Private Internet Access Transparency Report Q1 2024
At Private Internet Access (PIA), we believe in transparency as a cornerstone of our commitment to privacy and security. This belief drives us to continually assess and improve our practices, ensuring we uphold the trust you place in us.
This is why we moved from our biannual reporting cycle to a quarterly one. We’ll update our dedicated Transparency Report page every quarter, and we’ll provide more details right here on our blog.
This report marks the beginning of a new era of openness and accountability. Going forward, we will provide insights into how we operate our service and secure your data.
PIA’s Q1 2024 Transparency Report
We’ll look at the notices we received from 01/01/2024 to 03/31/2024. These notices can be categorized as:
- Court orders: Official directives issued by a court, instructing us to take a specific action. It normally pertains to us providing evidence of specific user activity.
- Subpoenas: Legal documents issued by a court compelling us to provide testimony, documents, or other evidence relevant to a legal proceeding. They are typically used to gather information for trials or investigations.
- Warrants: Legal documents issued by a court authorizing law enforcement officers to search a property or seize items. Warrants are typically granted based on probable cause, which means there must be a reasonable belief a crime has been committed.
- Foreign notices: Notifications or requests for information issued by foreign governments or law enforcement agencies seeking assistance or cooperation in legal matters. These can include requests for evidence.
- State notices: Notifications or requests for information issued by law enforcement agencies or authorities at the state level within a particular jurisdiction. They may seek assistance or cooperation in legal matters relevant to that specific state.
- Federal notices: Notifications or requests for information issued by federal law enforcement agencies or authorities, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Department of Justice (DoJ). These notices typically pertain to legal matters that fall under federal jurisdiction.
- Foreign and informal requests: Informal requests for information issued by foreign governments or law enforcement agencies. They may not carry the legal weight of formal notices like subpoenas or warrants.
Here is an overview of the notices we received this quarter.
| Legal Processes | Received | Logs Produced |
| Court orders | 0 | 0 |
| Subpoenas | 57 | 0 |
| Warrants | 5 | 0 |
| Foreign notices | 37 | 0 |
| State notices | 20 | 0 |
| Federal notices | 42 | 0 |
| Foreign and informal requests | 0 | 0 |
We are not able to provide logs for any of these notices. We adhere to a strict no-logs policy, as we designed our service to prevent data retention. Simply put, we never record your online activity.
Bug Bounty Program Q1 Data
We’re at the Forefront of Digital Security
We always strive to better our service. And since the beginning of 2024, we’ve been at it.
We Brought Split Tunneling Back on macOS
Since November 2020, the Network Kernel Extension APIs were deprecated which caused issues with the split-tunneling feature on macOS for many VPN providers. We recently developed an innovative solution by utilizing Apple’s network extension APIs and employing high-performance network libraries, such as SwiftNIO. Now, you can use split tunneling on our macOS VPN app to customize your experience!
We Released an Apple TV VPN App
We take online security seriously and want to make sure you can enjoy full VPN protection no matter what device you are on. With our new Apple TV VPN app, you can enjoy robust VPN encryption while streaming your favorite shows and movies!
Our Android Engineer Talked about Her Work
Iva, our Android Engineer, explained to Cybernews how she works her magic in making the PIA app a trusted partner in your cybersecurity arsenal. She also discussed challenges in VPN development and emphasized how important transparency and user feedback are in app development. We’re delighted to give our engineers a voice and help our community better understand what goes on behind the scenes.
We’re Always Vigilant
Offering a good VPN product isn’t enough. We’re always on the lookout for anything that can affect the digital landscape.
Copyright Holders Resort to Privacy-Invasive Practices
Film studios are filing lawsuits to uncover the IP addresses of individuals who discussed piracy on Reddit. The studios argue this information is necessary to pursue legal action against those infringing on their intellectual property rights. However, it seems they’re overlooking the First Amendment Right to freedom of speech. This move raises concerns about privacy and potential chilling effects on online speech.
Indiana to Require an Age Verification Bill
A proposed online age verification bill in Indiana highlights concerns about its impact on privacy rights. The bill requires websites and online platforms to verify users’ ages using methods that may potentially compromise privacy. Critics argue that such measures could lead to the collection of sensitive personal information and the risk of data breaches.
The NSA Is Buying Your Data without Warrants
According to an unclassified document, the National Security Agency (NSA) purchases specific logs concerning Americans’ online activities from commercial data brokers. This revelation showcases a legal gray area, as intelligence and law enforcement agencies sometimes obtain potentially sensitive domestic data through brokers without requiring a court order. Understandably, privacy advocates are concerned about ongoing government surveillance practices in the digital age.
We’re Looking at a TikTok Ban
Ongoing tensions between the US and China have led to a culmination in March 2024, when as part of a broader move to address national security concerns, the House of Representatives have started looking into a TikTok ban. Groups advocating for freedom of speech and civil rights have strongly objected to a ban, arguing that this could set a worrying precedent that could impact Americans’ online experience.
At the time of writing this, the divest-or-ban bill had already been signed by President Joe Biden. We will continue monitoring this situation in Q2.
More Updates on the Horizon
At PIA, transparency isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a cornerstone of everything we do. That’s why we decided to publish quarterly Transparency Reports going forward.
As we move forward into the rest of 2024 (and beyond), we want to keep you informed of the measures we take to improve our service and secure your data online. Stay tuned for more updates as we work to create a safer online environment for all. Your privacy is our priority, and we’re honored to have you on this journey with us.