this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2026

263 points (96.8% liked)

PurchaseWithPurpose

1045 readers

47 users here now

A community driven to showing our voice through the things we buy and use.

A few useful links:

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

FallenWalnut@lemmy.world

263

The CEO of Mullvad is the main financer of the far-right Swedish Örebro party (www.techradar.com)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by FallenWalnut@lemmy.world to c/PurchaseWithPurpose@lemmy.world

61 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Worth noting if you are using their VPN services or Browser.

EDIT: Apparently, labelling them as far-right isn't as clear-cut from an economic perspective, but they do hold many core identity politics that are common amongst far-right parties such as:

Voiced support for the idea of large-scale remigration on multiple occasions, even for Swedish-born immigrants: "Sweden belongs to the Swedes"
Supports Sweden leaving NATO
In favor of Sweden leaving the European Union in a so-called "Swexit"
Stated that Sweden should only support other countries on the condition that it benefits Sweden and that it has to be "Sweden first"

top 50 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] thecam@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Based!

Looks like I am switching to Mullvad, especially since Mullvad's response to this "matter" is to uphold free speech and not join in on cancel culture.

Anyone who complaining about this needs to grow up and learn to respect other people for their opinion. I am certain many snowflakes have shopped at stores were the owner would be considered a "facist". I am certain I have shopped at businesses were the owner was politically different than me, but I won't go on a crusade to get the owner to step down over opinions.

"B-b-but he is a nazi!" its 2026, everyone is a nazi now because of snowflakes pointing and sputtering.

[–] mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Looks like this user recently returned to Lemmy after a long break. I’ve seen them a few times in the past day or two, and my old user tag is still very true.

[–] thecam@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

You don't know me dude. Not a MAGA guy.

And you add labels on people you disagree with? 🤣

"I must hurry, there is a "bad guy" in the thread! Tell the others!" Really?

[–] Lor@leminal.space 8 points 1 day ago

And mullvad is on social media defending him. Quit mullvad. F*k fascism.

[–] JoeTheSane@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

Jesus fucking Christ! I can’t use anything anymore. I think it’s time for me to take a few steps back from tech.

[–] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 86 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Daniel Berntsson, co-founder and co-owner of Mullvad VPN, has donated 5 million Swedish kronor (around $514,000) of his personal funds to the controversial populist Örebro Party.

First reported by local news outlet Flamman, the 2025 donation accounted for 72% of the party's total income last year.

He is the reason the party still exists

[–] KaChilde@sh.itjust.works 25 points 2 days ago

People have been throwing around this “Personal funds” thing in all the reporting on this story. Trying to distance the company from the asshole.

Where exactly did Daniel’s “Personal funds” come from? Surely not the popular VPN that he is the co-owner of.

[–] frtzngbllr@lemmy.world 49 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The only right move would be to remove him from the company entirely.

[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 32 points 2 days ago

Given that he owns half of the company, that’s easier said than done

[–] lime@feddit.nu 35 points 2 days ago (1 children)

he's co-ceo and his co-founder has publically stated that he finds it unacceptable, but that "it's his money". don't really agree with that stance but point is this is still developing. they may let him go.

[–] DarkCloud@lemmy.world 37 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I don't get why a person can donate that much to a political party. Should be illegal.

load more comments (5 replies)

[–] nevyn@slrpnk.net -3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Is that a click bait title, or are you deliberately trying to misrepresent the company?

The link title shows it to be false.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Only issue I see is that's a co-owner/co-founder/co-CEO. Can you elaborate what else is misrepresented?

[–] nevyn@slrpnk.net -1 points 10 hours ago

By incorrectly stating that it is a single CEO, it perpetuates the manipulation that the company itself is evil.

If this was not commonly being used to market against mullvad on other platforms, I most likely would not have even noticed it. I have seen similar dishonest posts elsewhere, and people grabbing pitchforks in response, without even looking into it at all.

I am one of the people who has been refunded due to this. I am approaching this honestly, and wish others were as well.

[–] bryndos@fedia.io 7 points 2 days ago (6 children)

Thanks, damn this is quite a good VPN. Any other decent options in the similar price range?

[–] dreamkeeper@literature.cafe 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I already have proton drive which comes with proton vpn. So I started using that. EU-based VPN and so far it's been noticeably faster than mullvad with fewer captchas too. So I can't complain.

[–] ProfessorHoover@infosec.pub 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Proton's CEO has thrown his support behind Trump, so it's not a safe haven either.

[–] dreamkeeper@literature.cafe 3 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

He made a very dumb tweet and then walked it back. As far I know he hasn't made any material contribution to fascists, unlike the mullvad CEO.

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

That is a bit of an exaggeration.

[–] Turret3857@infosec.pub 6 points 2 days ago (2 children)

IVPN is my understanding. They supposedly provide support to the EFF

[–] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

I looked at IVPN but it makes me sad that they wrote it in C, while Mullvad is Rust.

[–] wingnut@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago

Ill check them out!

load more comments (4 replies)

[–] SirW00talot@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

They advertise all over Seattle transit, glad to know I shouldn't be doing business with them.

load more comments