@hucker See https://help.opera.com/en/latest/features/#VPN

Also check https://www.opera.com/privacy to see what data Opera records.

Sounds like a VPN not just a Proxy. And I forgot Opera was Norwegian, so no logging

However I assume this is only for within Opera, so I'll stick to NordVPN.

Also check https://www.opera.com/privacy to see what data Opera records.

While either a true VPN or an encryption-using proxy can hide the content of the traffic being viewed at a website, they cannot completely hide evidence of their being used per se. In some locales, the mere use of such devices to bypass censorship is considered illegal... so users must be aware of the local risks they may be running. A censor need only subscribe themselves to a VPN or proxy service to rather quickly determine the various portal IPs in use by the VPN/proxy, and either IP block or prosecute use of the VPN/proxy if they so desire. In the real world, larger and better-funded national censors tend to block more VPN and proxy IPs as well as certain proscribed target website IPs. The key point is that while either VPN or proxy might hide the particular content of what a user is specifically viewing, that they are using a VPN or proxy cannot be hidden from a censorship body.

@hucker A proxy may not keep records as well a VPN can keep them, it's a matter of configuration.

Surely they're two different things? Or they'd have the same name.

I controlled a proxy at my work. It was used to block access to fun sites when staff should be working. But it kept records of everything, except when I deleted some to get someone let off

But VPN stands for PRIVATE network. I expect to be able to do anything I want without government agencies knocking on my door. Does Opera keep records? Do they encrypt to prevent interception? Things like Ivacy and NordVPN promise these.

@hucker A VPN is, basically, a (big) proxy

No, a proxy probably keeps records. A proxy probably doesn't encrypt. If you're in China or Russia and you want to look at news in another country, you'd better not just use a proxy, or you get jailed.

@lavanyadeepak-0 Because it's basically a proxy.

So they lied? People are expecting privacy and don't get it.

The key difference between VPN and Proxy is end-to-end encryption.

What do you mean with 'end-to-end'?
If you mean traffic between your browser and the destination server, then https protocol provides end-to-end encryption there, not VPN. VPN adds encryption layer for traffic between client (your browser) and VPN server, otherwise VPN server is just ordinary proxy.

Slowly they work to provide a comprehensive end to end encryption. The browser shell itself could be helping as a desktop VPN client.