Well, I am kind of a computer enthusiast, as my main formation is informatic engeneering, and I have been reading thos post carefully because back then there were no vpns, no cybercops or cybercimes.
The one thing I have learned is that no information is secure online, recently a student was caught using the darknet attempting to blow a Portuguese university, well authorities were warned by fbi from usa, the teenager was arrested, so you can go blank or dark web with or without vpn, encrypted or not info will travel and will be accessible.
So… If you are targeted, there isn’t much you can do.