Private Internet Access is removing servers in Brazil and Johannesburg, South Africa. We are leaving South Africa due to the closing of our local datacenter partner’s Johannesburg location. We are leaving Brazil for more serious, privacy reasons. We have learned that Brazil is currently trying to force companies like VPN providers to comply with Brazilian logging laws which would obligate providers to store logs for an entire year.

Private Internet Access is removing its Johannesburg, South Africa exit node

Our service provider in South Africa is closing down their location so we will be unable to provide this region until a new provider is selected, vetted, and set up. Since the closing of our South Africa region is not related to a change in law or governmental requests, Private Internet Access has not ruled out setting up new servers and exit nodes in South Africa in the future. Stay tuned to Private Internet Access for the latest announcements on server. You can view the current server locations and count on our Private Internet Access Network Page.

Private Internet Access is removing its Brazil exit node

Private Internet Access has been informed by our lawyers that Brazilian law (Lei nº 12.965) (link in Portuguese) decrees that the company responsible for the Internet Protocol Number must record the users information and store it for at least one year. Our previous Brazilian datacenter company, Equinix, let us know that the government has changed its tone and fully intends to have internet service providers, even virtual ones, comply with these Brazilian logging laws. Brazil’s internet service providers (ISPs) already have earned a failing grade when it comes to privacy. While one has even leaked millions of users sensitive information before. Brazilian internet users are still able to use the vast Private Internet Access network and; in fact, have all the reasons in the world to want to. Privacy is sorely missing from Brazil.

Private Internet Access will not comply with Brazilian logging laws

Effective immediately, Private Internet Access is removing its Brazilian exit gateway and has no plans to establish a new Brazilian exit node in light of the current interpretation of Brazilian internet laws. Private Internet Access is committed to protecting the privacy of our users and our legal team continually works to evaluate the internet logging laws in the countries where we operate servers. When a country seeks to make us log, whether legally or illegally, Private Internet Access leaves that country. Private Internet Access has previously closed servers and exit gateways in South Korea and Russia due to similar logging laws. Since we do not log any traffic or session data, period, it is not possible for the Brazilian government to try and garner any information on our users from our former Brazilian datacenter. Our users are, and will always be, private and secure: This is our promise for the last decade and we continue to stand by it.