STOP Using ExpressVPN immediately (here's why)

About this video

• Video Title: STOP Using ExpressVPN immediately (here's why)
• Channel: All Things Secured
• Speakers: [None specified]
• Duration: 00:10:08

Overview

This video discusses the decline of ExpressVPN after its acquisition by Kape Technologies, contrasting its past reliability and privacy focus with its current state characterized by layoffs, leadership changes, and a shift towards tiered pricing. The speaker also touches on the broader VPN industry's marketing practices and emphasizes the importance of transparency and user control in privacy tools.

Key takeaways

• ExpressVPN's Downfall: Once a leading VPN provider, ExpressVPN has experienced significant decline due to mass layoffs, frequent leadership changes, and a lack of innovation since its acquisition by Kape Technologies in 2021.
• Shift to Tiered Pricing: The "biggest change" announced by ExpressVPN was the introduction of tiered pricing, which the speaker views as a symbol of the company's declining focus on user value.
• Past Reliability: The speaker recalls ExpressVPN being a crucial and reliable tool for users in China to bypass censorship, working seamlessly when other cheaper alternatives failed.
• Industry Marketing Practices: The VPN industry, including ExpressVPN in its early days, has been criticized for aggressive marketing, high affiliate commissions, and sometimes deceptive privacy claims, often prioritizing revenue over genuine user benefit.
• Importance of Transparency and Control: The speaker stresses that trust in VPNs is built on transparency (physical presence, owner information) and user control over their data and the VPN's infrastructure (e.g., owned servers vs. leased).