Clarity and transparency are vital for any reputable VPN provider. But few VPNs have been challenged over their privacy credentials in court.

Sweden’s OVPN has, however, found itself defending the nature and purpose of VPN providers in a court case brought by The Rights Alliance, representing various movie companies.

After two months a decision was finally made on September 10, 2020.

To summarize the verdict, the Rights Alliance and their security experts have not been able prove any weaknesses in OVPN’s systems that could mean that logs are stored. OVPN therefore wins the information injunction as our statements and evidence regarding our no log VPN policy have not been disproven. The movie companies also need to pay OVPN’s legal fees which amounts to 108 000 SEK (roughly $12300 at current exchange rate).

As well as being one of the few VPNs to prove that logs are not stored, OVPN is the only Swedish VPN service to have their claims verified in court.

But this case has various wider implications, at least in Sweden. The ruling has stated that the OVPN’s fees are paid by the plaintiffs, implying that the service (and competitors) should not be considered as “internet providers.” Key to OVPN’s original defence, this is a significant development.

Meanwhile, the need to prove that “no logs” are kept by other VPN providers is likely to become increasingly important. Key VPNs are taking steps to underline their privacy and transparency credentials with independent audits – this decision could result in others following suit.

You can read the full case details (in Swedish) at your leisure. For those keen to support OVPN, which launched back in 2014, you can sign up for 1 month, 6 month, and 12 month VPN packages.