Most countries in the EU have implemented partially, or fully, the EU Data Retention Directive which require ISPs to log IP addresses of websites visited as well as subjects of emails sent, times and dates and more. The directive, that can now be circumvented by using CitizenVPN, was created in the wake of 9/11 as part of comprehensive and controversial anti-terror laws.
CitizenVPN, run by Danish company Skytte Media Aps delivers its VPN solution via it's sister company Skytte Corp. in the Bahamas, thus avoiding the EU regulation all together.
When asked about the implication of this, Skytte Media's founder and CEO, Mr. Tobias Skytte, said: "The anti-terror laws largely made EU VPNs pointless with regards to anonymity as most are operating under EU law, and this caused many to consider VPN providers from far away and of more or less dubious reputation. As we deliver the service under Bahamas law, we can guarantee 100% anonymity while still giving clients the security of knowing they are purchasing from and dealing with our Danish company."
VPNs anonymize users internet access by funneling all the users internet traffic through their servers. The EU directive requires European VPN providers, and ISPs, to log IP addresses, websites visited etc. about their users, especially so in Denmark but also in many other EU countries. Thus eliminating one of the reasons for using a VPN, namely anonymity.
The technology well known by many as they connect to their company VPNs when working from home, are becoming more and more popular. The restrictions in personal freedom are increasing and surveillance of ordinary citizens is becoming the norm. More and more normal people are therefore beginning to use VPNs as a matter of habit when surfing the net. When asked about this tendency, Mr. Skytte replied "There is an increase in surveillance of ordinary law-abiding people and an increase in companies creating artificial borders on the internet that restricts websites to specific users depending on their location. For example, a lot of Danish people abroad want to watch Danish TV on the inernet showing the European handball championship, but they can only do that if they use a VPN like ours because the TV stations restrict access for anyone outside the country. Both of these tendencies can be eliminated to a large extent by using a VPN as well as giving other benefits to secure your connection against hackers. Because of this I think that in the future people will largely have two providers when accessing the internet, an ISP and a VPN provider."
Asked about if he was concerned about terrorists and criminals using his VPN, Mr. Skytte replied “Any infrastructure can be misused by criminals, including our servce, and of course I don't like that. However, you should focus on all the millions of people in the world that can largely benefit from anonymity, oppressed people and travelers to oppressing countries.
Secondly you need secure communications in a democracy precisely to help the people to protect that democracy, otherwise the state may become totalitarian if they read all correspondence between its citizens and act upon that knowledge. I also think that anyone can send a letter anonymously, why should it be different for internet communications? It's about personal freedom, to communicate without being watched, as a human need”.
