The recent trend of consolidation in the VPN industry isn't showing signs of slowing down. We saw the latest example of this trend in February when NordVPN and Surfsharkannounced they were merging. As of right now, just three companies control many of the biggest VPN providers, including some of CNET's top picks listed in this guide.  There are several legitimate concerns about VPN consolidation. First, the general lack of transparency in VPN ownership structures is typically bad for users. In the VPN industry, where privacy and security are so critical, ownership transparency is equally imperative. When you sign on with a VPN and trust it with protecting your privacy online, you'll want to know exactly what corporate entity is in control of the service, if and how your data is shared and secured within the larger organization and in what jurisdiction your data is stored. Too often, the picture isn't as clear as it should be. Consolidation also dilutes competition in an industry, ultimately leading to higher costs for the customer and less incentive for companies to improve services. The VPN services involved in these mergers and acquisitions insist they will all operate independently and will not share user data between entities. However, Surfshark's communications head told CNET the company has no plans of sharing information "without notifying our customers in advance," suggesting the door may indeed still be open for future data sharing. It's too early to tell yet what the long-term implications will be here, but we're keeping a close eye on the developing situation in the industry and will update our reviews accordingly.  Our top picks remain safe to use in the meantime, but it's still a good idea to do research on what other products or other services are under the same parent company umbrella. The more you know, the more you stay in control of your digital privacy.