Maximizing Your Online Privacy on macOS: Exploring VPNs

Published: 27th of March, 2023

VPNs have become increasingly popular on the macOS platform as more and more people look to protect their online activity from prying eyes. However, it's important to understand what VPNs do and don't provide, and to consider other options that may be more suitable for your needs.

It's important to note that using a VPN adds extra latency and may not provide significant benefits unless you have specific use cases. Additionally, while using a VPN can protect your online activity from your ISP, it simply moves the opportunity for metadata collection and traffic analysis from your ISP to the VPN provider.

Where are you sending your traffic?

It's also worth noting that many VPN providers have opaque ownership structures, which can make it difficult to know who exactly is responsible for handling your data. This can be a concern for those who prioritize transparency and accountability in their online security and privacy practices.

When considering a VPN provider, it's important to do your research and choose one with a clear and transparent ownership structure, as well as a strong track record of protecting user privacy. Reading reviews and doing your own due diligence can help you make an informed decision about which VPN provider to trust with your data.

Fake Reviews can be a Problem

Unfortunately in 2023, simply looking at the number of 5 star (or even 1 star!) ratings on the App Store or testimonials on reddit is no longer enough. You need to be aware that are many fake reviews online, so it's crucial to do thorough research before choosing a VPN provider, or any app for that matter. You should consider the apps' ownership structure, marketing practices, it's terms of service, privacy policy, history of operation and what data the app collects from your Mac.

In 2023 most of the web is encrypted

Most of the web is now encrypted, and attackers aren't able to passively see the contents of your browsing. In most cases on the modern web, you will get good coverage and be better served by simply blocking tracking and analytics servers plus enabling the "Encrypt DNS traffic" setting in your Mac's network settings or in a network level adblocker like iAntiSpy. This will prevent snooping and tampering of your DNS traffic, without sending all data through a VPN. Enabling this setting in iAntiSpy will ensure your DNS queries are sent using DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) to a fast and secure resolver. It's worth noting that this setting enables iAntiSpy's own implementation of DoH, which means it will work on all supported versions of macOS. Just like with the ad, malware, and phishing blocking functionality, the "Encrypt DNS traffic" setting will only be active while iAntiSpy is running and enabled. So, make sure to keep iAntiSpy up-to-date and running in the background to ensure you're getting the most out of its features.

Do you need a VPN?

In conclusion, as I previously mentioned, it's important to keep in mind that VPNs may not be necessary for all online activities, and that other options like iAntiSpy and the "Encrypt DNS traffic" setting can provide more general browsing protection. By understanding the benefits and limitations of different tools and taking a holistic approach to online security and privacy, you can stay safe and secure on the macOS platform.

  ✌ Charlie