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Obscura: VPN that can't log your activity

233 points · 140 comments · Flimm

  1. maxloh · · focus · HN ↗
    I don't understand the point of this.

    Many (if not all) of the benefits on the landing page are available in Mullvad too, which is a more mature and reputable product, has all clients fully open-source, and powers the exit servers for Obscura.

    Why should I choose this over Mullvad?

    1. maxloh · · focus · HN ↗
      Mullvad is a Swedish company, which has stricter privacy protection laws in place.

      According to Obscura's legal page, it is a New York-based company [0]. Under US law, a secretive court order could compel a US company to update software or implement targeted logging on a specific user without notifying that user.

      The only scenario where Obscura would be useful is if Mullvad were compromised. Why would I trust a New York company to shield me from a more reputable Swedish company?

      [0]: &quot;(2) your written notification must be mailed to 169 Madison Ave.; Ste. 11185 PMB 63183; New York, NY 10016...&quot; <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;obscura.com&#x2F;legal&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;obscura.com&#x2F;legal&#x2F;

      1. miohtama · · focus · HN ↗
        The EU is working to make what Mullvad is doing illegal.

        <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;codamail.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;privacy-law-directory&#x2F;international&#x2F;european-union.html" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;codamail.com&#x2F;articles&#x2F;privacy-law-directory&#x2F;internat...

        &quot;EU surveillance co-operation&quot;

        1. anticensor · · focus · HN ↗
          They actually recongised Mullvad-type VPNs as UC-2 in the ETSI EN 304 620 VPN standard.
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