Google is extending VPN access to all Google One members and all subscription plans and has also rolled out a new “dark web” reporting feature for all subscribers as well.
VPN through Google One was previously only available to Premium 2TB plan subscribers, but is now available to all Google One members, including Basic plan subscribers starting at $1.99 per month. The tech giant points out that using a VPN through Google One adds more protection to users’ online activities, regardless of the apps or browsers they use, providing protection from hackers or other cybercriminals by masking the IP address. VPN is available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom as well as in the United States on Android, iOS, Windows and Mac devices.
Users can also share the VPN with up to five other users as long as they are part of the Google One program. Google is also introducing a new feature called “dark web report” for Google One subscribers in the United States.
This feature allows them to track their personal information (eg credentials) on the dark web, in case they are found to be in one of its marketplaces, data repositories, etc. The dark web reporting feature is set to roll out in the United States in the coming weeks to Google’s subscription members.Google One’s Dark Web Report allows you to scan the dark web for your personal information—such as your name, address, email, phone number, and social security number—and will alert you if it’s found,” says company in a post on its official blog. “When dark web reporting is enabled, you select and provide the information you want tracked in the tracking profile. If information matching yours is found on the dark web, you will receive a notification as well as guidance on how to protect that information.” This feature can also provide you with other relevant information that may be found on the dark web by data breaches.
Google points out that the information in your tracking profile is handled in accordance with Google’s privacy policy, and you can delete any information from your profile or stop tracking at any time. As for the Google One subscription, it originally started as a way to get – for a fee – extra cloud storage for Photos, Docs and Gmail. Over the years, it has expanded to become a broader suite of services and features, which now includes member-only perks such as the ability to host longer group video calls on Google Meet, 10% cash back on Google Store purchases, and more.
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