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1. A VPN routes your traffic through its provider
A consumer VPN app sends internet traffic from your device through servers operated by the VPN provider. Some apps encrypt the connection between your device and the VPN server; websites may then see the VPN server as the source of the connection rather than your device’s usual network address. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explains this basic routing model in its consumer VPN guidance.
That routing changes who sits between you and the wider internet. Instead of relying only on your local Wi-Fi operator or internet provider to handle the connection, you are trusting the VPN provider with a significant position in its path.
2. A VPN shifts trust; it does not remove it
Granting an app VPN access gives it the technical ability to intercept internet traffic, the FTC warns. That makes it important to consider the provider’s practices and the app’s permissions—not just the VPN’s advertised benefits. A VPN can change which intermediary handles traffic; it cannot eliminate the need to trust an intermediary.
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Use the service only if you are comfortable with the provider’s stated handling of data. Read its privacy policy and terms for what information it collects and whether it shares information with third parties. The FTC also notes that apps may share information and that websites can still identify you from details you provide. As the FTC puts it, “A VPN app generally isn’t going to make you entirely anonymous.”
3. A VPN does not guarantee anonymity or prevent all tracking
A VPN may change the apparent network source of a connection, but it does not erase other ways a person can be recognized. A website can associate activity with information you enter, such as an account or contact details, and data-sharing by apps can create additional privacy concerns. Do not interpret a VPN connection as a general shield against tracking or as proof that your activity cannot be linked to you.
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4. Check the app’s permissions, encryption, and privacy terms
Do not treat a VPN’s marketing claims as a substitute for checking the app and its developer. The FTC says that “Not all VPN apps actually encrypt your information,” and cites findings reported in 2018 involving almost 300 VPN apps. Technical researchers studying those apps found potential privacy and security risks, including apps that did not use encryption, requested sensitive permissions, or shared data with third parties. The figure and findings are reported by the FTC in its 2018 guidance; they are not a current assessment of every VPN app.
- Research the developer and app: Look beyond the app’s own promotional material and seek information from outside sources.
- Review permissions: Check what access the app requests and whether it makes sense for the VPN function you intend to use.
- Verify encryption claims: Look for a clear explanation of whether traffic is encrypted between your device and the VPN server. Do not assume every app does this.
- Read the privacy policy and terms: Check what data is collected, how it is used, and whether it may be shared with third parties.
The FTC’s tips for using VPN apps likewise advise consumers to research an app, inspect its permissions, check encryption, and review its privacy terms.
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Advice for an organisation configuring remote access should not automatically be applied to a personal VPN app. The FTC guidance above is for consumers considering VPN apps. By contrast, the UK National Cyber Security Centre’s VPN guidance addresses organisations choosing and configuring technology; its recommendations include matters such as automatic connection, full-device VPNs, split tunnelling, resilience, testing, and backup options.
Similarly, a 2024 joint guide from CISA and partner agencies, Modern Approaches to Network Access Security, discusses enterprise remote-access VPN risks such as design limitations, DNS spoofing, complexity, misconfiguration, and product vulnerabilities. Those organisational concerns do not establish that any particular consumer VPN service is unsafe, nor do enterprise configuration recommendations serve as universal settings for personal use.
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