I thought only shady people used VPNs?

• I read your article about using a VPN in the May issue of SEN. It's always been my understanding that only people with something to hide, like criminals, hide behind a VPN.

  Since my ISP can see that I am using one, even if they can't see what sites I'm visiting, isn't that a red flag for law enforcement which might draw unwanted attention?

Answer:

The short answer is no.

That's because legitimate, registered non-profit, privacy organizations recommend that U.S. citizens use a VPN.

For instance, in 2017 the ACLU wrote...

Congress has voted to reverse new FCC privacy protections that would have required Internet service providers (ISPs) like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T to seek your permission before sharing information about your browsing history, location history, contacts, and other personal information ... President Trump signed the measure.

...to protect more of your metadata (information about where you are going and who you are communicating with on the Internet)... one approach is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). (emphasis added)

In 2019 the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said a VPN..

...can