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

Opera Avatar
107 months ago
Ehm.

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.
Hi Remoteworks:

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.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KALLT Avatar
107 months ago
Who is going to pay for all of that? Connecting with a VPN, means that you are routing your traffic through another computer. There is massive potential for collecting data. Opera is also not a non-profit organisation, but a company, a company who is also doing business in online advertising.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thunderhawks Avatar
107 months ago
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.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macintologist Avatar
107 months ago
Whoever has taken over at Opera, whatever new MBAs they have running it, they have done some terrific business analysis and this is a fantastic way for them to reinvent themselves. By making VPNs mainstream, they have a huge growth opportunity. Way to go Opera!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frankbillson Avatar
107 months ago
Is anyone know any other VPN which provides free vpn service and never keep logs because I read information about opera that its free version keep logs.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ardchoille50 Avatar
107 months ago
Yay! One easy, convenient place for Opera and the FBI to monitor our traffic! :rolleyes:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...