Same as Bright Data (https://brightdata.com/), formerly Luminati Networks, who apparently use or used HolaVPN customers [1] as exit nodes for their proxy networks and data collection infrastructure. Their current website sheds some light into how they get their residential and mobile IPs [2] (emphasis mine):
> Bright Data attains its peers (Residential and Mobile IPs) through the Bright SDK, which is integrated into applications as another form of app monetization.
> App users are presented with the option to opt-in to the Bright Data Network and become a peer (share their device idle resources) in exchange for an ad-free or free application. All peers sharing resources with the Bright Data residential network have personally opted-in and may opt-out at any time.
It would be nice to know which applications have their SDK integrated, so I could avoid them.
> Bright Data attains its peers (Residential and Mobile IPs) through the Bright SDK, which is integrated into applications as another form of app monetization.
> App users are presented with the option to opt-in to the Bright Data Network and become a peer (share their device idle resources) in exchange for an ad-free or free application. All peers sharing resources with the Bright Data residential network have personally opted-in and may opt-out at any time.
It would be nice to know which applications have their SDK integrated, so I could avoid them.
[1]: https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/hk-en/security/news/cybercr...
[2]: https://brightdata.com/ethical