protect VPN access for online privacy. She explains how VPNs originated and evolved into essential tools for combating surveillance and censorship. Holland highlights the rising threats from governments seeking to ban VPNs and the practical implications of such actions. She provides crucial guidance on choosing trustworthy VPN providers and emphasizes the importance of public awareness and activism to safeguard digital freedoms in an increasingly fragmented internet landscape.
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Why VPNs Matter
- VPNs encrypt connections and mask IPs so hackers, corporations, and governments cannot easily track you.
- That masking also enables bypassing geographic blocks and state censorship, preserving access to global information.
From Corporate Security To Torrent Shield
- VPNs moved from corporate tools to consumer use during the 2000s as people used them to avoid legal action for torrenting.
- Publicized lawsuits over IP-based downloads pushed widespread consumer adoption and awareness of privacy issues.
IP Addresses Are Surveillance Fuel
- IP addresses are a linchpin in surveillance and can de-anonymize browsing activity when sold by websites or data brokers.
- Blocking IP leakage with a VPN reduces tracking by data brokers and helps preserve online anonymity.