As someone who grew up using the internet from a very young age (we got a family computer when I was 7 way back in 2000), I grew up under the general rule of "never post your personal info online, never share your email, never post your face".
Over the years of course, I watched all this change with the rise of MySpace, Twitter, then eventually Instagram & social media apps. Now, I hear all the time about people being doxxed or stalked just from making what they thought were simple posts online from accounts that had just enough of their information available on their user profiles that they thought was harmless to post.
I also remember there used to be internet users and whole forums for users to discuss and share privacy and anti-hacking knowledge and tips, but it seems like since around 2019 that really doesn't exist anymore. In fact, it almost feels like cyber marketing and targeted ads rely on people freely posting their information publicly, sharing locations, and enabling various app permissions to track & target users. Algorithms went from showing you content similar to what you like from users similar to you, to showing you either controversial or reaffirming yet useless content from influencers and it feels like such a massive disconnect to me personally.
I wonder if there's anyone left who is still tech-savvy enough to know how to protect themselves from all this information oversharing and (what feels like) app & algorithm surveillance? So many things are ingrained with a mobile or app interface now that daily life seems to revolve around smartphones, so there has to be ways to make them safer and more private... right?
Short of deleting all your apps and accounts & downgrading to a dumb phone for seniors, I wonder what that would look like?
For me, I don't have Facebook, and I bought a sliding laptop camera cover & put it on my phone to cover the screen-side camera, and a case with a big sliding camera cover to hide the back one. I also disallow my mic and camera access unless I need to take a pic or make a call, but I still rely on Bluetooth connectivity to listen to music at work and in my car. I try to remember to shut off my wifi as often as I can as well, but I live in a rural area and sometimes I have to rely on that as well for wifi calling, or else I won't be able to make calls.
Aside from all this, I still worry about my phone "listening" to me, and have considered getting a USB-C Mic Lock blocker to plug into my phone but I'm worried about it snagging and damaging my C port.
I used to be pretty capable before apps became a thing, but when it comes to apps and smartphones they're a completely different animal and despite being pretty handy with them compared to the rest of my family, both older and younger, I still feel like there's an ocean of information I don't know.
What are your thoughts? Whst do you do to keep safe & protect your privacy online?
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2024 5:53 am
I'm not an expert I think we should talk through the two concepts, related but wtih significant differences you are adressing here, one is security and the other is privacy.
As for security I think if we go by statistics (and that matters if you mention massive use) the percentage of successful breaches of compromising information for the average individual is low, hackers do not waste time on average people and most financial apps, shopping apps, and even some social media offer adequate security like 2 step verification, even Gaia Online, that alone makes any hacking difficult.
There is a scam market thriving on gullible people and there are those cases of doxxing and stalking, minors are at more risk. I ignore why cyber security stopped being a trend but in general I think with more people being literate with digital technology and it becoming a more integral part of our life those problems are going to be even more overlooked as time passes and specially since they are not affecting the average population significally.
As for privacy, many business already have our profiles if we don't deliberately hide our identity. BUT there is a culture that still upholds the right to privacy and there are guides that can show you the adequate tools to have absolute privacy. Ever since the secret spying programs from different Govs were leaked through wikileaks a movement has emerged to counteract and try to inform about the risks of corporations and govs invading our privacy without our knowing. Similar to the example of downgrading to dumb phone, it can be a whole way of life, you may not need to downgrade but you have to navegate private channels, use browsers like Brave that are build on this principle and vnps, aliases for your social handles and use private message apps like Telegram.
In my case it would be easier to adapt to a more private digital life since I am not a big of a consumer of digital services or products, but I'm poor and it's even easier for me to give data to corporations, I know they'll pile my profile with the "trash" profiles anyway xp
I'm not an expert I think we should talk through the two concepts, related but wtih significant differences you are adressing here, one is security and the other is privacy.
As for security I think if we go by statistics (and that matters if you mention massive use) the percentage of successful breaches of compromising information for the average individual is low, hackers do not waste time on average people and most financial apps, shopping apps, and even some social media offer adequate security like 2 step verification, even Gaia Online, that alone makes any hacking difficult.
There is a scam market thriving on gullible people and there are those cases of doxxing and stalking, minors are at more risk. I ignore why cyber security stopped being a trend but in general I think with more people being literate with digital technology and it becoming a more integral part of our life those problems are going to be even more overlooked as time passes and specially since they are not affecting the average population significally.
As for privacy, many business already have our profiles if we don't deliberately hide our identity. BUT there is a culture that still upholds the right to privacy and there are guides that can show you the adequate tools to have absolute privacy. Ever since the secret spying programs from different Govs were leaked through wikileaks a movement has emerged to counteract and try to inform about the risks of corporations and govs invading our privacy without our knowing. Similar to the example of downgrading to dumb phone, it can be a whole way of life, you may not need to downgrade but you have to navegate private channels, use browsers like Brave that are build on this principle and vnps, aliases for your social handles and use private message apps like Telegram.
In my case it would be easier to adapt to a more private digital life since I am not a big of a consumer of digital services or products, but I'm poor and it's even easier for me to give data to corporations, I know they'll pile my profile with the "trash" profiles anyway xp
I use Brave, aliases, and have disabled face-focused social medias like FB/IG and stopped uploading selfie PFPs anywhere I know a few still exist but as of right now, I don't know what more I can do to be more private. I'm definitely interested in online privacy and I think everyone should be- there are millions and millions of people online & not all of them are morally sound.
I personally hate when I have to use things like IDme on the DMV website or the IRS website, facial recognition feels like a dark, slippery slope to me.
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2024 3:41 pm
Totally agree with you, I think more people should be conscious of their privacy. Here’s what I do:
1) Use a physical blocker on my web cam 2) Use aliases on social media like Facebook and/or give out fake information 3) Use Brave to block trackers 4) Gmail has this handy feature where you can add a postfix to your email address and still receive your email. Example: I sign up for service A with my email cosette+serviceA@gmail.com. If I start receiving spam at this email address, then I know service A has sold my email address. 5) Take advantage of data privacy laws when applicable, i.e. CDPR or GDPR 6) Use services like 1Password or yubi keys so that my passwords and important digital docs aren’t floating around in various places
With that being said, it’s really hard to avoid things like facial recognition in public if you’re living in a place like the USA. American malls have been practicing facial recognition for law enforcement or marketing purposes since at least 2014. I’ve kinda just accepted that part of public life whenever I’m back in the States. 3nodding
I use Brave, aliases, and have disabled face-focused social medias like FB/IG and stopped uploading selfie PFPs anywhere I know a few still exist but as of right now, I don't know what more I can do to be more private. I'm definitely interested in online privacy and I think everyone should be- there are millions and millions of people online & not all of them are morally sound.
I personally hate when I have to use things like IDme on the DMV website or the IRS website, facial recognition feels like a dark, slippery slope to me.
If you can't avoid facial recognition there is no way around it just limit your exposure.
If you want full privacy I think you can go for a VPN, or at least another form of proxy or/and use the Tor browser (although this takes more time, Brave has Tor Browsing capabilities) to browse the internet as anonymously as possible.
However, consider if you used social media or google services in the past without anonymity your data is already in the hands of corporations, you can still see a targeted ad or something, And I am not fully sure on how the spying gov. programs work but I think phone calls and the use of instant message platforms is not really private and could be breached by them.
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2024 6:16 pm
Smcookie1
Koetto
I use Brave, aliases, and have disabled face-focused social medias like FB/IG and stopped uploading selfie PFPs anywhere I know a few still exist but as of right now, I don't know what more I can do to be more private. I'm definitely interested in online privacy and I think everyone should be- there are millions and millions of people online & not all of them are morally sound.
I personally hate when I have to use things like IDme on the DMV website or the IRS website, facial recognition feels like a dark, slippery slope to me.
If you can't avoid facial recognition there is no way around it just limit your exposure.
If you want full privacy I think you can go for a VPN, or at least another form of proxy or/and use the Tor browser (although this takes more time, Brave has Tor Browsing capabilities) to browse the internet as anonymously as possible.
However, consider if you used social media or google services in the past without anonymity your data is already in the hands of corporations, you can still see a targeted ad or something, And I am not fully sure on how the spying gov. programs work but I think phone calls and the use of instant message platforms is not really private and could be breached by them.
I tried a VPN before but despite following the directions exactly, I could not get it to work at all, idk why? Also, aren't VPNs illegal now??
I use Brave, aliases, and have disabled face-focused social medias like FB/IG and stopped uploading selfie PFPs anywhere I know a few still exist but as of right now, I don't know what more I can do to be more private. I'm definitely interested in online privacy and I think everyone should be- there are millions and millions of people online & not all of them are morally sound.
I personally hate when I have to use things like IDme on the DMV website or the IRS website, facial recognition feels like a dark, slippery slope to me.
If you can't avoid facial recognition there is no way around it just limit your exposure.
If you want full privacy I think you can go for a VPN, or at least another form of proxy or/and use the Tor browser (although this takes more time, Brave has Tor Browsing capabilities) to browse the internet as anonymously as possible.
However, consider if you used social media or google services in the past without anonymity your data is already in the hands of corporations, you can still see a targeted ad or something, And I am not fully sure on how the spying gov. programs work but I think phone calls and the use of instant message platforms is not really private and could be breached by them.
I tried a VPN before but despite following the directions exactly, I could not get it to work at all, idk why? Also, aren't VPNs illegal now??
Not sure if they are in the U.S. in my country Mex they are not. That would be a very restrictive law not done with the privacy of the people in mind. Many sites do not allow the use of VPN's but paid VPN's shouldn't cause a conflict.
Also curiously there are stories about how dataism is becoming more dystopian: Google has predicted pregnancies with its the algorithms noticing the change of habits of the ladies and then suggesting baby products before they know about it. Here is one of the stories.
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