I reached out to the VTI to get more information about its goals
regarding transparency and security for the industry, and I was
connected with i2Coalition Executive Director Christian Dawson.
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The companies that have joined this initiative did so because they
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around principles and norms. The goal isn’t simply to be a singular
voice for the VPN industry; it’s to get down to the nitty-gritty of
ensuring the industry is taking responsibility and holding itself to a
strong set of principles. As a group, we are focussing our efforts on
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principles to guide leaders within the VPN industry and working
towards effective industry self-regulation. We are engaged in active
discussions about transparency and privacy protections, as well as
important issues such as disclosure, security, and advertising
practices.
I have no idea whether the VTI will manage to actually change the
conversation around VPNs, but I have some hopes for what it or some
other VPN group might accomplish.
Any group like the VTI needs to set clear, understandable standards for
technology and implementation. It should be understood what the
acceptable way to set up a VPN service is, and that method needs to be
validated by experts outside the VPN industry. With standards in place,
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meeting it.
We also need clear guidelines for how to best preserve user privacy and
protect it from both attackers and law enforcement. This includes not
only technology and best practices but also policies. When I review a
VPN, I have to wade through complicated privacy policies and terms of
use to learn what information is gathered, how it’s handled, and what
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have to wonder whether a company is actually following the rules they
set for themselves.
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