As someone who has relied on VPNs for years, the reasoning behind this advice doesn’t sit right with many privacy-conscious users. The amount of personal data collected by social media platforms and big tech companies is alarming enough. Targeted ads based on private conversations or simple searches are now common experiences, making privacy tools like VPNs feel essential rather than optional.
Why CISA Says “Do Not Use a Personal VPN”
According to CISA, personal VPNs “shift risk from the ISP to the VPN provider” and may even “increase the attack surface,” especially when dealing with untrustworthy free VPN services. There’s some truth here — many questionable VPN apps exist, and some may collect data or inject ads.
But lumping all VPNs together ignores the reality that reputable VPN providers undergo frequent independent audits, enforce strict no-logs policies, and invest heavily in cybersecurity. Treating all VPNs as unsafe is like saying drinking water is dangerous because unsafe water once caused an outbreak.
Not All VPNs Are Equal — And CISA Knows That
The guidance is aimed primarily at professionals and government employees. Even then, the logic is questionable. If someone is working from a public network — at an airport, hotel, café, or coworking space — a VPN is one of the strongest tools available to protect logins and sensitive data from attackers on the same WiFi connection.
Yet oddly, the advisory makes no mention of avoiding public WiFi. There’s no warning about unsecured hotspots, no reminder about man-in-the-middle attacks, and no guidance on safer alternatives. The silence is noticeable — and troubling.
So What’s Going On?
The more you examine the advisory, the more it raises concerns. If the goal is truly to protect users, warning them about unsafe public connections would be a top priority. Instead, the government seems more focused on discouraging people from using a tool that hides browsing activity from ISPs and authorities.
This has led many privacy advocates to a single conclusion: the crackdown isn’t about security at all. It’s about visibility. VPNs make surveillance harder. And in an era when governments and corporations increasingly collect, track, and monetize user data, the ability to browse privately becomes a threat — not to you, but to them.
The Bigger Picture
Online safety matters, especially for children and vulnerable users. But limiting privacy tools doesn’t make people safer — it simply gives more control to those who already collect enormous amounts of data.
Instead of discouraging VPNs, clear guidelines about choosing reputable, audited providers would actually help users stay secure. Withholding that advice only strengthens the growing belief that online restrictions are less about protection and more about preserving access to user data.