> 1. If you use a VPS to host your own VPN.. you don’t gain privacy. Usually your IP can (mostly) still identify you. And your VPS company will hold you accountable for your traffic eg DMCA.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for your VPN provider, depending on the provider. They can (and more than one does) save your name, address, billing details, as well as your source IP, and which IP and source ports you appear as after VPN translation has occurred.
Even if they don't do this, traffic analysis by the underlying network provider can de-anonymise your VPN'd traffic from your original source traffic too, and it doesn't take a genius to do this either.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for your VPN provider, depending on the provider. They can (and more than one does) save your name, address, billing details, as well as your source IP, and which IP and source ports you appear as after VPN translation has occurred.
Even if they don't do this, traffic analysis by the underlying network provider can de-anonymise your VPN'd traffic from your original source traffic too, and it doesn't take a genius to do this either.