GoKawiilProton report: 64 popular VPN apps tied to Chinese owners collect user data
Proton's new report examined VPN apps available in the US and found that 64 are linked to Chinese companies, many collecting device IDs, network data, carrier information and even user location. These apps were downloaded more than 13 million times in June alone, and 31 relied on shell companies in places like Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK to obscure ownership. About a quarter of the flagged apps were found actively tracking location data.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
VPNs are marketed as privacy tools, yet this data suggests many undermine that promise by funneling sensitive information to companies based in an authoritarian state, putting journalists, activists and officials at risk if their location is exposed. The report also highlights weak oversight from Apple and Google, who rely on developer self-reporting rather than independent audits before listing apps in their stores.
- 64 VPN apps downloaded in the US are linked to Chinese-owned companies collecting user data.
- 25% of the apps studied were found to actively track users' physical location.
- Apple and Google conduct little independent verification of VPN app ownership or privacy claims before approving them.
NordVPN Subscription Card — If Proton's report has you rethinking that free VPN app you grabbed from the app store, a subscription to an established, audited provider like NordVPN is the straightforward fix. The redeemable card covers your phone, laptop and tablet with one account, so you're not trusting an anonymous shell-company app with your IP address and location.
See NordVPN Subscription Card on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: cnet.com — Aaron Pruner, 2026-08-27
Published there as: “1 in 6 VPNs Track Your Location, According to New Report From Proton”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.