OVPN acquired by Pango, parent company of Hotspot Shield: what does it mean for users?

OVPN, the popular virtual private network (VPN) service, has announced in its blog that has been acquired by Pango, the company behind Hotspot Shield . This acquisition is expected to bring significant benefits to OVPN's customers, including access to Pango's extensive network and resources, that will allow OVPN to provide faster and more reliable service.

There are no changes planned for current OVPN accounts and subscriptions: they will continue to function just as they always have, with the same add-ons and number of allowed devices. OVPN affirmed that will continue to operate as its own individual service, with its own unique features and benefits.

Despite these assurances, many users on Reddit and forums are already expressing concern over the security implications of the acquisition. Pango is known for operating free VPN apps that are filled with tracking libraries and ad networks. Its portfolio includes Hotspot Shield , Betternet , VPN 360 and UltraVPN.com

One of their VPN services, HotSpot Shield, has been reported by the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) to the FTC for allegedly deceptive trade practices involving unethical logging and data sharing practices that contradict HotSpot Shield's own "anonymous browsing" promise. HotSpot Shield also has a reputation for, at least in the past, including adware with at least their Windows installer. Another one of their VPNs, Betternet, has been ranked as the VPN app on Google Play with the fourth most hits on VirusTotal (13 antivirus hits) among the VPN apps Australia's national science agency CSIRO tested. Betternet was founded by Iran's Vice President's son and then bought by Pango. All of these factors raise concerns about how OVPN will be able to operate a privacy-focused VPN service under Pango's ownership.

Our take: If you are worried about your data too, you should look for a new VPN provider, better if owned by an indipendent company , which is a key factor in ensuring the security and privacy of user data. Mullvad , IVPN and AirVPN are the recommended alternatives, but you can also find other VPNs in our list.