A new report uncovers the troubling ties between top VPN services like ExpressVPN and the Israeli security state, raising alarms about how much control Israel’s Unit 8200 has over your online privacy.

Kape Technologies is a major player in the online privacy world, one of the three giants that collectively control the market. It owns many of the world’s top VPNs, including ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, ZenMate, Intego Antivirus, and a host of tech websites that promote its products.

This begins with its owner, Teddy Sagi. Born in Tel Aviv, the tycoon, who previously spent time in prison for financial crimes, is estimated to be worth $6.4 billion, making him among the top ten richest Israelis.

Sagi has a long history of working closely with the IDF and is rumored to be extremely close to Israeli intelligence. In 2019, he donated $3 million to fund hundreds of academic scholarships for discharged Israeli soldiers. “It is a debt of honor for us and for me personally to express gratitude and appreciation that all of Israel’s citizens owe to you,” Sagi said at the Friends of the IDF Gala. He also made a point of finding jobs for former IDF soldiers in his businesses.

    • pinguinu [any]@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
      7·
      2 months ago

      They log IP for the email service, not VPN service. They made a blog basically telling people to use a VPN to log into their email if they didn’t want that to happen (the arrest part not the disclosing IP part)

      • citrussy_capybara [ze/hir]@hexbear.netEnglish
        71·
        2 months ago

        a company telling people to buy another one of their products to protect themselves from the data collecting and sharing they do should not inspire confidence

        proton is also anti-China, having told people to delete tiktok due to Chinese spying and donating money to Hong Kong protests

        • pinguinu [any]@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
          5·
          2 months ago

          They recommended a VPN service that didn’t log IP, which includes theirs. And yeah, privacy-concerned libs are always anti-China. They also host fundraisers for liberal freeze peach orgs, including Bellingcat and Tor Project. So nothing new under the liberal sun. I don’t think anyone is expecting tankie email services from such a company.