this post was submitted on 22 May 2026
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Privacy

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Is the Government Running a Dragnet on VPN Users? (www.youtube.com)
submitted 22 hours ago by ExtremeDullard@piefed.social to c/privacy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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Wyden has asked the government to warn Americans that the very tool millions use to protect their privacy may be used as a mass surveillance tool against them.

He says "Warn Americans how government are treating VPNs."

When Wyden asks pointed questions in public, it's usually because of something he can't say out loud. Remember his Senate hearing in 2013? Don't worry, we'll remind you.

So what does Wyden know? And should you still be using a VPN?

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[–] judasferret@aussie.zone 5 points 15 hours ago

"Is the Government Running a Dragnet on VPN Users?" — Naomi Brockwell TV (22 May 2026, ~11 min)

The video centres on a public warning from US Senator Ron Wyden, asking the government to disclose how it treats VPN traffic for surveillance purposes. Naomi Brockwell argues this is a deliberate signal — Wyden's history of asking pointed public questions when he can't disclose classified information suggests he already knows something damning.

Key threads:

  • The 2013 parallel — Wyden did the same thing before the Snowden revelations, asking NSA Director Clapper in a Senate hearing whether the NSA collected data on millions of Americans. Clapper said "not wittingly." Snowden then proved that was a lie.
  • The VPN loophole — VPN providers, particularly US-based ones, may be subject to government data requests or bulk collection programs that aren't publicly disclosed. The implication is that using a VPN could route your traffic through infrastructure that is itself being monitored.
  • The Massie angle — Rep. Thomas Massie is also referenced as being aware of a classified spying program he legally cannot discuss publicly.
  • Should you still use a VPN? — The video argues VPNs still provide value against commercial tracking and ISP snooping, but they are not a silver bullet against government-level surveillance. The real problem is the legal framework that allows warrantless data collection.
  • Surveillance Accountability Act — The video ends by flagging proposed legislation aimed at closing the loophole that enables this kind of bulk collection without judicial oversight.

Bottom line: If you're using a VPN for privacy from government surveillance, this video argues you may be getting a false sense of security — and that Wyden is hinting at something classified that would concern most users if it became public.