Can a VPN Provider See My Traffic and History? - Best Reviews (2024)

Technically, all VPN companies can see your traffic and history. However, most of them choose to discard that information by directing it to a null file or folder – by doing so, they’re adhering to so-called strict no-logs policies.

What Are the Different Types of VPN Logs?

There are three types of VPN logs: usage logs, connection logs, and no-logs. When searching for a VPN, it’s important to understand the difference between the types of logs providers can keep a record of.

• Usage logs refer to information about specific activities performed by users, meaning that the data can be used to monitor an individual’s online activities.
• Connection logs, also known as metadata logs, contain information about the connections established by users. This type of log does not record actual content or specific actions, as it mostly monitors IP addresses or amounts of data usage.
• No-logs policy is a commitment made by a provider not to collect, store, or retain any personally identifiable information or user activity records.

Reading a VPN provider’s privacy policy and understanding its logs policy is a vital step when choosing which service to use since it can vary a lot.

Do VPNs Keep Logs?

No, every reputable VPN provider doesn’t keep any logs of your online activities for themselves or third parties. Still, there are exceptions to the rule, such as information stored about purchases and subscriptions. That’s why researching a company's privacy policies before committing to a subscription is crucial.

This step becomes even more important when it comes to free VPN providers. Unfortunately, it’s usually the case that when you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. Free VPNs are known for frequently selling their customer data to third parties, contradicting the entire purpose of having a VPN in the first place.

In addition, free VPNs don’t always offer robust encryption protocols and may even inject ads and malware into your browsing sessions. While there are legitimate free VPN options available, it’s essential to conduct careful research and evaluate the reputation and privacy practices of the provider before using it.

When taking all this into consideration, remember that even no-logs providers can have a tiny catch: legislation. Countries can have laws that require companies (not only VPNs but ISPs as well) to store data for a determined amount of time. In places with headquarters under the Five Eyes Alliance, for example, a court order is enough to obligate the company to hand over any recorded logs.

What Data Can VPN Providers See?

It all depends on the privacy policy of the provider. Even so, regardless of the security and anonymity features offered, a VPN can still have visibility into certain aspects of your internet usage. Here are some examples of what the company can potentially see:

• Metadata: VPN providers can see metadata associated with your VPN connection. This data includes information such as the time of connection and disconnection, duration of sessions, and amount of data transmitted during the session.
• IP address: When you connect to a VPN server, the VPN provider can see the IP address assigned to you by its server and your true IP address issued by the ISP.
• Bandwidth usage: VPN providers can monitor the amount of data transmitted to help the management of its network capacity and optimize its service.
• DNS requests: In some cases, a VPN provider may handle your DNS requests, even though it wouldn’t be able to view specific pages or content accessed.
• Internal customer ID in the system: The provider has access to your assigned customer identification number.

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