Shaquille O’Neal appeared at a NordVPN awareness activation in New York’s Times Square, according to a report published October 8, 2026. The event followed NordVPN’s September announcement of a global partnership with O’Neal, intended to make online threats easier to understand and promote the company’s antivirus features.
What happened in New York City?
Unicorns.lt reported that O’Neal took part in a Times Square activation designed to raise awareness of digital threats. Its October 8, 2026 account is the source for the event details; the available reporting does not establish an independently measured effect on attendees’ security habits.
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The activation was part of a broader partnership NordVPN announced in September 2026. The company introduced O’Neal as an ambassador under the slogan “Go big on your online protection” and said the campaign would explain digital-security risks while promoting its next-generation antivirus. The announcement was republished by G3 Newswire.
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The Times Square appearance was paired with survey findings attributed to a NordVPN survey of 2,010 Americans, as reported by Unicorns.lt. The report says 74% failed to identify a fake URL, 73% had recently encountered online fraud, and 13% had lost money or nearly done so. The underlying questionnaire, methodology, and dataset are not provided in that report, so these figures should be read as company-reported survey results rather than independently verified population estimates.
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The campaign’s central point is that common online risks are not limited to technical experts. Fake links, scam calls, phishing pages, and malicious downloads can target ordinary users. A public activation can draw attention to those risks, but the available sources do not show that the event itself changed behavior or reduced fraud.
What security claims did NordVPN make?
In its September announcement, NordVPN cited activity figures for its security services. These are company-reported metrics, not independent measurements:
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The announcement also characterized a recent West Coast Labs assessment as showing a 99% detection rate. It did not link the assessment or state its date, so that percentage cannot be evaluated here against the test’s scope or conditions.
What does the promoted service include?
The campaign promotes a digital subscription rather than a physical product. NordVPN’s campaign page describes a VPN subscription with security features including scam alerts, malware scanning, ad and tracker blocking, phishing and email protection, and a Windows vulnerability scanner. Feature availability may depend on the plan, device, or operating system; check the current plan details before subscribing.
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A VPN can encrypt traffic between a device and the VPN service, but it does not make every link, download, account, or online transaction safe. Scam awareness and protective tools address different risks, and no single feature guarantees protection from all cyber threats.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the partnership—and what is not?
The September release quotes O’Neal saying, “I only work with people and brands I believe in, and NordVPN is serious about helping people stay protected online.” It also quotes NordVPN CMO Toma Sabaliauskienė: “NordVPN is no longer just a VPN, and this partnership makes that clear.” Both statements are reproduced as published in the company announcement.
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The available accounts establish the partnership announcement, the reported Times Square appearance, the campaign’s stated message, and NordVPN’s own service and threat figures. They do not provide independent evidence of campaign impact, a linked report for the detection-rate claim, or the primary documentation for the survey.
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