Intelligence-sharing pacts decide who can demand your data. Here's the plain-English version, and why where your VPN lives matters.
The "Eyes" alliances are intelligence-sharing pacts between governments. If a country in one of these groups demands data from a company in another country in the same group, the receiving country generally cooperates.
5 Eyes
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The deepest, oldest sharing arrangement — formed during WWII as the UKUSA agreement. If your data lives in any of these, it can move freely between them.
9 Eyes
The 5 plus Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Norway. Looser ties, but still significant data-sharing.
14 Eyes
The 9 plus Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden. The broadest sharing circle.
So where should your VPN live?
Pick a provider headquartered outside all 14 — Senton is based in the EU outside the 14 Eyes core, with RAM-only servers that physically cannot retain user activity. No logs means there's nothing to hand over even with a court order.