Millions of VPN users in the US are inadvertently putting their privacy at risk, Proton warns

Date:
Fri, 28 Aug 2026 15:58:33 +0000

Description:
Think a VPN keeps you completely anonymous? A sweeping new study by Proton reveals that 85% of VPN apps in the US contain hidden trackers, exposing millions of users to the exact privacy risks theyre trying to avoid.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Proton found 85% of VPNs on US app stores contain hidden trackers 64 of these apps actively track physical GPS locations Millions of US downloads are tied to apps funneling data to foreign entities Millions of Americans use virtual private networks to shield their internet activity from prying eyes. But a massive new study reveals
that many of the most popular privacy apps are doing the exact opposite.

According to a sweeping new report published by Proton VPN , a staggering 85% of mobile VPN apps available on US app stores contain trackers designed to collect and share your data. Instead of securing your connection, these rogue apps harvest incredibly sensitive information. This includes your unique device IDs, device models, network types, and mobile carrier data.

If you are on the hunt for the best VPN , this data serves as a harsh
reminder that not all privacy tools are created equal. In June 2026 alone, Google and Apple allowed these suspect VPNs to be downloaded more than 13.2 million times.

Proton VPN best for privacy The popular privacy-first VPN offers good speeds, extra security features, and has servers in 145 countries around the world (including across Africa and Asia, where other providers tend to struggle), which makes it excellent for streaming and torrenting. While
Proton VPN Free is a secure and capable service, premium users have access to the full powerhouse starting at the equivalent of $2.99 per month . View Deal The hidden foreign ownership problem Protons research team analyzed more than 7,000 mobile VPN apps worldwide to uncover these privacy violations. Zooming in on the US market, they found that 64 out of the 390 available VPNs
appeared to be owned by Chinese companies. You may like Apple and Google are hosting hundreds of dangerous VPN links here is why your device is at risk Thousands of iOS and Android VPNs are hiding behind fake websites and useless privacy policies here's how to spot them 10 million downloads but no
website? New TechRadar data reveals how Android VPNs are gaming the system to avoid supporting users effectively

Worse still, the report says that 31 of those services actively conceal their true ownership behind shell companies based in places like Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UK. These Chinese-owned apps are incredibly popular, racking up more than 3 million US downloads in a single month.

The final destination of your tracked data is equally alarming. VPN apps that funnel tracker data back to companies in Israel accounted for 2.6 million US downloads, according to Proton's findings. Meanwhile, apps containing
trackers sending data to China and Russia hit 1.5 million and 1.4 million downloads, respectively.

Writing on the findings, Proton researcher Douglas Crawford noted that these apps are actively working against user interests. "In total, 85% of the apps we studied in the US are behaving in ways contrary to how they are marketed and what you'd reasonably expect from a VPN service," Crawford said. "This is inexcusable." (Image credit: Future) NEW : Leave No Trace A weekly
newsletter on digital privacy and online surveillance.

Leave No Trace investigates the companies and governments putting our digital freedom at risk and the people fighting back. What to read next 47 requests, zero answers How Proton VPN keeps saying no to data demands Hundreds of fake Chrome VPN extensions caught hijacking your traffic Microsoft Edge and Aloha caught sharing precise user location data with third parties

Subscribe now to get every edition delivered to your inbox every Friday, launching this September. Location tracking and the worst offenders While Proton's report covers a massive dataset, a few major players were directly called out for highly invasive tracking.

The researchers discovered that, in what Crawford deems "the ultimate act of betrayal," 64 VPN apps are actively tracking users' physical locations using GPS and other geolocation data.

This essentially builds a real-time map of your physical movements,
completely shattering your anonymity.

"Anyone with access to this data can see if you are at a protest or meeting with a journalist, lawyer, or source, and ultimately share that information with law enforcement or intelligence services," said Crawford.

Apps flagged for this behavior include popular services such as VPN Proxy Master, VPN-Fast VPN Super, and X-VPN. Together, these 64 location-tracking apps accounted for more than 3 million US downloads in June alone, representing roughly 20% of all VPN downloads in Proton's dataset.

TechRadar contacted the named providers for comments, but we were still waiting for a response at the time of publication. You install a VPN to stop companies tracking you.We investigated 7,000+ mobile VPN apps - the results should concern anyone who uses a VPN for privacy: hidden ownership, advertising trackers, apps collecting users physical location.Findings here:https://t.co/u00k6s3Gj5 pic.twitter.com/0xgDJN8ge3 August 27, 2026 David Peterson, Proton VPN General Manager, feels strongly that people looking to protect their privacy have the right to make an informed choice.

"People have the right to know if their personal information is being shared by their VPN, and with whom," he told TechRadar.

That's why Proton's deeper investigations into VPNs with a significant number of downloads are only at the beginning.

Peterson confirms to TechRadar that the team is currently tracking 7,500
VPNs. "We have data sets for the UK, France, and Germany, which we are
looking to publish in the near future," he added. How to stay safe in a sea
of shady apps This isnt the first time weve seen major app stores flooded
with dangerous software. TechRadar has previously reported on how Apple and Google are hosting hundreds of dangerous VPN links .

We also recently uncovered how thousands of iOS and Android VPNs are hiding behind fake websites and useless privacy policies .

To protect yourself, completely avoid free, ad-supported mobile VPNs from unknown developers. If a service is entirely free, there is a very high
chance your data is the product being sold.

Always stick to reputable providers with transparent ownership. Look for VPNs that undergo strict, independent security audits to verify their no-logs claims, ensuring your browsing data remains entirely your own. Today's best VPN deals NordVPN 2 Year 2.59 /mth View +3 months free Surfshark 24 Months 1.79 /mth View Proton VPN 24 Month 2.39 /mth View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/millions-of-vpn-users-in-th e-us-are-inadvertently-putting-their-privacy-at-risk-proton-warns


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