update: Proton VPN (with Monero) no longer available from Proxystore (#3206)

Signed-off-by: Jonah Aragon <jonah@privacyguides.org>
Signed-off-by: Mare Polaris <ph00lt0@privacyguides.org>
Signed-off-by: Daniel Gray <dngray@privacyguides.org>

blog/author/em.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-description: Em is a full-time journalist at Privacy Guides.
+description: Em is the Activism & Outreach Lead at Privacy Guides. She is a public‑interest technologist and researcher who has been working on various independent projects in data privacy, information security, and software engineering since 2018.
 schema:
   -
     "@context": https://schema.org
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ schema:
 
 ![Profile picture](https://github.com/EmAtPrivacyGuides.png){ align=right }
 
-[**Em**](https://emontheinternet.me/) is a full-time staff writer at *Privacy Guides*. She is a public‑interest technologist and researcher who has been working on various independent projects in data privacy, information security, and software engineering since 2018.
+[**Em**](https://emontheinternet.me/) is the Activism & Outreach Lead at *Privacy Guides*. She is a public‑interest technologist and researcher who has been working on various independent projects in data privacy, information security, and software engineering since 2018.
 
 Em is passionate about digital rights, privacy advocacy, solid security, and code for the public good. In her free time, you can find Em on Mastodon giving privacy tips or boosting photos of cats and moss.
 

blog/author/jonah.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-description: Jonah Aragon is the Project Director and staff writer at Privacy Guides. His role includes researching and writing for this website, system administration, creating Privacy Guides Online Learning course content, reviewing the products recommended here, and most other day-to-day tasks.
+description: Jonah is Privacy Guides' editor and Program Director. With over a decade of technical writing experience, his role includes researching and writing for Privacy Guides. He also runs Triplebit, a non-profit ISP behind many privacy-related tools.
 schema:
   -
     "@context": https://schema.org
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ schema:
 
 ![Profile picture](https://github.com/jonaharagon.png){ align=right }
 
-[**Jonah Aragon**](https://www.jonaharagon.com) is the Project Director and staff writer at *Privacy Guides*. His role includes researching and writing for this website, system administration, creating Privacy Guides Online Learning course content, reviewing the products recommended here, and most other day-to-day tasks.
-
-He is also known for his work on the Techlore YouTube channel, including the Techlore Talks podcast he co-hosts.
+[**Jonah Aragon**](https://www.jonaharagon.com) is *Privacy Guides'* editor and Program Director. With over a decade of technical writing experience, his role includes researching and writing for Privacy Guides. He also runs Triplebit, a non-profit ISP behind many privacy-related tools.
 
 [:simple-mastodon: @jonah@neat.computer](https://mastodon.neat.computer/@jonah "@jonah@neat.computer"){ .md-button rel=me }
 [:simple-bluesky: @jonaharagon.com](https://bsky.app/profile/jonaharagon.com "@jonaharagon.com"){ .md-button rel=me }

docs/about.md

@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ Our staff are paid to contribute to supplemental content at Privacy Guides, like
 
     ---
 
-    :material-text-account: Staff Writer
+    :material-text-account: Activism and Outreach
 
     [:material-account: Profile](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/u/em)
 
@@ -148,18 +148,6 @@ Our staff are paid to contribute to supplemental content at Privacy Guides, like
     [:material-mastodon:](https://social.lol/@jw "@jw@social.lol"){rel=me}
     [:material-email:](mailto:jordan@privacyguides.org "Email")
 
--   :japanese_goblin:{ .lg .middle } **Kevin Pham**
-
-    ---
-
-    :material-text-account: Community & News Intern
-
-    [:material-account: Profile](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/u/kevpham)
-
-    [:material-github:](https://github.com/kevpham123 "GitHub")
-    [:material-mastodon:](https://mastodon.social/@kevpham "@kevpham@mastodon.social"){rel=me}
-    [:material-email:](mailto:kevin@privacyguides.org "Email")
-
 -   :video_camera:{ .lg .middle } **Nate Bartram**
 
     ---

docs/activism/toolbox/.meta.yml

@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 hide:
   - toc
+social:
+  cards_layout: toolbox

docs/os/linux-overview.md

@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ There are other system identifiers which you may wish to be careful about. You s
 
 - **Hostnames:** Your system's hostname is shared with the networks you connect to. You should avoid including identifying terms like your name or operating system in your hostname, instead sticking to generic terms or random strings.
 - **Usernames:** Similarly, your username is used in a variety of ways across your system. Consider using generic terms like "user" rather than your actual name.
-- **Machine ID:** During installation, a unique machine ID is generated and stored on your device. Consider [setting it to a generic ID](https://madaidans-insecurities.github.io/guides/linux-hardening.html#machine-id).
 
 ### System Counting
 

docs/vpn.md

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Our recommended providers use encryption, support WireGuard & OpenVPN, and have
 
 | Provider | Countries | WireGuard | Port Forwarding | IPv6 | Anonymous Payments |
 |---|---|---|---|---|---|
-| [Proton](#proton-vpn) | 127+ | :material-check:{ .pg-green } | :material-alert-outline:{ .pg-orange } Partial Support | :material-information-outline:{ .pg-blue } Limited Support | Cash  Monero via third party |
+| [Proton](#proton-vpn) | 127+ | :material-check:{ .pg-green } | :material-alert-outline:{ .pg-orange } Partial Support | :material-information-outline:{ .pg-blue } Limited Support | Cash |
 | [IVPN](#ivpn) | 41+ | :material-check:{ .pg-green } | :material-alert-outline:{ .pg-orange } | :material-information-outline:{ .pg-blue } Outgoing Only | Monero  Cash |
 | [Mullvad](#mullvad) | 49+ | :material-check:{ .pg-green } | :material-alert-outline:{ .pg-orange } | :material-check:{ .pg-green } | Monero  Cash |
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ Proton VPN provides the source code for their desktop and mobile clients in thei
 
 #### :material-check:{ .pg-green } Accepts Cash
 
-Proton VPN, in addition to accepting credit/debit cards, PayPal, and [Bitcoin](advanced/payments.md#other-coins-bitcoin-ethereum-etc), also accepts **cash/local currency** as an anonymous form of payment. You can also use [**Monero**](cryptocurrency.md#monero) to purchase vouchers for Proton VPN Plus and Proton Unlimited via their [official](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/add-monero-as-an-anonymous-payment-method-for-proton-services/31058/15) reseller [ProxyStore](https://dys2p.com/en/2025-09-09-proton.html).
+Proton VPN, in addition to accepting credit/debit cards, PayPal, and [Bitcoin](advanced/payments.md#other-coins-bitcoin-ethereum-etc), also accepts **cash/local currency** as an anonymous form of payment.
 
 #### :material-check:{ .pg-green } WireGuard Support
 
@@ -121,13 +121,15 @@ We are noting this because while we don't necessarily recommend against sharing
 
 </div>
 
-#### :material-information-outline:{ .pg-blue } Additional Notes
+#### :material-alert-outline:{ .pg-orange } Additional Notes
 
 Proton VPN clients support two-factor authentication on all platforms. Proton VPN has their own servers and datacenters in Switzerland, Iceland and Sweden. They offer content blocking and known-malware blocking with their DNS service. Additionally, Proton VPN also offers "Tor" servers allowing you to easily connect to onion sites, but we still strongly recommend using [the official Tor Browser](tor.md#tor-browser) for this purpose.
 
-##### :material-alert-outline:{ .pg-orange } Kill switch feature is broken on Intel-based Macs
+##### Kill switch feature provides poor protections on macOS
 
-System crashes [may occur](https://protonvpn.com/support/macos-t2-chip-kill-switch) on Intel-based Macs when using the VPN kill switch. If you require this feature, and you are using a Mac with Intel chipset, you should consider using another VPN service.
+Proton VPN's kill switch on macOS does not block any traffic when you intentionally disconnect from the VPN, *including when you disconnect by switching servers.* You should not make any sensitive connections while the VPN is turned off, nor when switching servers. It is only designed to prevent traffic leaks in the case of an unexpected VPN disconnection, which is still a useful feature to have, but it does not provide the same level of protection as a kill switch that blocks all traffic when the VPN is turned off.
+
+Additionally, system crashes [may occur](https://protonvpn.com/support/macos-t2-chip-kill-switch) on Intel-based Macs when using the VPN kill switch. If you require this feature, and you are using a Mac with Intel chipset, you should consider using another VPN service.
 
 ### IVPN
 
@@ -298,19 +300,20 @@ It is important to note that using a VPN provider will not make you anonymous, b
 
 ### Technology
 
-We require all our recommended VPN providers to provide standard configuration files which can be used in a generic, open-source client. **If** a VPN provides their own custom client, we require a kill switch to block network data leaks when disconnected.
+We require our recommended providers to support modern technologies currently available to VPNs.
 
 **Minimum to Qualify:**
 
+- Must provide standard configuration files which can be used in a generic, open-source client such as the WireGuard apps.
 - Support for strong protocols such as WireGuard.
-- Kill switch built in to clients.
+- Functional kill switch built in to service-provided clients on our recommended [desktop](desktop.md) and [mobile](android/distributions.md) platforms. This kill switch should be able to block all internet traffic when the VPN connection drops unexpectedly.
 - Multi-hop support. Multi-hopping is important to keep data private in case of a single node compromise.
 - If VPN clients are provided, they should be [open source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source), like the VPN software they generally have built into them. We believe that [source code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_code) availability provides greater transparency about what the program is actually doing.
 - Censorship resistance features designed to bypass firewalls without DPI.
 
 **Best Case:**
 
-- Kill switch with highly configurable options (enable/disable on certain networks, on boot, etc.)
+- Kill switch on all major platforms with highly configurable options (enable/disable on certain networks, on boot, etc.)
 - Easy-to-use VPN clients
 - [IPv6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv6) support. We expect that servers will allow incoming connections via IPv6 and allow you to access services hosted on IPv6 addresses.
 - Capability of [remote port forwarding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_forwarding#Remote_port_forwarding) assists in creating connections when using P2P ([Peer-to-Peer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer-to-peer)) file sharing software or hosting a server (e.g., Mumble).

mkdocs.blog.yml

@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ nav:
       !ENV [MAIN_SITE_KNOWLEDGE_BASE_URL, "/en/basics/why-privacy-matters/"]
   - !ENV [NAV_RECOMMENDATIONS, "Recommendations"]:
       !ENV [MAIN_SITE_RECOMMENDATIONS_URL, "/en/tools/"]
+  - !ENV [NAV_ACTIVISM, "Activism"]: !ENV [MAIN_SITE_ACTIVISM_URL, "/activism/"]
   - !ENV [NAV_BLOG, "Articles"]:
       - Latest Posts: !ENV [ARTICLES_SITE_BASE_URL, "index.md"]
       - index.md

mkdocs.yml

@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ theme:
     - search.highlight
 
 extra_css:
-  - assets/stylesheets/extra.css?v=20250723
+  - assets/stylesheets/extra.css?v=20260303
 extra_javascript:
   - path: assets/javascripts/randomize-element.js?v=20250306
     defer: true

theme/layouts/toolbox.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+definitions:
+  - &background_image >-
+    {%- if page.meta.cover -%}
+      theme/assets/img/cover/{{ page.meta.cover }}
+    {%- else -%}
+      {{ layout.background_image or "" }}
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+  - &background_color >-
+    {%- if page.meta.cover -%}
+      #f7f7fcaa
+    {%- else -%}
+      #FFD06F
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+  - &color >-
+    {{ layout.color or "#2d2d2d" }}
+
+  - &title_font_family >-
+    {%- if config.theme.language == "he" -%}
+      Suez One
+    {%- elif config.theme.language == ("ru" or "zh-Hant" or "zh-TW") -%}
+      Noto Serif TC
+    {%- else -%}
+      Bagnard
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+  - &title_font_style >-
+    {%- if config.theme.language == "he" -%}
+      Regular
+    {%- else -%}
+      Bold
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+  - &font_family >-
+    {%- if config.theme.language == "he" -%}
+      Suez One
+    {%- elif config.theme.language == ("ru" or "zh-Hant" or "zh-TW") -%}
+      Noto Sans TC
+    {%- else -%}
+      Public Sans
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+  - &site_name >-
+    {{ config.site_name }}
+
+  - &page_title >-
+    {{ page.meta.get("title", page.title) }}
+
+  - &page_title_with_site_name >-
+    {%- if page.meta.meta_title -%}
+      {{ page.meta.meta_title }}
+    {%- else -%}
+      {{ page.meta.get("title", page.title) }} - {{ config.site_name }}
+    {%- endif -%}
+
+  - &page_description >-
+    {{ page.meta.get("description", config.site_description) or "" }}
+
+  - &page_icon >-
+    {{ page.meta.icon or "" }}
+
+  - &logo >-
+    theme/assets/brand/logos/svg/logo/privacy-guides-logo-notext-colorbg.svg
+
+# Meta tags
+tags:
+  # Open Graph
+  og:site_name: *site_name
+  og:type: website
+  og:title: *page_title_with_site_name
+  og:description: *page_description
+  og:image: "{{ image.url }}"
+  og:image:type: "{{ image.type }}"
+  og:image:width: "{{ image.width }}"
+  og:image:height: "{{ image.height }}"
+  og:url: "{{ page.canonical_url }}"
+
+  # Facebook
+  article:publisher: "https://www.facebook.com/PrivacyGuides.org"
+
+  # Mastodon
+  fediverse:creator: "@privacyguides@neat.computer"
+
+  # Twitter
+  twitter:site: "@privacy_guides"
+  twitter:card: summary_large_image
+  twitter:title: *page_title_with_site_name
+  twitter:description: *page_description
+  twitter:image: "{{ image.url }}"
+  twitter:image:width: "{{ image.width }}"
+  twitter:image:height: "{{ image.height }}"
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Specification
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Card size and layers
+size: { width: 1200, height: 630 }
+layers:
+  # Background
+  - background:
+      image: *background_image
+      color: *background_color
+
+  # # Page icon
+  # - size: { width: 630, height: 630 }
+  #   offset: { x: 570, y: 0 }
+  #   icon:
+  #     value: *page_icon
+  #     color: "#00000033"
+
+  # Logo
+  - size: { width: 64, height: 64 }
+    offset: { x: 64, y: 64 }
+    background:
+      image: *logo
+
+  # Site name
+  - size: { width: 768, height: 42 }
+    offset: { x: 160, y: 78 }
+    typography:
+      content: Activism Toolbox
+      color: *color
+      font:
+        family: Bagnard
+        style: Bold
+
+  # Page title
+  - size: { width: 864, height: 256 }
+    offset: { x: 160, y: 256 }
+    typography:
+      content: *page_title
+      align: start
+      color: *color
+      line:
+        amount: 3
+        height: 1.5
+      font:
+        family: *title_font_family
+        style: *title_font_style
+
+  # # Page description
+  # - size: { width: 864, height: 96 }
+  #   offset: { x: 64, y: 480 }
+  #   typography:
+  #     content: *page_description
+  #     align: start
+  #     color: *color
+  #     line:
+  #       amount: 3
+  #       height: 1.5
+  #     font:
+  #       family: *font_family
+  #       style: Regular