Opera today announced the launch of a brand new privacy-focused app, called Opera VPN, which allows users to block ads and even change their virtual location to circumvent restricted internet access (via TechCrunch)

In addition to these features, Opera VPN will stop ad-tracking software from gaining information about your internet habits that create personalized advertisements within browsers like Safari and Chrome.

“Every day, millions of people, from students to working people, find that social-media sites like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook are blocked when they surf on their campus or workplace Wi-Fi. The same goes for video-streaming sites,” Chris Houston, President of Surfeasy, Opera’s VPN division, said in an announcement released this morning. “With the new Opera VPN app, we help people to break down the barriers of the web and enjoy the internet like it should be,” he added.

Opera introduced a similar virtual private network feature into its OS X-based web browser in April, following its acquisition of VPN app company SurfEasy last year. Thanks to a VPN's ability to shield a user's true IP address, Opera's acquisition has let the company introduce new security-focused updates into its internet browser desktop and mobile apps.

At launch, users will be able to choose from five virtual locations, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Singapore and The Netherlands. The app will also be available in English, Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Those interested can download Opera VPN from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Opera Avatar
111 months ago
Ehm.

We collect data to:

* Improve, debug, and maintain Opera products and services
* Study and personalize user experiences
* Fulfill legal requirements
* Conduct business analysis and research, and marketing campaigns
* Ensure better security and fraud protection

We may share your data:

* To government bodies and law enforcement agencies to comply with the law, for example in judicial proceedings, by court order or other legal process
* To third parties (including professional advisors) to enforce or defend our legal rights, including our terms and conditions
* To a third-party purchaser or seller (including professional advisors) in connection with a corporate event such as a merger, business acquisition or insolvency situation
* As described elsewhere in this statement

What data we collect?
The information we collect may include: personal data, for example your name, email, IP-address, location; and non-personal technical data, for example who manufactured your device, your screen's resolution, your mobile operator's region and code. A complete list of the data we collect and purpose of collection may vary between our products and services. You can find detailed descriptions in the product/service-related sections below.
Hi Remoteworks:

I am not sure where these terms are conditions are coming from but they are not from Opera VPN's T&C.
Anonymized data means that data collected is not linked to any user’s identity or personally identifiable information.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KALLT Avatar
111 months ago
Who is going to pay for all of that? Connecting with a VPN, means that you are routing your traffic through another computer. There is massive potential for collecting data. Opera is also not a non-profit organisation, but a company, a company who is also doing business in online advertising.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thunderhawks Avatar
111 months ago
Awesome. Finally something useful.
As long as it goes through servers who keep records it is not.

PIA Private Internet Access has worldwide servers where you can be in many countries and regions, but they erase your real IP regularly and do not keep any records.
If OPERA keeps records for bug fixing or any reason that is not okay.

PIA functions well and allows to avoid Geotagging, i.e. you can see content that is only available in a specific country.

On a side note, I always wonder why content owners make a big deal about watching something that is for instance part of a webpage, FREE for local watchers, but blocked for foreigners. I know it's all about legal usage rights, but if I can't watch it , I shrug my shoulders, but I wouldn't pay for it anyway.

Life goes on.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macintologist Avatar
111 months ago
Whoever has taken over at Opera, whatever new MBAs they have running it, they have done some terrific business analysis and this is a fantastic way for them to reinvent themselves. By making VPNs mainstream, they have a huge growth opportunity. Way to go Opera!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frankbillson Avatar
111 months ago
Is anyone know any other VPN which provides free vpn service and never keep logs because I read information about opera that its free version keep logs.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ardchoille50 Avatar
111 months ago
Yay! One easy, convenient place for Opera and the FBI to monitor our traffic! :rolleyes:
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...