Are VPN Ads Overselling Your Safety?
A critical look at common VPN marketing claims and what these services can and cannot really protect you from.
What VPNs Actually Protect Against
Many VPN advertisements promise “complete anonymity” or the ability to disappear online. In reality, VPNs are powerful tools for encrypting traffic between your device and a VPN server and for changing the public IP websites see, but they do not erase logs on the services you use or magically remove your data from social networks.
A VPN can shield you from local eavesdroppers on public Wi‑Fi and prevent your internet provider from easily seeing which sites you visit. However, the VPN provider itself can technically see your connections, and the sites you log into still recognize your accounts regardless of IP address.
How to Read VPN Claims Critically
When a service claims “no logs,” look for independent audits, clear privacy policies, and jurisdiction details instead of relying solely on marketing banners. Be wary of promises that sound too broad, such as protection against “all hackers” or “complete anonymity,” which oversimplify complex threats.
A realistic view treats VPNs as one layer in a broader privacy strategy that includes browser hygiene, strong authentication, and cautious sharing on social platforms. Understanding their limits helps you choose providers for the right reasons, not because an ad suggested they fix every security problem.