Would a VPN prevent Google from associating me with my previous account?

theloneraven

I wanted to know before I paid for a VPN service. I was thinking of creating a burner Google account when I used sandboxed Google Play, but if my IP is the same as my previous Google account with all my data, would Google still identify the account as mine?

I'd prefer not to use a VPN 1. because it makes everyting very slow 2. costs money 3. i use syncthing, which won't work with a vpn, so I would like to know for those reasons.

Kamika242

theloneraven

I have almost the same problem, a fixed public IP adress (at home) and a deleted Google account (I don't believe that Google really deletes accounts). I use Next-DNS on all of my devices with all block lists available, especially "No Google" and have only allowed the needed connections for YouTube (via NewPipe) and Aurora store. I think, the amount of data which Google could assign to my old account, is negligible.

EverettHitch

I would prefer using a VPN even if it isn't free and not creating another Google account. Why? Google uses so many identifiers to track you outside of the common ones GrapheneOS deals with that the chances of linking other Google accounts is very high (through browser fingerprinting for one example where even VPN isn't going to help you).

theloneraven

EverettHitch hmm you might be right there. so just using my main account is probably the way to go? I do have balatro and simply adaptive purchased on it.

vtek

Speed is not necessarily impacted much with a quality VPN that uses Wireguard and cost is minimal.

Using syncthing with a VPN is not a problem as long as the VPN provides split-tunneling, such as IVPN does.

Whether a VPN would benefit you is another matter altogether that depends on what you're attempting to achieve. Lastly, know that the vast majority of VPN's are garbage regarding privacy. Out of the possibly hundreds of VPN's out there, the only ones that seem to take privacy seriously are Mullvad, Azire and IVPN. Most of the remainder are owned by a small handful of very sketchy companies.

theloneraven

vtek I've paid for proton vpn in the past to bypass school wifi restrictions, and I still use the free version when sites rate limit me. is that one okay? I use other proton products too

vtek

theloneraven Proton may be an acceptable as well, I forgot about that one. I have no experience with them, but i'm sure others can speak to Proton.

Johnnyloans

I'm sure google will figure out it's you especially if you give any google app the location permission, then it knows what Wifi networks youre on.

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/704-to-vpn-or-not-to-vpn/27

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/704-to-vpn-or-not-to-vpn/29

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/704-to-vpn-or-not-to-vpn/43

DeletedUser733

"Would a VPN prevent Google from associating me with my previous account?"

G@@gle a multi billion dollar company, seemingly whose sole purpose is to intrusively collect information on everyone who crosses their path, no matter how, regardless of permission,f or profit, will eventually work out your "burner" account is associated with your first, and not because of GrapheneOS.

DeletedUser733

Kamika242 I think, the amount of data which Google could assign to my old account, is negligible.

Isn't that the problem with G@@gle, there is no hard and fast rule, or documentation to say what they are capable of!
We have to hope that we have done a reasonable amount of covering our tracks and obfuscating ones we cant eradicate.

theloneraven

Kamika242 NextDNS seems like a good service. I think I'll use that. Avoids the whole VPN thing.

theloneraven

DeletedUser733 I agree that it's unlikely you will ever be able to avoid Google, but like the other guy said, as long as you do as much as you can, Google can still have very little data on you.