Your self-hosted VPN has to be plugged into the internet somewhere.
If that IP address is associated with you, the VPN hasn’t done anything.
The number of people who are using the VPN server also lends plausible deniability.
“No I wasn’t pirating anything! That was someone else! I was just using it because I like my privacy and don’t trust my government to not snoop on it!”
Your self-hosted VPN has to be plugged into the internet somewhere. If that IP address is associated with you, the VPN hasn’t done anything.
The number of people who are using the VPN server also lends plausible deniability.
“No I wasn’t pirating anything! That was someone else! I was just using it because I like my privacy and don’t trust my government to not snoop on it!”