# 1 in 6 VPNs Track Your Location, According to New Report From Proton

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-08-28 17:07 UTC · Category: Technology

## Executive Summary
A new report from Proton reveals that a vast majority of VPN apps downloaded in the U.S. contain trackers, threatening user privacy.

## Intelligence Brief
A new report released by Proton has revealed significant privacy vulnerabilities within the virtual private network market. According to coverage from CNET, one in six VPNs track the location of their users. Further data highlighted by Gadget Review, MacSources, and CyberInsider indicates a much broader issue, stating that 85% of VPN apps downloaded in the United States contain trackers. These findings suggest that millions of users who utilize these services to secure their digital footprints are inadvertently putting their personal privacy at risk, as warned by TechRadar. The scale of this issue is emphasized across multiple technology and business outlets.


CyberInsider and MacSources focus specifically on the high percentage of U.S.-downloaded apps that contain trackers, while Gadget Review corroborates the 85% figure attributed to Proton. CNET provides a specific metric regarding location tracking. Additionally, reports from Forbes and Yahoo News Canada highlight a related trend involving Chinese applications that are allegedly spying on millions of users across both Android and iPhone platforms without providing any warning to the consumer. This data matters because VPNs are typically marketed as tools for anonymity and data protection. The presence of trackers in 85% of these apps, as reported by Proton, contradicts the primary purpose of the service.


The context provided by Forbes and Yahoo News Canada suggests a wider environment of secret surveillance affecting millions of mobile users. The discovery that a significant portion of these security tools are actually monitoring users creates a critical conflict between the advertised privacy benefits and the actual technical behavior of the software. Future attention will likely focus on the specific types of trackers found within these VPN apps and the identities of the companies involved. Based on the provided coverage, the primary point of interest is the discrepancy between the privacy promises made by these services and the tracking behavior identified in the Proton study. Observers will be monitoring whether the millions of affected iPhone and Android users receive warnings or if the apps in question modify their tracking practices following these reports.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Yahoo News Canada | ‘No Warning’—The Chinese Apps Secretly ‘Spying On Millions’ Of iPhone And Android Users | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifkFVX3lxTE1CVENIbGdWeV92WFBobGNzWElsZjZ2akdEOWdJaGFySVFVM1FXcEFwTjhwa3duRXAwWEFKYVFsTk1TYXFlUWw5Y01SRTkxT2tSdUVBRlJfanRpN0NWVWx1SzEyVk1qWm9VSjNKdjZjVUtNWVZnaHl2YmxhdXh1UQ?oc=5) |
| Gadget Review | 85% of VPN Apps May Be Tracking You, Proton Says | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAFBVV95cUxOS0hyVWp5VVB0b2UtaWJlc2lNZndQR25Mdkw0LWlXSGNEMmJXWGxQckhBX2xTeU1Cck5rcno3MjMtRHpsZHFOeGpHbDZZd2JnNVNENXIydkx6a1E3dERXVkhEcG5Bb2JITU9LbkRXbTFFbGhYRW9CMGNzZ1I0MTE2bQ?oc=5) |
| MacSources | Proton Study Finds 85% of VPN Apps in the U.S. Contain Trackers, Raising Serious Privacy Concerns | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMicEFVX3lxTE9KVE05a3ZhQ0FJampvZmNmT1p2VzdiX0cwbEtlMWFfUEdIbU1jcUl3OHlCSlBkdTJWSElPNm9UdUFDZlgxcVVPbEJIX3pHMWozOHh1Q0pxVXBMN3BKXzRoMmp3NkpPV1RWSFBxUllOUWzSAXhBVV95cUxNQkFYb0hCXzhwby00aGQxaTZHVjBLNmh5VmphNlNSZUU4dXQ0bGtIZHhCM1NQR3pvYlhnQmRPb0NfWUVXUEpya0hpWmlFeGdFZG9HenVENmJkSmNlSU5NS0NoZ181ME1Jc29YN3hYYmhGcm53UjVpVFM?oc=5) |
| CyberInsider | Proton finds 85% of US-downloaded VPN apps contain trackers | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijAFBVV95cUxOQzZyenYwQWJKYWF1MFhMd3BGR2JqVlkwYUoxcjNjcVlleWV0UzRjWHpDckJaZGx6ZXE5OGhoR1l5Z0NUdEZ3OGFyRlA3RHQwazBNQUhjMl9WRlpTd3ZTSVZPUHdGOUt4Y055M0gydTBQaVdLQzNZdEF1cHFjd1Vyek1vRk9WOWJxZzRhXw?oc=5) |
| TechRadar | Millions of VPN users in the US are inadvertently putting their privacy at risk, Proton warns | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi2wFBVV95cUxQa0F6WDZySVZEMWdsaXE0SlR3MGJJUkx0c0VURHJBRjVxeDFNcTdXb2xKZnRBWGRueXV5VFZRRTFHc2EzdnJkZlZwY1FjTm9BWmJsdS1lLVh1MDBxd1RVZ1JaSk1GOEp4TldRcE00M1g0N2E3alduY2lZMDhvU3ctaVJScTUzQzFNSE1DenhsVE9oVGZlbkJQYjgxSTg1bUFGcFBHNVFhRmUwa2JNWlAwS3dpT1VERzBiZmpybzRyMzYyUlg0dmd4VVpUU0pDTVo0eVJGa3g2YmE4UzA?oc=5) |
| Forbes | ‘No Warning’—The Chinese Apps Secretly ‘Spying On Millions’ Of iPhone And Android Users | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0AFBVV95cUxNeWdVaGlFaWNScUxUZ0xMcm9XUkJiUk1zakM4bXBKR0p0bFV4MTBKWF9PLUlpNUFIZFEybXprM2VsOHNjeVIycHp3VUpJdWtGN2xsNjlzS1FsSWlnYWRLeHhJbkUzczlNdzA0Qmw3dTJXd1RSLUxkM19HaUpBNEIxSTFZR1RVU0NhR3ZGajBCSm5vTEVnOElRUnVXd2JEWVZUU0FOdXlORGxuTTNDNFZ3SVFqamUxY0tGclpic2dBMHBXTmtiQzVHSnNxME1LTllY?oc=5) |
| CNET | 1 in 6 VPNs Track Your Location, According to New Report From Proton | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxNcUotRTYyNUlhaVdaXzVBdC1ENV81bUJqSnlScm8yRkxPREFXdENtNDNCbFZFZ24yaUtYU3BLaHRhY0o2Uml1RWF1RlAwU2wyQ0dXYkFNc1pJN05pcTN6eUxjcm96aG5uSDZiVVVQZk56bHhxbHVrbEpNYXlrUl94dndSbE9ROU1rYXg0ZWQwY1BFbkRUb3pN?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-08-28/1-in-6-vpns-track-your-location-according-to-new-report-from-proton*