Don't use Hola.
They sell your internet connection to other people.
That means anyone can do dodgy stuff with your internet and it will link back to your IP.
That's how it works; You're essentially using someone else's connection to use region specific websites.
It's like Tor's exit node, but you opt in for that.
As soon as you download Hola, you have no choice.
I recommend if you have Hola that you backup all your important information and do a factory reset (get rid of everything on your computer using the built in tools) and change your network password.
If you don't, you might see some dodgy stuff happening on your computer.
The guest's comment said to use the Chrome extension for Hola, which does not do what you described. The Chrome and Firefox extensions are not "peer-to-peer" so are "safe". They don't route other people's internet through yours.
- FunStats
Sorry, but no. Read their FAQ:
"The browser extension and Opera browser add-on operate as a standard VPN service and are not part of the Hola peer-to-peer network."
- https://hola.org/faq#in_whatis_pvp_vpn
.
Or the Google Chrome Web Store:
"This is NOT a peer to peer application."
- https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/unlimited-free-vpn-hola/gkojfkhlekighikafcpjkiklfbnlmeio?hl=en
.
YES, Hola does what the links you provided describe IF you use their client. But NO, not when you're using the browser extension alone. This may have changed recently, making the pages you linked out of date. Or maybe their writers were just misinformed.
- FunStats
Note that I still wouldn't use it. Besides this, there are other concerns regarding Hola that make it just not worth it.
.
It's highly likely that the browser extension is safe, but their client is not. Google would NOT allow their extension into the Chrome Web Store if it did the "peer-to-peer" routing. Google has policy's against this, and they'd have removed the extension:
https://www.google.com/about/company/unwanted-software-policy.html
- FunStats
They sell your internet connection to other people.
That means anyone can do dodgy stuff with your internet and it will link back to your IP.
That's how it works; You're essentially using someone else's connection to use region specific websites.
It's like Tor's exit node, but you opt in for that.
As soon as you download Hola, you have no choice.
I recommend if you have Hola that you backup all your important information and do a factory reset (get rid of everything on your computer using the built in tools) and change your network password.
If you don't, you might see some dodgy stuff happening on your computer.
- FunStats
http://lifehacker.com/hola-better-internet-sells-your-bandwidth-turning-its-1707496872
"The browser extension and Opera browser add-on operate as a standard VPN service and are not part of the Hola peer-to-peer network."
- https://hola.org/faq#in_whatis_pvp_vpn
.
Or the Google Chrome Web Store:
"This is NOT a peer to peer application."
- https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/unlimited-free-vpn-hola/gkojfkhlekighikafcpjkiklfbnlmeio?hl=en
.
YES, Hola does what the links you provided describe IF you use their client. But NO, not when you're using the browser extension alone. This may have changed recently, making the pages you linked out of date. Or maybe their writers were just misinformed.
- FunStats
.
It's highly likely that the browser extension is safe, but their client is not. Google would NOT allow their extension into the Chrome Web Store if it did the "peer-to-peer" routing. Google has policy's against this, and they'd have removed the extension:
https://www.google.com/about/company/unwanted-software-policy.html
- FunStats
This is an abomination!