The phrase in the title is a common trope that comes up when VPN services are discussed. While this statement is technically correct, it can be misleading, as it implies that all providers handle law enforcement requests and prepare for worst case scenarios similarly, so their conduct cannot be a differentiating factor when you evaluate them.
I know how VPNs work. When I connect to a VPN I trust that the provider doesn’t snoop on me, actually routes the traffic like they promise and combines my traffic effectively enough that it obfuscates my identity.
correct, and, I trust that provider, i.e. Mullvad, 100x more than I trust my ISP. Especially after Mullvad’s run-in with the police last year. Recommend to look it up. Also OVPN’s court battle, and Proton’s court battles too. A good provider will prove themselves to you.
My point is that I disagree that a VPN provider is somehow intrinsically on the same trust level as an ISP. It really depends on the provider, but all in all VPN providers tend to be much more trustworthy with your traffic.