It’s not like VPNs don’t have the exact same problem, though…

Yeah the amount of folks using rando free VPN they know nothing about is a little worrisome.

Depending on where you live the likelihood of your ISP doing something exceptionally nefarious might be way lower than some random VPN client someone finds on an appstore.

They do, but at least in theory, their business model is built on not selling the information.

Given how much ISPs charge I don't think they need to sell info to make money.

As garbage as most US ISP options are, I'd trust them long before I trust random VPN services. And I can be reasonably certain that my physical connection goes to Verizon. My virtual connection could be going anywhere and I just have to believe that it's to people who are who they say they are.

This is exactly the business model for some VPNs, particularly the free or very-cheap variety.

There's still an element of trust involved, but it's better than the status quo of "we'll monitor your internet, take it of leave it" from the ISPs.

If you turn on your VPN, they can do exactly that.

You’re just trading one for the other and that new one might not even have to follow the same laws.

except that if a VPN provider is caught selling your data, they are toast.

any VPN worth its salt has a business model built around not logging data and not selling data. Your ISP on the other hand, is in the business of selling you internet access. Your data is a secondary revenue stream for them.

They two are not equivalent.

As long as you also clarify that their consumers must be following the news where that's announced.

With us technical people it's more likely, but not necessary for others that may have just heard 'use a vpn' and went to the App Store, searched for 'vpn' and prepaid 3 years.

Hide my ass VPN is still up - https://www.hidemyass.com/en-us/index

A clarification as there seems to be some confusion:

Whether VPNs solve the issue or not is irrelevant to my point. Their primary advertised feature is to hide your traffic from your ISP, McDonalds or whoever, and people buy them. (Secondary feature is masking location for streaming services, which doesn't really work).