Edge is getting a "free VPN"

Well, that's what MS calls it. I call it...never mind.

Published on April 30, 2022 By DrJBHL In Personal Computing

Caveat emptor.

At some point you just have to laugh.

So the news is Edge is getting a "free" Cloudfare VPN attatched to it in a security update.

This is a very special "VPN". You have to sign into your MS account to use it. Hmm...what does that remind me of?

Even more amusing? The 'P' in VPN stands for 'Private'. A VPN hides you and your browsing from data merchants, and hides..."awkward" searches, health care questions, and the like.

The MS VPN hides those searches, etc. from veryone but...care to guess? Microsoft. "Free"? Really?

I wonder how well MS explains that before Edge updates itself automatically and silently?

Source:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/29/23049015/microsoft-free-built-in-vpn-edge-browser-edge-secure-network

Comments

Victechnical

on Apr 30, 2022

quoting post

So the news is Edge is getting a "free" Cloudfare VPN attatched to it in a security update.

The MS VPN hides those searches, etc. from veryone but...care to guess? Microsoft. "Free"? Really?

I wonder how well MS explains that before Edge updates itself automatically and silently?

Hopefully this will be "opt in" only.

naroon1

on Apr 30, 2022

quoting post

At some point you just have to laugh.

So the news is Edge is getting a "free" Cloudfare VPN attatched to it in a security update.

This is a very special "VPN". You have to sign into your MS account to use it. What does that remind me of?

Even more amusing? The 'P' in VPN stands for 'Private'. A VPN hides you and your browsing from data merchants, and hides..."awkward" searches, health care questions, and the like.

The MS VPN hides those searches, etc. from veryone but...care to guess? Microsoft. "Free"? Really?

I wonder how well MS explains that before Edge updates itself automatically and silently?

Source:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/29/23049015/microsoft-free-built-in-vpn-edge-browser-edge-secure-network

Hi Doc.

Another MS attempt to get us hey Doc, but the solution to this one is by far the easiest, use something else, so may free and paid for VPNs around, Opera Browser already has one for free, i feel in the future all Browsers will have some kind of VPN and many will have no links to MS or the need to use an MS account.

LightStar

on Apr 30, 2022

I guess it's back to Chrome for me. Sheesh!

DrJBHL

on Apr 30, 2022

LightStar

reply 3

I guess it's back to Chrome for me. Sheesh!

Or Brave...

Daiwa

on Apr 30, 2022

I'll second that Brave recommendation. (SWIDT)

DrJBHL

on Apr 30, 2022

Daiwa

reply 5

I'll second that Brave recommendation. (SWIDT)

Capital, Daiwa.

DaveRI

on Apr 30, 2022

Poking around on the internet with a browser that's logged into your MS account. Imagine the fun the hackers will have with that once they get it figured out. What could possibly go wrong.

Thanks yet again for the heads-up.

DrJBHL

on Apr 30, 2022

DaveRI

reply 7

Thanks yet again for the heads-up.

Welcome, DaveRI.

My pleasure.

naroon1

on May 03, 2022

At least these days there are many good Browsers around , and all these days have good privacy settings if you look into them

DrJBHL

on May 03, 2022

https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-browser-for-privacy/

Clearly, with Edge's latest news, I wouldn't recommend it, nor any browser requiring signing into an account or email to use it.

Most recommended browser extensions for privacy:

https://www.cloudwards.net/best-privacy-extensions-for-chrome/

Browser settings for privacy (don't foget to search independently for your browser's best settings):

https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-browser-for-privacy/

As always, safe habits are mostvimportant and, as always - YMMV.

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