06-12-2022, 01:07 PM
My disclaimer 1st:
I usually avoid sharing this kind of generalistic stuff rather than having to face off with folks who are unaware of their own normalcy biases.
At least here in the US and most likely in many other locales what is called 'education' gets used to hammer limitations into young folks via early childhood indoctrinations.
That kind of 'teaching' can cover most anything from 'normal' food choices to religion to philosophies - which then become defaults and are not questioned or even questionable anymore.
The worst of it all is that folks become oblivious to the obvious - thus never exceeding their own invisible programmings.
There are a bunch of sub-topics here and some were brought to mind by this list of links which some folks here may find useful:
In the page at the 1st link above he gives a list of 6 suggestions aimed for folks who wish to have more privacy.
BUT:
He has left off some important ideas, perhaps to avoid controversies...
So I now add these other possible action choices for folks wanting a touch of privacy:
1. Accept that the WHOLE internet is a wide-open, public network - and yes, that DOES include VPNs, proxies, etc...it is ALL data packets which can be intercepted by those who have the needed tools as said packets travel to and from everywhere.
2. As such, short of totally isolated systems - meaning NOT networked in any/all ways - computing is all composed of compromises.
3. The above is all especially true for ALL uses of the presently dominant handheld computers called 'smartphones'.
4. There is a huge load of more detail possible here - but I suggest a simple starting point for anyone desiring more privacy...
=> Don't paint yourself as a target.
The most prominent examples of this are those of using pron sites, engaging in useless/angry competitions, and of course remembering to distrust ALL the biggest data collectors like gurgle, mikr0$0ft, fecesbook, etc. at which so many folks just give away so much of their privacy without a thought for how that personal data might be used and abused.
Simple things to consider:
- If you use any sorts of public networks, do so ONLY with a device that ONLY has and ONLY uses a made-up identity - notebook PCs are great for this method.
- Be strict with your own uses of made-up personas, keeping such ID info separate from your IDs IRL and NEVER mixing $$ transactions with your made-up IDs AT ALL, ever.
If you have a home network of any sort - wired or wireless, consider adding a good, free firewall and AV built into an old, spare PC between your ISP connection and router.
A best-in-class example of this is found at ipfire.org.
Their little OS can be easily installed and then used as your gateway and VPN with the 100% free ClamAV added if you wish.
I can tell you from personal experiences that IPFire and that stuff all works very, very well.
Please bear in mind that any sort of 'lock' (i.e.: encryption) created by mankind can ALWAYS also be defeated by mankind - AS A RULE.
Of course...
For anyone who desperately needs to cling to unfounded beliefs that the internet can be used privately and securely - none of what I've shared here matters in the least !!
More to come later encompassing the other 2 words in this thread's title - but right now me olde hands is all tired out, so I must stop here.
I usually avoid sharing this kind of generalistic stuff rather than having to face off with folks who are unaware of their own normalcy biases.
At least here in the US and most likely in many other locales what is called 'education' gets used to hammer limitations into young folks via early childhood indoctrinations.
That kind of 'teaching' can cover most anything from 'normal' food choices to religion to philosophies - which then become defaults and are not questioned or even questionable anymore.
The worst of it all is that folks become oblivious to the obvious - thus never exceeding their own invisible programmings.
There are a bunch of sub-topics here and some were brought to mind by this list of links which some folks here may find useful:
Code:
https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/trust-no-one/
https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/firefox-suggest-privacy/
https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/how-to-enable-global-privacy-control
https://globalprivacycontrol.org/
https://www.operationprivacy.com/
https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/which-is-the-most-private-browser/
https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/my-de-google-strategy/
https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/reducing-my-google-footprint/In the page at the 1st link above he gives a list of 6 suggestions aimed for folks who wish to have more privacy.
BUT:
He has left off some important ideas, perhaps to avoid controversies...
So I now add these other possible action choices for folks wanting a touch of privacy:
1. Accept that the WHOLE internet is a wide-open, public network - and yes, that DOES include VPNs, proxies, etc...it is ALL data packets which can be intercepted by those who have the needed tools as said packets travel to and from everywhere.
2. As such, short of totally isolated systems - meaning NOT networked in any/all ways - computing is all composed of compromises.
3. The above is all especially true for ALL uses of the presently dominant handheld computers called 'smartphones'.
4. There is a huge load of more detail possible here - but I suggest a simple starting point for anyone desiring more privacy...
=> Don't paint yourself as a target.
The most prominent examples of this are those of using pron sites, engaging in useless/angry competitions, and of course remembering to distrust ALL the biggest data collectors like gurgle, mikr0$0ft, fecesbook, etc. at which so many folks just give away so much of their privacy without a thought for how that personal data might be used and abused.
Simple things to consider:
- If you use any sorts of public networks, do so ONLY with a device that ONLY has and ONLY uses a made-up identity - notebook PCs are great for this method.
- Be strict with your own uses of made-up personas, keeping such ID info separate from your IDs IRL and NEVER mixing $$ transactions with your made-up IDs AT ALL, ever.
If you have a home network of any sort - wired or wireless, consider adding a good, free firewall and AV built into an old, spare PC between your ISP connection and router.
A best-in-class example of this is found at ipfire.org.
Their little OS can be easily installed and then used as your gateway and VPN with the 100% free ClamAV added if you wish.
I can tell you from personal experiences that IPFire and that stuff all works very, very well.
Please bear in mind that any sort of 'lock' (i.e.: encryption) created by mankind can ALWAYS also be defeated by mankind - AS A RULE.
Of course...
For anyone who desperately needs to cling to unfounded beliefs that the internet can be used privately and securely - none of what I've shared here matters in the least !!
More to come later encompassing the other 2 words in this thread's title - but right now me olde hands is all tired out, so I must stop here.
