{"id":2824,"date":"2026-10-09T12:36:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T10:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/?p=2824"},"modified":"2026-10-09T12:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T10:30:15","slug":"how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy","title":{"rendered":"How developers can build web apps that respect VPN users&#8217; privacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The users of VPN do not merely attempt to alter their apparent location. The reason why many use a virtual private network is that they want to have more control over online privacy, particularly when using a free network or travelling. This applies to web developers, who must be aware that an application will work without the tendency to view privacy-conscious users in the modern era as suspicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Does not mean that a privacy-friendly web app must sacrifice functionality. Take only the data required by the application, not more, prevent superfluous fingerprinting, data security and test the behaviour of the application under less desirable location and tracking signals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_47_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-6acf7defebb5a\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-6acf7defebb5a\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Understand_what_VPNs_change\" title=\"Understand what VPNs change\">Understand what VPNs change<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Minimize_tracking_and_fingerprinting\" title=\"Minimize tracking and fingerprinting\">Minimize tracking and fingerprinting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Design_location_features_carefully\" title=\"Design location features carefully\">Design location features carefully<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Handle_cookies_and_browser_storage_responsibly\" title=\"Handle cookies and browser storage responsibly\">Handle cookies and browser storage responsibly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Secure_data_from_the_start\" title=\"Secure data from the start\">Secure data from the start<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Test_with_different_network_conditions\" title=\"Test with different network conditions\">Test with different network conditions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Build_privacy_into_the_development_workflow\" title=\"Build privacy into the development workflow\">Build privacy into the development workflow<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Review_third-party_services\" title=\"Review third-party services\">Review third-party services<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/how-developers-can-build-web-apps-that-respect-vpn-users-privacy\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understand_what_VPNs_change\"><\/span><strong>Understand what VPNs change<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VPN may cause a user to look like he\/she is connecting to a different IP address than the one he\/she is actually connected to. That may impact geolocation, IP-based fraud detection, analytics, and rate limiting,g among other systems. Developers must not, therefore, make assumptions about the use of an IP address as a physical location of the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/\">World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)<\/a>, the recommendation is that the data that is transferred should be kept to a minimum that the user desires. The latter principle comes in particularly handy in creating applications used by VPN users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Minimize_tracking_and_fingerprinting\"><\/span><strong>Minimize tracking and fingerprinting<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is one of the biggest errors because instead of tracking IP-based, there is too much gathering of browser and device indications. A fingerprint can be added by screen size, installed fonts, language, and time zone, as well as details of browsers and canvas behavior, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In case an application does not require these signals, then do not gather them. In case one of the features really needs information, justify the necessity and limit the collection. The web privacy tips provided by <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.mozilla.org\/\">MDN Web Docs<\/a> also suggest that one should gather as little user data as possible and process it in a responsible manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Design_location_features_carefully\"><\/span><strong>Design location features carefully<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most web applications employ location for language, prices, content, disallowance, or to the area. VPN may render location IP-based inaccurate hence developers need to make such features designed with uncertainties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than coerce a specific location using an IP address, why not offer control to the users? Allow them to select a country or region where this is necessary, and do not consider the found location as a confirmed identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Handle_cookies_and_browser_storage_responsibly\"><\/span><strong>Handle cookies and browser storage responsibly<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applications may be convenient through cookies, local storage, session storage, and other browser-side techniques, but they pose privacy issues when overused as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Browsers today are more limiting to third-party storage and tracking. Privacy-sensitive features should be tested by developers on the basis of cross-browser behavior rather than relying on the belief that third-party cookies or embedded storage will always do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Secure_data_from_the_start\"><\/span><strong>Secure data from the start<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Privacy does not merely imply a reduction in the amount of data. All that an application gathers should be secured as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apply HTTPS to the application, ensure the security of authentication data, secure cookies, validate input, and limit access to sensitive records. The same can be said about logs. One can unwittingly include IP addresses, session identifiers, request data, or personal information in the logs that are kept over months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Security measures that advance good cryptography and proper management of personal data are recommended in the <a href=\"https:\/\/owasp.org\/\">OWASP<\/a> User Privacy Protection Cheat Sheet. Privacy and security are two design features that developers need to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Test_with_different_network_conditions\"><\/span><strong>Test with different network conditions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To develop it in a privacy-friendly way, we need to test it on a real connection that is neither the office nor home. An effective test plan must establish direct connections, VPN connections, targeting various regions, and mobile networks in addition to privacy-oriented settings on the browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This can be simplified by browser-based developer tools. <a href=\"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/\">ExtendsClass<\/a> offers Web-based testing database, API, HTTP, data format, and similar development services. Online database environments allow developers to test queries with temporary test data or API testing tools to debug requests and responses without creating a large local testing environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Synthetic data or non-sensitive data should be used in testing. There should never be a privacy test of sending production customer records to an online test place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_privacy_into_the_development_workflow\"><\/span><strong>Build privacy into the development workflow<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Privacy must be tested in advance and not a bonus to be included because of an objection. A checklist of data collection, cookies, browser storage, IP, third-party requests, logging, authentication, and error messages can be developed by developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Error messages and monitoring should also be included in a practical privacy review. The technical features must not provide information about internal identifiers, network data, database data, and debug data that go beyond the needs of the feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vpnoverview.com\/\">VPNOverview<\/a> is also a handy source for developers who study VPN and privacy practices when considering the impact of privacy tools on their daily web use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_third-party_services\"><\/span><strong>Review third-party services<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Privacy-consciousness can be applied to a web application but not to its embedded services. Information about visitors can be shared with analytics tools, ad-block code, chat bars, social integrations, fonts, maps, and similar resources used by a third party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is important to users of VPN since users who are sensitive to privacy might already be restricting third-party tracking at the browsing or network level. A site that heavily relies on external trackers may not be reliable when this is prevented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Development of a web application that does not dismiss VPN users is largely a matter of reasonable engineering choices. Do not think that an IP address can validate identity or physical location; do not unnecessarily fingerprint information; eliminate as much data as possible, isolate sensitive information, and test the application under privacy-related circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Respecting privacy as a routine development, a special version of the web app is not required for VPN users. They just receive an application that is more open, robust, and user-selectable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The users of VPN do not merely attempt to alter their apparent location. The reason why many use a virtual private network is that they want to have more control over online privacy, particularly when using a free network or travelling. This applies to web developers, who must be aware that an application will work [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-development"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2824"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2824\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2826,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2824\/revisions\/2826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extendsclass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}