Online anonymity is doable without vpn's as a hardware solution.
Computer built from parts purchased for cash or machine bought cash and you NEVER(ever for any reason) power it up while you have your mobile(or any other such device)anywhere near you(like a block/mile+ away from you).
(and if it is a laptop/tablet leave your phone in your car, go to the restroom and wrap it in several layers of foil before bringing it with you and your phone and don't unwrap it for any reason while you have your phone near(same as above criteria))
A WiFi directional range extender antenna allows you to connect to an open/public wifi outside of range of CCTV cameras (bearing in mind that you do pass quite a few cameras driving there and your car has a license-plate so repeat connections to the same wifi with the same activity each time would be foolish if cameras put you somewhere specific rather than in a general area).
Also don't install any software you already have downloaded on it, download and install ins-situ at your anonymous public wifi location only(and as always faraday-cage box or wrapped with foil whenever your phone is within a block/mile of the laptop/tablet)
Privacy is doable as a hardware/physical solution, it just require some extra steps, if you use tor as your browser then that adds another layer of security(again, on site download/install/use only)
It's just that VPN's are sooo convenient/s.....
The reality is that they are only secure to a point since you do pay for most of them and that leaves a trail, they don't get you all at once, it's a mosaic of different variables(connection point, hardware profile etc etc, they get you one step at a time and it eventually all adds up to YOU)
The only possible exceptions in addition to tor is the epic Privacy Browser which is free and comes with a set of free integrated VPN's sorted by geo-location, don't know for certain how trustworthy they are but they recently shut down their India VPN because VPN's were recently outlawed there...........
Online anonymity is doable without vpn's as a hardware solution.
Computer built from parts purchased for cash or machine bought cash and you NEVER(ever for any reason) power it up while you have your mobile(or any other such device)anywhere near you(like a block/mile+ away from you).
(and if it is a laptop/tablet leave your phone in your car, go to the restroom and wrap it in several layers of foil before bringing it with you and your phone and don't unwrap it for any reason while you have your phone near(same as above criteria))
A WiFi directional range extender antenna allows you to connect to an open/public wifi outside of range of CCTV cameras (bearing in mind that you do pass quite a few cameras driving there and your car has a license-plate so repeat connections to the same wifi with the same activity each time would be foolish if cameras put you somewhere specific rather than in a general area).
Also don't install any software you already have downloaded on it, download and install ins-situ at your anonymous public wifi location only(and as always faraday-cage box or wrapped with foil whenever your phone is within a block/mile of the laptop/tablet)
Privacy is doable as a hardware/physical solution, it just require some extra steps, if you use tor as your browser then that adds another layer of security(again, on site download/install/use only)
It's just that VPN's are sooo convenient/s.....
The reality is that they are only secure to a point since you do pay for most of them and that leaves a trail, they don't get you all at once, it's a mosaic of different variables(connection point, hardware profile etc etc, they get you one step at a time and it eventually all adds up to YOU)
The only possible exceptions in addition to tor is the epic Privacy Browser which is free and comes with a set of free integrated VPN's sorted by geo-location, don't know for certain how trustworthy they are but they recently shut down their India VPN because VPN's were recently outlawed there...........