I keep reading posts recommending consumer VPNs to aid privacy.
Here's my concern - tell me I'm wrong.
1. Most consumer VPNs are installed on a device. You need to sign in as a paying customer. So they know who you are. And your credit card details strengthen that ability to know who you are. Meanwhile a household internet access via an ISP can't easily pin down who is making the internet requests in a home.
2. These consumer VPN providers route all your internet traffic. They have a fuller, if not complete, custody of your internet traffic even if you move from home ISP to cafe WiFi to office guest WiFi to mobile 4G data. That is, with no VPN your traffic is separated through different networks.
3. You likely have done zero due diligence on who the VPN providers are. How can you trust them as individuals? How can you trust their technology and processes? Even if they say they don't log your metadata, how do you know? And how do you know they won't start selling it next year even if they don't now.
4. If they get hacked, all your traffic is at risk. With multiple internet routes (home, office, 4G, cafe) your traffic eggs are not all in one easy basket.
5. VPN software installs with elevated privileges on your device. Makes malware easier.