The study focused on things like the latency of a number of VPN providers. How Fast Is the Service?Īn independent study was done determining the security, speed, and performance of a number of VPNs, including Hotspot Shield Elite. For anyone who is genuinely concerned about their online privacy and security, the aforementioned facts should raise red flags. In addition to storing your IP address, they collect information about the language you use, your operating system, the mobile or wireless network you’re using, the browser you are using, the apps you use, and the websites you visit. They also say that even though they automatically collect information every time you launch Hotspot Shield, they delete it once your session comes to an end. When you look at their privacy policy, it is impossible to tell if they view your IP address as personal data or not.Īs you can see here, Hotspot Shield takes the position that no direct connection can be established between your IP address and the data you give them, such as your personal account information, your email, and your form of payment. And this makes us nervous, especially when you look at the obscured definition this company uses to describe an IP address.
They collect two types of information from all of their clients. With this background, let’s jump into Hotspot Shield’s logging policy. What makes having a VPN company based in the United States even scarier is the fact that the Intel the United States gathers can be shared internationally with the other countries in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. However, the majority don’t follow through on that promise. This way, if the government demands information, they simply do not have information to provide. The only way that this can be avoided is if a company has a firm no-logging policy. They can even prevent Hotspot Shield from telling you that they did this. This means that the US government can order Hotspot Shield VPN to give them your personal data. Other countries that participate in this are Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada. The United States is a participant in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Anyone who has a cursory understanding of online privacy and security legislation knows that the United States is not a good location for a VPN company to be located.Ĭurrent US law makes it possible for the government to serve warrants and invoke gag orders on VPN companies. What Is Their Logging Policy?ĪnchorFree, the parent company of Hotspot Shield, is based in California. However, it can be very useful for individuals who want to get a Chinese IP address when they are not in China. Obviously, China is not a good server to have if you want to unblock websites from China. One might wonder why Hotspot Shield VPN would have a server in China. These, when coupled with a high level of obfuscation, make it harder for countries like China to block the use of their VPN. Hotspot Shield Elite VPN has a number of proprietary VPN protocols as well as algorithms for connection. That being said, once Hotspot Shield Elite is installed on your computer, you can then use the VPN in China without needing additional proxy services. In order to visit the Hotspot Shield website if you are in China, you would need to use a different VPN or proxy service. The irony of this is that the Hotspot Shield website is currently blocked in China. This uncluttered and clear design is a reflection of how Hotspot Shield goes about its service.Īs you can see, Hotspot Shield has a VPN in China. On the lower half of the screen, you will see the data transfer for your computer, the VPN IP address you currently have, and a simple yet clear map showing you what country you’re connecting to. When you touch the power button, the Hotspot Shield connects, either to the United States by default, or to your most recent choice.Īs soon as you connect, the power button disappears and a timer starts, showing you the length of time you’ve been connected. All you see is a large power button in the center of the window. There are no interactive maps or elaborate settings. One of the first things you’ll notice when using this program is that it has a simple and attractive design. This VPN service offers a subscription-free account as well as a paid service. OverviewĪnchorFree is the company behind Hotspot Shield. Is Hotspot Shield VPN really one of the top tier VPNs available or not? We will answer this by taking a look at their server speeds, their privacy and logging policies, their security, their pricing, and their customer service. They use this VPN to engage in financial transactions, search the web, communicate with friends via email and social media, as well as a host of other sensitive and private communications. Over 600 million people entrust Hotspot Shield with their online privacy.
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