10Beasts started as a blog created by Barry, where he initially shared his thoughts and reflections as a way to document his life experiences. However, due to work and personal interests, he found himself frequently using platforms like Google, Facebook, and Twitter, which led him into the realm of VPNs and bypassing internet censorship. During this process, he encountered countless issues, the most frustrating being service providers taking donations and disappearing. As he gained more experience, Barry also realized that VPN software could pose significant privacy risks for users. This prompted him to focus more on security and privacy aspects in his blog content.
What began as a place for random musings gradually evolved into a site dedicated to sharing his VPN experiences. As time passed, more and more users started contributing and discussing these topics, which shaped the blog into its current form. With internet censorship in China becoming increasingly strict, Barry recognized that it’s getting harder for Chinese users to catch a glimpse of the free and open web. That’s why he launched the “Daily Speed Test” initiative, aiming to provide readers with real-time insights on the performance of various VPNs.
There’s another issue I’d like to address here. Many readers have asked why I don’t review certain VPNs, proxy services, or specific tools. My answer is simple: I carefully choose the VPNs I test, prioritizing safety above all else. When I say “safety,” I mean ensuring that users within Mainland China are not at risk of falling into any law enforcement traps. If there’s even a slight chance of this happening, I won’t conduct a review. While it’s true that some small, private proxy services might offer better speeds or stability in the short term, they often fall prey to shutdowns, scams, or even bait operations in the long run. If you choose to use such services, I won’t stop you, but I definitely won’t contribute to promoting them.
I can’t convince everyone to care about their privacy, and I understand that some people simply don’t. However, I also know that many people do. While tech-savvy individuals may find ways to bypass censorship using advanced methods, not everyone has the knowledge or time to dive into such complexities.
I hope this blog can help ordinary internet users break through the Great Firewall in a safe, simple, and effective manner, bringing some positive changes to their work, life, and entertainment experiences.
Site Revenue Model:
Currently, our primary source of income comes from affiliate links to merchants offering special discounts. When users click these links and make a purchase, we receive a small commission. This revenue is quite modest considering the time and effort invested in maintaining the site. To support the long-term operation of the website, I may add some image advertisements (such as Google AdSense) on the right side of the page in the future. Any ads displayed will be clearly marked as advertisements to differentiate them from my original content.
When incorporating ads, I will make sure they do not disrupt the reading experience and are easily distinguishable from the site’s content, so as to avoid confusion. (I personally find pop-up ads on some websites extremely annoying—sometimes browsing for just a few minutes results in 3-5 intrusive pop-ups, which is simply unbearable!)
As of now, the main motivation driving me to continue updating the site is threefold: First, it’s a personal passion; second, I want to create a space where like-minded readers who value privacy and security can come together to discuss these topics, which brings me a sense of accomplishment; and third, I have a small hope of turning this blog into a reputable and authoritative source of information on secure internet access and online privacy.
