Opera today announced the launch of a brand new privacy-focused app, called Opera VPN, which allows users to block ads and even change their virtual location to circumvent restricted internet access (via TechCrunch)
In addition to these features, Opera VPN will stop ad-tracking software from gaining information about your internet habits that create personalized advertisements within browsers like Safari and Chrome.
“Every day, millions of people, from students to working people, find that social-media sites like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook are blocked when they surf on their campus or workplace Wi-Fi. The same goes for video-streaming sites,” Chris Houston, President of Surfeasy, Opera’s VPN division, said in an announcement released this morning. “With the new Opera VPN app, we help people to break down the barriers of the web and enjoy the internet like it should be,” he added.
Opera introduced a similar virtual private network feature into its OS X-based web browser in April, following its acquisition of VPN app company SurfEasy last year. Thanks to a VPN's ability to shield a user's true IP address, Opera's acquisition has let the company introduce new security-focused updates into its internet browser desktop and mobile apps.
At launch, users will be able to choose from five virtual locations, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Singapore and The Netherlands. The app will also be available in English, Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
Those interested can download Opera VPN from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Top Rated Comments
Ehm.
Hi Remoteworks:We collect data to:
* Improve, debug, and maintain Opera products and services
* Study and personalize user experiences
* Fulfill legal requirements
* Conduct business analysis and research, and marketing campaigns
* Ensure better security and fraud protection
We may share your data:
* To government bodies and law enforcement agencies to comply with the law, for example in judicial proceedings, by court order or other legal process
* To third parties (including professional advisors) to enforce or defend our legal rights, including our terms and conditions
* To a third-party purchaser or seller (including professional advisors) in connection with a corporate event such as a merger, business acquisition or insolvency situation
* As described elsewhere in this statement
What data we collect?
The information we collect may include: personal data, for example your name, email, IP-address, location; and non-personal technical data, for example who manufactured your device, your screen's resolution, your mobile operator's region and code. A complete list of the data we collect and purpose of collection may vary between our products and services. You can find detailed descriptions in the product/service-related sections below.
I am not sure where these terms are conditions are coming from but they are not from Opera VPN's T&C.
Anonymized data means that data collected is not linked to any user’s identity or personally identifiable information.
Awesome. Finally something useful.
As long as it goes through servers who keep records it is not.PIA Private Internet Access has worldwide servers where you can be in many countries and regions, but they erase your real IP regularly and do not keep any records.
If OPERA keeps records for bug fixing or any reason that is not okay.
PIA functions well and allows to avoid Geotagging, i.e. you can see content that is only available in a specific country.
On a side note, I always wonder why content owners make a big deal about watching something that is for instance part of a webpage, FREE for local watchers, but blocked for foreigners. I know it's all about legal usage rights, but if I can't watch it , I shrug my shoulders, but I wouldn't pay for it anyway.
Life goes on.