Originally Posted by
bakerjw
It all boils down to the logging. From home, my ISP sees a massive pipeline of data currently heading to a server farm in Charlotte (I can flip to other server clusters in seconds.). From there, any packets from my VPN link get intermixed with countless other packets so even if that access point is monitored, they've no idea of packet ownership. As long as there is no logging performed, and that is what I pay them to not be doing, it takes a massive effort to dig into it.
The other aspect is to use the TOR browser. It runs a tad slower; however, that is due to multiple encryption links from the browser to the destination website. I often see my TOR browser initiate a secure link to a TOR node in Denmark then a secure link to a TOR node in Canada and then to the eventual website.
I've worked in IT for 3 decades and am well versed in encryption and VPN tunneling. I do nothing illegal; however, if they want to monitor my online activity, they will have to work very hard for it. That is one reason why I have a VPN pipe straight to Panama. They can break the encryption but it will take time.
ETA...
One down side is that when streaming, I get targeted commercials from the area where my VPN hits the internet. Charlotte Pools and Spas a lot.