The “anonymous” email service ProtonMail has been raved about by many VPN enthusiasts, because they were under the impression they didn’t keep track of IP addresses like other email services. However, a recent legal incident shattered that claim leaving millions of users around the world dumbfounded.
The Evidence ProtonMail is logging IP Addresses
Recently it was revealed that ProtonMail gave IP address information of French climate activist group to Swiss Authorities. This news effectively exposed ProtonMail is logging IP addresses in certain cases, despite their claim they kept no IP logs. In fact in their own privacy policy they had this message written,
“We do not keep any IP logs which can be linked to your anonymous email account.”
Here’s a screenshot of the message.
ProtonMail Changes IP Log Policy After Being Exposed for Logging IP addresses of Their Users
With the word out the ProtonMail is logging IP addresses, they quickly changed their privacy policy. ProtonMail removed their no IP log claim, and changed it to a vague statement saying they “respect privacy”.
Here’s a screenshot of the new message.
Why Did ProtonMail Start Logging IP Addresses?
According to multiple reports, because ProtonMail is under Switzerland’s jurisdiction they had no choice but to comply with a request from Swiss authorities to keep logs of IP addresses on an account run by the Parisian Chapter of Youth for Climate. ProtonMail allegedly was unable to appeal the Swiss government demands, because they deemed it a case of using a legal tool to commit a crime.
The moral of this situation is that even services that claim they keep no IP logs, will keep IP logs when the government comes looking for you. VPN enthusiasts who once supported the service are irate about the news on social media, because part of the reason they thought ProtonMail was secure from something like this happening was the fact that they were based in Switzerland, which has laws that make it easier for a company to legally keep no IP logs.
Author: JordanThrilla Staff
