US Congress calls for the FTC to regulate how VPN companies operate
Source: Engadget
US Congress calls for the FTC to regulate how VPN companies operate
Three-quarters of popular VPNs 'misrepresented their products,' the letter states.
S. Dent
@stevetdent
July 18, 2022 3:41 AM
US Democrats have urged the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to crack down on deceptive practices in the Virtual Private Network (VPN) industry, The Verge has reported. In an open letter, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) cited research indicating that three-quarters of the most popular VPNs "misrepresented their products," leading consumers to a false sense of security.
The news comes in the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade that allows states to ban abortions. That may lead people to sign up for VPN services, but Wyden and Eshoo expressed concerns about the level of privacy they can actually expect.
"Advocacy groups have... found that leading VPN services intentionally misrepresent the functionality of their product and fail to provide adequate security to their users," they said, citing research from Consumer Reports. "We’re highly concerned that this deceptive advertising is giving abortion-seekers a false sense of security when searching for abortion-related care or information, putting them at a higher risk of prosecution."
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Read more: https://www.engadget.com/us-congress-wants-the-ftc-to-regulate-the-vpn-industry-074102207.html