All Specs A virtual private network, or VPN, shields your web traffic from the prying eyes of your ISP, making it harder for spies and advertisers to track you online. Hotspot Shield VPN has a handsome app and an array of security services that go far beyond VPN protection. It also boasts an impressive collection of servers around the globe, giving you many options for spoofing your location. The core VPN product is expensive, however, and its privacy policies are transparent but hurt by a few tradeoffs. While other VPNs have worked to make clear and concise arguments about how they protect their customers, Hotspot Shield continues to be a complicated story.