let's say that VPNs are compromised and "they" know that you're downloading "illegally"

in order to prosecute, "they" have to prove you're a pirate and show how they know

would they compromise their backDoor to go after a tiny pirate?

In fairness I doubt the NSA give a single solitary fuck about piracy and aren't about to give themselves up over a telesync rip of Beetlejuice 2.

But probably best to plan 9/11 part 2 over something a bit more secure.

Bro I'm downloading Final Fantasy, not running a pedo marketplace. I will be fine.

do you have a moment to talk about our lord and saviour mullvad vpn

what about proton or mullvad?

Are you suggesting that it's pointless to use a VPN?

Title is probably true, but also it's less likely for the NSA to leak your info than say an ISP that openly sells your info. I highly doubt that the NSA sees someone pirating Photoshop as a priority. VPNs can help with preventing a random ad from logging your real loose location, have built in DNS ad block, open up region locked content plus a list of other benefits.

VPNs absolutely help with general privacy, like not putting your personal phone number on a public registry. They are not intended to perfectly hide you from a super power's intelligence agency lol