Best VPN Jurisdictions – Understanding 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes
As you become more familiar with VPNs and what they mean, we start to get into the finer details. One of these is jurisdiction. This means where is the company that runs your VPN based and what laws are applicable to them.
Online, you will find many competing opinions. Some say that you should never use a VPN in a jurisdiction of one of the 14 eyes countries. Reasoning your logs could be given over by law. While others claim it makes no difference.
Truthfully, it comes down to the company and the country. We look at cases where companies have withstood law enforcement agencies and held up their zero logs policies. While others have lied, and handed over logs they promised they didn’t even keep.
So, let’s go through and break this down step by step. Demystifying the jargon as we go and finding whether there really is an ideal country for your VPN to be based.
Why Does Jurisdiction Matter?
Every country around the world has its own data privacy laws. Some countries care more about the privacy of their citizens than others. For example, the introduction of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union in 2018 was ground-breaking. This series of laws bolstered consumer’s control over their data in the EU’s 28 member states. Also forcing companies who wish to operate online in those countries a greater need for transparency.
Privacy International produced a privacy ranking for the best and worst countries for the safeguarding and protection of consumer data. As well as a reduced intrusion by the state to monitor its citizens.
The Top 5 were in order: Greece, Canada, Romania, Hungary, and Argentina.
The Worst 5: England, Singapore, Russia, Malaysia, and China
If live in one of the worst 5 countries. There is no constitutional protection of your data, and you are under active surveillance by your government. Also, privacy enforcement is weak.
Jurisdiction matters because some countries compel VPN providers to keep comprehensive logs of their user’s data. While others do not.
What Does Zero Logs and Logging Policy Mean?
Every time you connect with your VPN provider this creates a log or a record of your activity. Namely the IP you are using, the websites you browse, any downloads or uploads, and the data that you use, as well as time on each site or activity.
On top of this for most providers, you need to provide a name, email address, and credit card unless you pay with Bitcoin.
So, your VPN provider as a guardian of your anonymity can choose to record and keep a lot of what you do. Essentially, they are almost like your browser history.
Countries like the USA and UK can compel VPN companies to turn over these logs if a law is broken.
But, companies like PIA and Surfshark which are based in the US have figured out a good way to get around the law. They don’t even keep logs.
Why zero logs matters
Companies cannot be compelled by law to produce something that they don’t even have. So, a lot of top VPN companies have what is called a “zero logs” policy. What this means is that all your browsing information isn’t even saved onto their hard drives. So, if asked all they can do is shrug their shoulders and at best confirm you have an account with them. But with no records, they can’t say what you did or provide any corroborating evidence to show that a crime is broken.
VPN companies live or die by their reputation to maintain the integrity of their zero logs policy, as you can see from this new report here. PIA even when compelled by the FBI to produce logs, could only give them an email address registered with them.
Be careful not to conclude that just because your VPN company is based in a 5,9 or 14 eyes country, your data is not just as secure as if they are based in Romania, the British Virgin Islands, or elsewhere.
YOUR INTERNET ACTIVITY IS BEING WATCHED
ReviewVPN cannot attest to the legality, security and privacy of the applications discussed on this site. It is highly recommended that you use a VPN service while streaming or using Kodi.
Currently, your IP 18.97.14.83 is visible to everyone and your Browser is being tracked by Advertisers & ISP Provider.
Here are the main reasons why you must use a VPN:
- Your activities are hidden from your ISP, the government, and from the apps you are using.
- You can access additional movies and TV streams.
- ISP attempts to throttle are thrwarted thus reducing buffering issues.
- Geographically restricted content like Netflix and Hulu can be unblocked.
A VPN works be replacing your ISP-assigned IP address and creating an encrypted tunnel. We recommend the no log service offered by IPVanish. It works well on a Firestick and offers the fastest possible speeds.
What are the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes?
Sounds like some sort of night-time horror story.
The 5,9 and 14 eyes all relate to the short name for intelligence sharing agreements between countries.
5 Eyes
The 5 eyes date back to the 1940s and World War 2. The UK and the USA signed the UKUSA agreement signed an intelligence-sharing agreement, which would allow them to share intelligence freely and beat the Nazis. This was later extended to include New Zealand, Australia, and Canada to become the 5 eyes.
9 and 14 Eyes
To counter increasing threats from Russia, China, and terrorism in the wake of 9/11. This intelligence-sharing community was extended to the 9 and then the 14 eyes, to include: Norway, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Belgium.
These 14 countries form a global alliance and essentially do also run a large-scale surveillance operation on their citizens and countries outside of the 14 eyes. Many have turned to VPNs like Surfshark to protect their data and help them to feel safe.
But it’s worth mentioning these countries co-operate to fight back against terrorism and organized crime. They are not that interested in you torrenting the latest Marvel movie. Or the pot you are trying to buy on Tor.
Be careful not to be drawn into conspiracy theory, and tin hat territory when it comes to companies that are based in the 14 eyes. We live in democracies; not totalitarian states and a country’s legal system can only get what a VPN provider is able to give.
Is Jurisdiction or No Logs More Important?
No logs, times a million. Remember a company cannot be compelled to give something that it never had in the first place. It could be based in the least privacy-friendly country in the world, but if the piece of paper with your name on it is blank then nothing is going to come back to haunt you.
Does the company have a clear and transparent no-logs policy? One thing you want to make sure of is to read the terms and conditions, as well as the privacy policy.
What’s hiding in your VPN’s Privacy Policy?
Often companies will hide terms within their privacy policy, which allows them to retain some or all your information for a set period. Also, some VPN companies, have a strict No Torrent policy like Tunnel Bear, which means they are actively tracking your data usage and potentially your browsing habits as well.
Also, there may be clauses where you could be blacklisted or even reported for uploading unsuitable content. Though no one would argue that child pornography should be reported, how about certain copyrighted content?
Be on your guard for companies that try to twist and turn their way through the no-logs policy, with a series of ifs and buts.
The best VPN companies will have a clear and simple no logs policy. They just don’t keep any apart from what is needed to improve the performance of their servers and their user experience. For extra bonus points, they may even display how many times they have been asked to produce evidence by a law enforcement agency, and even have their system audited by a 3rd party auditor.
The more transparent a VPN company is, the more assurance you should have of your privacy and of your data.
If My VPN is in The USA or Another 14 Eyes Country Should I Be Worried?
No, some of the best and most relied upon VPN providers like Surfshark and PIA are based in the US. They have had multiple DMCA Notices (Digital Marketing Copyright Act) served when users are using VPNs to upload and download copyrighted content. As well as warrants and subpoenas for their user’s data. All of which have been refused.
The 14 eyes countries are morally and legally obliged to have safeguards and laws in place for privacy and safety.
If we compare the US to say China. The Chinese government has long been a proponent of state-sponsored censorship on a massive scale. The “Great Firewall of China” exists ostensibly to protect Chinese citizens, but, in the 21st Century it protects the interests of the Chinese government and business and keeps out external foreign influences. With over 2 million people estimated to monitor Chinese internet traffic.
14 Eyes countries have strict Data and Privacy laws
The 14 eyes have rules that it needs to abide by as well as its citizens. A VPN company that operates within these countries ostensibly is protected by these laws and can’t just have its servers blatantly hacked. However, with other countries with a lower value placed on personal expression and freedom, there is a question over whether your data is ever truly safe.
Ultimately, we know that major established VPN companies would not last long if they were seriously compromising users and their data. The internet would soon speak quickly and highlight cases and users who were compromised. Customers would vote with their feet and leave those providers in their drove.
You are better off looking at news and practices relating to the company itself rather than the country in which it is based.
How Have Companies in The 14 Eyes Dealt With Being Compelled to Provide Logs?
There have been several cases where countries have tried to compel VPN providers without success.
- ExpressVPN: In 2017, The Turkish authorities tried to compel ExpressVPN to turn over data that they believe related to a political assassination. The company refused. Their servers in Turkey were then physically seized. But the police were unable to yield any worthwhile information. ExpressVPN genuinely did not keep any logs on their servers. They also asserted that as they are based in the British Virgin Islands, there is no obligation to keep them.
- Private Internet Access: PIA operates in the US. Two court cases in 2016 and 2018 were officially subpoenaed by the FBI to provide their logs. They produced what they had. Namely, the cluster of IP addresses that may have been used. Again, they had no information to give because they did not log it.
- VyprVPN: Vypr took a step that several big VPN providers are following. Namely having their security and no logs policy tested by a reputable cybersecurity agency. Testing to see if there are any leaks or compromises in their policy. This provides maximum reassurance to people who are doubtful about the provider’s zero logs policy. In this report from Leviathan, they had their No Logs Policy fully tested. They revealed several minor issues with VyprVPN’s policy which have since been resolved.
- Perfect Privacy: In 2016, Dutch authorities seized two of Perfect Privacy’s servers as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The servers were returned without incident, as the Swiss-based company did not write logs on hard drives. Basically, there was nothing to see on the servers, they are run with encrypted RAM disks which makes it impossible to store logs on a hard drive.
Are Their Companies That Have Handed Over Logs While Claiming To Be No Logs Providers?
Yes. Depending on the severity of the claim. There are people who use VPNs to carry out heinous criminal acts, like serious hacking, cyberstalking, child pornography, and even human trafficking. The following providers have had widely publicized cases where they did hand over logs.
- PureVPN: In 2017 PureVPN was mentioned in an affidavit in the US. They were explicitly mentioned as providing logs and details of one of its users which led to the conviction of a US resident for stalking and harassing people using ExpressVPN. The controversy came from PureVPN’s no logs policy which claimed that you were invisible and that they kept no records whatsoever
- Earth VPN: In 2014, it was reported that EarthVPN had assisted the Dutch Police by providing logs to a user who sent a bomb threat to a local school. Again, their zero logs policy proved to not be wholly accurate
- HideMyAss: In 2011, the LulzSec hacker group, caused an international stir when they hacked several high-profile sites including Sony and PBS. One of their London members was caught using the help of HMA. They provided logs and details of the user’s originating address so he could be tracked down
The controversy arose from the fact that the providers had given information to the users which proved not to be true.
This article does not condone any crime committed under the veil of a VPN provider. We are here to point out that many companies will be quick to tell you that they won’t give out any logs of your activity. However, if the situation is serious enough they will push you under the bus.
Find a reputable no logs provider whose policies have been tested by authorities and have come through with flying colors.
So Where Is The Best Country For VPNs?
We hope that this in-depth article really goes to show that there is no best country for VPNs.
There are good and bad providers all around the world. Just because your company is based within the 14 eyes does not mean they are compelled to give authorities anything.
A law agency has significant leverage on its side to freeze your entire business and operations. This all depends on the seriousness of the crime.
But we keep returning to the same point.
A company that does not keep logs cannot give logs. They are not irresponsible; they are simply doing exactly what they said they would do.
Conclusion
Find a VPN provider that had a history, that is paid and that has a solid zero logs policy. Companies like Surfshark and PIA have a reputation that they have kept and upheld even under the most difficult circumstances.
Remember that countries based outside the 14 eyes may have much more lax ideas when it comes to the data that they can compel or even snoop from VPN providers based within their country.
Pay for a quality provider that has a clear and transparent no logs policy, privacy policy, and terms and conditions. Using a VPN provider is one of the few times when we strongly suggest that you read all their documentation.
After all dishonest companies love to sneak clauses in their terms and condition when they think you aren’t looking.
From all providers, I trust NordVPN due to their location. Panama is Panama and there are no laws that would make them sell or give the data about you, which means there is no need to keep it in the first place. That is the main point and meaning of a VPN. It could be a little cheaper I guess…