Security -or- do I really need a VPN

[fallentoofar]

For the majority of people, I think, it doesn't really matter.  The IP address, as I've said, doesn't give your location but the location of the provider.  Some IP's are more specific, others less.  Mine, for example, shows me in Terlingua while the IP address is in Alpine.  If, for whatever reason, a company were to get a court order (a warrant) they could require my IP to give my location based on the IP address I was using at the time.

Let's assume, for sake of argument that I wanted to upload my collection of rock music from the 60's and 70's (ludicrous at first blush, I have none).  If the record company wanted to, they could go to court, get a warrant forcing my IP provider to tell them who was using a particular IP address at some specific time, then get a warrant directed at me personally.  Probably not something I'd appreciate if I had a collection of illegal music.

On the other hand, and this is where it becomes important, it becomes much more difficult if it appears as if I'm located in some other country.  The record company has to convince a judge (or equivalent) in that country that they require the VPN provider to give them the link from which they see me originating and if I'm a smart techy, I don't go through just one VPN I go through several so they have to get court orders from each of the national entities through which my traffic passes.  Privacy has become a very strict matter in some European countries, and add to that that many VPN's intentionally DO NOT maintain the originating link - they can't be forced to provide what they don't have.

Suffice it to say, if you don't want someone to know where you are using a VPN is one way to do it.

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This message is to ShinyShiny. I pray you are still around. I really want to talk to you one on one.... Let me know if it's ok that we chat in private. I think we would mesh together well......