Microsoft May be Adding an Integrated VPN to Edge Browser

[claes]

Introducing WARP: fixing mobile Internet performance and security

Today we're excited to announce what we began to plan more than two years ago: the 1.1.1.1 App with WARP performance and security technology. We built Warp from the ground up to thrive in the harsh conditions of the modern mobile Internet.

blog.cloudflare.com

Cloudflare doesn’t sell data, doesn’t write user identifiable info to disk, and deletes all diagnostic data after 25 hours

TMYK

 

[bug]

This is a nice idea, taken at face value. However, any VPN worth using, is not free. If this catches on, we can kiss goodbye browsers from smaller, independent companies, because they will never afford to pay for your VPN.

 

[caroline!]

Sorry, I was referring to other data collectors, that was an IF, manage to get your name.

Ever get an Email and see your name in the title? Using 3-4 (using 3 for example) pieces of data from one source ("take our survey for $5 gift card"), say Age, Location (*broad like state), relationship status. Another source ( Sign up for our newsletter!)submits IP, location, and shoe size. and still another source (lets trustworthy etailers) submits Location, Email, and shoe size. Separately, it means nothing, together, and it starts to build a profile. Query email, and if you use your name, just first name, and the profile grows. Now add Googles anonymized data, not exactly sure what form they use {I suspect list form (individual data) or else they cant use focused advertising}, nothing new but confirms other data already collected. Now you have focused advertising sent to your browser with the title "hey <your name> look at this brand new shiney!".

like @caroline! posted, its basically the same, various methods are all used.

I could go on, but the NFL draft is on..

I just say, and that's it.

I'm far too gone for the corporations to lure me in with dumb ads or gift cards, I've never bought anything online, like I don't even have a card to do so, if I do have a profile anyway it must be terrible compared to the ordinary jane. Something I know is that the future sucks, at least for someone like me, it's gonna get worse once cash is gone, some underground markets could pop up but they'll be highly illegal for sure and I'll become nothing less than a criminal for not wanting to be under surveillance 24/7, yay... at this rate the clearnet as I -or we- know it will also be gone in I dare to say less than a decade from now, things like the OSB will eventually be imposed at a worldwide scale, Musk wanting to "fight spam bots" in Twitter is just another way of saying he wants accounts to be tied to real names, addresses, bank accounts, everything, there won't be a way to be part of social media without handing over your real data, right now you can't join places like Twitter or Facebook without a phone number so it'll be that in steroids.

That being the tip of the iceberg, but right now anything more I could say could be treated as a "conspiracy theory", it'll start to make sense in the years to come though, I believe anyone who knows tech also knows where we're heading, that place being a magnificent utopia with wonderful tech or a hellish corporate totalitarianist dystopia that hunts you down to death depends on what you're willing to give up to be part of the new net and digital world. But, who knows, maybe we destroy the world and create a nuclear winter before that happens, nothing's written in stone they say.

 

[Mussels]

Other browsers already have this, I don't see it as surprising or crazy - just something that will actually benefit users as an optional feature

The VPN using cloudflares DNS will solve a lot of issues with shite ISP's and their DNS servers, and prevent a lot of malware (since cloudflare can block specific things at their end)

 

[lexluthermiester]

The VPN using cloudflares DNS will solve a lot of issues with shite ISP's and their DNS servers, and prevent a lot of malware (since cloudflare can block specific things at their end)

Excellent point.

 

[ThrashZone]

This is a nice idea, taken at face value. However, any VPN worth using, is not free. If this catches on, we can kiss goodbye browsers from smaller, independent companies, because they will never afford to pay for your VPN.

Hi,
How far would 1 gigabyte go though I'm thinking not to far before a credit card is needed.

Firefox offers paid service already.

 

[trsttte]

About trust... weird that how so many doesn't trust google but still they use Chrome and Android phones.

I think you're overestimating how many people trust google. The thing is they provide some value and most people accept the trade. The same can be said of Microsoft, Apple and many other companies, most people wouldn't trust any of them at all but they are willing to trade some of their privacy for the value added by the offered services.

If that trade is worth it or not is another conversation entirely of course.

This is a nice idea, taken at face value. However, any VPN worth using, is not free. If this catches on, we can kiss goodbye browsers from smaller, independent companies, because they will never afford to pay for your VPN.

Smaller independent browsers already have no chance if we're being realistic. Even less so now that Microsoft is pushing more and more into the old anti competitive practices that costed them millions back in the day but would never stand up in court right in the present day.

 

[R0H1T]

The VPN using cloudflares DNS will solve a lot of issues with shite ISP's and their DNS servers, and prevent a lot of malware (since cloudflare can block specific things at their end)

Or you can use a ton of other services that offer similar or better options through their free DNS servers? Cloudflare is nice but this VPN thing is overblown, that 1GB data cap is impractical unless you're only communicating with Snowden from your secret (private) bunker in the States.

 

[stimpy88]

Why is this being integrated at the browser level? Surely this should be an OS thing...?

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Why is this being integrated at the browser level? Surely this should be an OS thing...?

Opera has it, try that out.

 

[Ruru]

I think you're overestimating how many people trust google. The thing is they provide some value and most people accept the trade. The same can be said of Microsoft, Apple and many other companies, most people wouldn't trust any of them at all but they are willing to trade some of their privacy for the value added by the offered services.

If that trade is worth it or not is another conversation entirely of course.

But I guess that you get my point?

 

[PapaTaipei]

Companies are forced by law to retain 6 months of data, at least in the western world, these laws are supposed to protect you against terrorism of course. This includes VPN.

 

[claes]

Don’t really understand the 1GB limit, or the pricing. WARP is free unless you want CF ARGO routes.

1.1.1.1 — The free app that makes your Internet faster.

Install the free app that makes your phone’s Internet more fast, private, and reliable.

1.1.1.1

 

[bug]

Hi,
How far would 1 gigabyte go though I'm thinking not to far before a credit card is needed.

Firefox offers paid service already.

Depends what you use it for. Text? Enough to last you a few lifetimes. 4k HDR video? A few minutes. Linux distro? 1 piece, if it's a not a full-blown DVD image.

Don’t really understand the 1GB limit, or the pricing. WARP is free unless you want CF ARGO routes.

1.1.1.1 — The free app that makes your Internet faster.

Install the free app that makes your phone’s Internet more fast, private, and reliable.

1.1.1.1

They also brag about how the basic stuff is free, but it still sounds like they expect money from enterprises to pay for common free access. Which sounds a little too good to be true, at best.

Fwiw, their DNS service is free. I'm not sure how they pay for that either.

 

[SirB]

Hi,
Yeah MS will say anything for people to use edge of a cliff

Edge is way better than chrome/datamine.

 

[claes]

They also brag about how the basic stuff is free, but it still sounds like they expect money from enterprises to pay for common free access. Which sounds a little too good to be true, at best.

Fwiw, their DNS service is free. I'm not sure how they pay for that either.

They’re the biggest CDN on the market. Their free services are fine for small sites, but companies like the BBC need more features and capacity on their network than those offer. Things like their DNS and their “VPN” services can be free because the data helps them design better routes and optimize their networks.

 

[trsttte]

Companies are forced by law to retain 6 months of data, at least in the western world, these laws are supposed to protect you against terrorism of course. This includes VPN.

So keeping my data for 6 months protects me from terrorism? Please do tell me more /s

I may be missing something but that's not really true, there was an EU legislation that never got aproved at the member state level by most of them that didn't really apply to VPN and it got shutdown by the EU Court of Justice by violating fundamental rights (not that any of this matters to the big intelligence agencies who simply get outside jurisdictions to spy on behalf of each other)

 

[Mussels]

Why is this being integrated at the browser level? Surely this should be an OS thing...?

Thats a terrible idea - why would anyone want that?

 

[Prima.Vera]

Microsoft says up to 1 GB of Internet traffic will be available for all users - thus standing to reason that additional traffic will be billed. That'll still likely be enough for users who want to conduct more sensitive internet operations like home-banking, but is a laughable amount for most internet usage patterns.

1GB??

 

[trsttte]

1GB??

It's actually a fairly reasonable limit if you think about it. Anything heavier like games (steam or whatever launcher) doesn't use Edge and doesn't go through the VPN. Video streaming (netflix, etc) is usually done on the respective service app but even if the user decides to use the browser (and for youtube for example), Microsoft/Cloudflare can (and should) easily filter that trafic outside the VPN. Leaving day to day browsing where 1GB is plenty enough.

 

[lexluthermiester]

It's actually a fairly reasonable limit if you think about it.

No it's not. I'd kill that in a few hours, let alone a month. If correct, it's a moronic limit.

 

[plastiscɧ]

castigate me as a doomsayer! i'll take the burden on myself - but making the goat the gardener has never been helpful to anyone. I am just unsure.