ON SPOTLIGHTInternet ShutdownsGovernment Internet Shutdowns Have Cost $44.8 Billion Since 2019
Our live internet shutdowns index measures the financial consequences in real-time and provides information on previous years' data.
VPN, Internet Rights & Security Research
Our research and investigations explore key issues relating to VPN software, internet censorship, digital rights, and cybersecurity. Our goal is to raise awareness about these important topics. Ultimately, we aim to make the internet a safer, less restricted, and more private space for everyone.
VPN Software
VPN software has become an increasingly essential tool for people affected by surveillance and internet censorship around the world. However, as its popularity continues to grow, so too does the number of risky VPN services that pose a potential risk to users’ privacy and security.
Our VPN research aims to better understand this rapidly-changing industry through investigations into VPN demand, the motivations behind global VPN usage, and the safety of popular free VPN applications.
Our VPN research aims to better understand this rapidly-changing industry through investigations into VPN demand, the motivations behind global VPN usage, and the safety of popular free VPN applications.
VPN | StatisticsVPN Demand Surges Around the WorldThis live tracker documents VPN demand spikes around the world and provides context for these increases.
VPN | Free VPNsThe Dangers of Free VPNsFind all our investigations into the dangers of free VPN apps in one place. We look at ownership issues, security risks and how operators ignore Apple's privacy rules.
VPN | StatisticsGlobal VPN Usage Statistics in 202031% of internet users worldwide use a VPN, according to our new global VPN usage statistics report, which features rich insights into VPN user behavior.
Internet Censorship
Internet outages, disruptions, and other forms of online censorship affect millions of people every year. Withholding access to information not only infringes on citizens’ digital rights, it also has a wider political, social, and economic impact that we explore in these investigations.
Censorship | Blocked WebsitesWebsites Blocked in Russia Since Ukraine InvasionWe are tracking the websites officially blocked in Russia by the authorities since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that relate to the conflict.
Censorship | Internet ShutdownsGovernment Internet Shutdowns Cost $24.7 Billion in 2022Our live internet shutdowns index measures the financial consequences in real-time and provides information on previous years' data.
Censorship | Digital RightsChina’s Surveillance State: A Global ProjectResearchers Valentin Weber and Vasilis Ververis reveal the global reach of Huawei's tech and the U.S. companies that facilitate China's surveillance state.
Internet Security
Internet security and online privacy go hand-in-hand. In our security research, we track emerging trends in cybercrime to help consumers avoid common scams and understand the true value of their personal data.
Security | Dark WebDarknet Market Prices: How Much Is Your Data Worth?The Index has been tracking the trade in hacked online accounts since 2018. Access all our research in one place and learn how to protect yourself from identity theft.
Security | StatisticsCybersecurity Threats from Ukraine & Russia IncreasingWe analyzed malware activity out of Ukraine and Russia since February 2022 and found that the biggest spikes related to malware that helped botnets to spread.
Security | StatisticsCybercrime Statistics 2022Latest cybercrime trends include a massive surge in NFT-related hacks and the rise of cryptojacking. IoT malware is also now twice as prevalent in 2022 than last year.
Digital Privacy
We have extensive experience analyzing mobile and web applications to identify the risks they pose to users’ privacy. From intrusive permissions to excessive data collection and sharing, many popular applications surreptitiously spy on their users in an effort to profit from their data.
In our Privacy research, we aim to highlight the dangers of downloading software without the proper due diligence, and of the privacy risks that can arise.
In our Privacy research, we aim to highlight the dangers of downloading software without the proper due diligence, and of the privacy risks that can arise.
Privacy | Social MediaThreads vs Twitter: Which Collects More Personal Data?Our detailed comparison of Threads and Twitter shows the new Meta app may collect more personal data overall but Twitter tracks its users across the internet more.
Privacy | SpywareChatGPT Clone Apps Privacy RisksWe analyzed the 10 highest-ranked unofficial ChatGPT clone apps in each of Apple and Google's app stores and identified the biggest privacy risks.
Privacy | SpywareAndroid Proxy Apps Investigation: What Are The Privacy Risks?Analysis of 20 of the most popular proxy Android apps reveals nearly 185 million peoples' privacy could be at risk.
Surveillance
Surveillance technologies are becoming more pervasive, more invasive, and more sophisticated. Though some of this technology is proportionate and legitimate, some of it drastically threatens citizens’ right to privacy.
In these investigations, we explore the rise of surveillance technologies worldwide, along with the companies that power them.
In these investigations, we explore the rise of surveillance technologies worldwide, along with the companies that power them.
Surveillance | Digital RightsEmployee Monitoring Software Demand up 54% since March 2020As millions of people shifted to home working, employers around the world have turned to employee surveillance software to track their employees' productivity.
Surveillance | Digital RightsCOVID-19 Digital Rights & Data Privacy TrackerThis live tracker documents new initiatives introduced in response to COVID-19 that pose a risk to digital rights around the world.
Surveillance | Digital RightsHikvision and Dahua Surveillance Cameras: Global Locations ReportWe identified and mapped 6.3 million surveillance camera networks globally that use hardware from controversial Chinese firms Hikvision and Dahua.
Our Research Experts
Simon Migliano
Head of Research
Simon Migliano leads our research and testing into VPN applications, as well as wider investigations into internet privacy and security matters. Utilizing these findings, he produces in-depth VPN reviews and expert guidance on online safety.
His work examining dangerous free VPNs, identity theft, and internet censorship has been featured in over 1,000 publications worldwide including the BBC, CNET, Wired, and the Financial Times.
Samuel Woodhams
Digital Rights Lead
Samuel Woodhams leads our research on censorship, surveillance, and internet freedom to help defend internet freedoms around the world.
His research has been featured by the BBC, Washington Post, Financial Times, and The Guardian.