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Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

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Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#221

Post by Moru »

Steve44 wrote: post #188
codedokode wrote: post #141

I would make the advice more general: avoid dealing with Google. Recently I had to install Hangouts app on the Android phone (it was easier than using it on desktop because I don't have the latest Chrome). One has to register a Google Account in order to use it, and I had to answer a lot of questions as if I was applying for a visa, including a phone number (of course I used a fake number) and date of birth. Then the…

This looks like a good reminder that Google isn't just a loose bunch of tools, they have developed a full integrated ecosystem. If it's not what you want then it is overly intrusive and exceptionally hard to manage so you control just the functionality and personal security you want. Most end users, I think, just want something to work and are happy for all the magic to just happen. When you embrace it a lot of what…

But people that has embraced it but later finds themselves in a different situation in life, needing to hide from a previous spouse realises a bit late how much information is out there now. Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#222

Post by cascom »

Steve44 wrote: post #188
codedokode wrote: post #141

I would make the advice more general: avoid dealing with Google. Recently I had to install Hangouts app on the Android phone (it was easier than using it on desktop because I don't have the latest Chrome). One has to register a Google Account in order to use it, and I had to answer a lot of questions as if I was applying for a visa, including a phone number (of course I used a fake number) and date of birth. Then the…

This looks like a good reminder that Google isn't just a loose bunch of tools, they have developed a full integrated ecosystem. If it's not what you want then it is overly intrusive and exceptionally hard to manage so you control just the functionality and personal security you want. Most end users, I think, just want something to work and are happy for all the magic to just happen. When you embrace it a lot of what…

While your right that most end users just want it to “work” you have to wonder about informed consent.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#223

Post by hartator »

rinchik wrote: post #10

If you care about privacy these days: Remote self-destructible VM for browsing with Firefox in incognito mode (only sites you NEED to, that REQUIRE JS), through multiple VPNs over multiple proxies. Everything else is command line HTML parsers (also on different, remote VMs), or API endpoints (HN API as an example?). Need email service? Self-hosted, tiny email-server somewhere in eastern Europe. DDNS etc. Local machin…

Through multiple VPNs over multiple proxies?

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#224

Post by sjwright »

nurzo wrote: post #174
reaperducer wrote: post #2

I just don't understand how so many people in the HN community, who are so vocal about privacy, turn around and use Chrome. Don't feed the beast.

Because it's faster. That's all there is to it. Yes, I know many people will come and tell me how wrong I am and how Firefox is so much faster in their experience. Maybe they will link to some synthetic benchmarks. I don't care. Chrome is faster. Also the Developer Tools of Firefox are worthless... and not only because of how slow they are.

> the Developer Tools of Firefox are worthless

That's odd, because I think the Chrome dev tools are junk compared to Firefox. And I've never had an operation in Firefox dev tools that wasn't instantaneous. Perhaps our use cases are markedly different.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#225

Post by SiVal »

ohthehugemanate wrote: post #170

RTFA - the user discovered that chrome was sending all text from all webpages to the translate service. The advice in the thread isn't "never connect to protonmail using Chrome." It's "don't use Chrome". 100% agree. Firefox is so good now, there's really no excuse.

Unfortunately, Firefox makes my MacBook Pro frying-pan hot whenever a web page is a serious, JavaScript-heavy web app (e.g., Google Docs, Twitter, prob any significant desktop app in web app form) or anything with a lot of moving images (video, D3, any sort of "visualization"). Chrome and Safari run cool and comfortable.

So, I would just use Safari, except that as a dev, I need the vastly superior dev tools, extensions, and customizability of Chrome and FF.

So now I have to juggle browsers, trying not to get burned by Google, burned in a whole different way by FF, and trying to get things done in Apple's "no preference settings for you, because Apple's preferences are all that matter" design ethos.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#226

Post by sjwright »

mschuster91 wrote: post #169
reaperducer wrote: post #2

I just don't understand how so many people in the HN community, who are so vocal about privacy, turn around and use Chrome. Don't feed the beast.

> I just don't understand how so many people in the HN community, who are so vocal about privacy, turn around and use Chrome. 1) Firefox is SLOW. I have ~400 tabs open on a Macbook right now in Chrome, Firefox snails around at 30-40 tabs. 2) Firefox dev tools sucked for a long time, compared to Chrome's. Same goes for Safari's dev tools - and don't get me started on the clusterf..k called Internet Explorer... that's…

My experience with these browsers (also on a Macbook) is almost exactly opposite. It's amazing how people can use the same things and have such wildly different experiences.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#227

Post by gruez »

morganvachon wrote: post #210
codedokode wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This doesn't prevent hotels you've stayed at, car dealers, utility companies, banks, ISPs and others from selling your data. Also, in Russia (and many other countries as well) you cannot legally buy a SIM card without an ID. And Digital Ocean doesn't accept some virtual debit cards and suggests that I use a real credit card (so that they can charge me even if I don't have money).

So, don't use Digital Ocean? They are far from the only fish in the sea[1]. Vultr stands out, they offer Bitcoin and WeChat Pay as alternative payment options to the usual Paypal and credit card methods, and they have an awesome ISO library that includes OpenBSD. They aren't the only provider with those options but they are my go-to. [1] https://lowendbox.com/

vultr requires credit card verification before you can pay using bitcoins

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#228

Post by snowwrestler »

gipp wrote: post #24
ceejayoz wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sorta is, via ad targeting.

No it isn't. It's the difference between "Here's some money, please show this to young Democrats" and "Here's some money, please give me a list of young Democrats." That's a pretty damn big difference.

How about “here’s a subpoena, give me a list of young Democrats.”

It’s not the highest bidder but it’s still a problematic consequence of concentrating so much data in one place.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#229

Post by ataturk »

Steve44 wrote: post #188
codedokode wrote: post #141

I would make the advice more general: avoid dealing with Google. Recently I had to install Hangouts app on the Android phone (it was easier than using it on desktop because I don't have the latest Chrome). One has to register a Google Account in order to use it, and I had to answer a lot of questions as if I was applying for a visa, including a phone number (of course I used a fake number) and date of birth. Then the…

This looks like a good reminder that Google isn't just a loose bunch of tools, they have developed a full integrated ecosystem. If it's not what you want then it is overly intrusive and exceptionally hard to manage so you control just the functionality and personal security you want. Most end users, I think, just want something to work and are happy for all the magic to just happen. When you embrace it a lot of what…

What they have developed is a mass spying system at the behest of the CIA and NSA.

Re: Never connect to ProtonMail using Chrome

#230

Post by ataturk »

Nitramp wrote: post #154
creato wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just went to create a google account to see for myself because this sounds egregiously bad. I think you are exaggerating quite a bit: * Phone number is clearly marked as optional and it says they use it for security. (Of course, Facebook said the same thing, and look how that turned out...) * The only information requests that I think are unnecessary are date of birth (they say because some services are age restric…

> date of birth required US law has some requirements on accounts created by minors which essentially means you must check the age for people creating new accounts, and you must not allow accounts for people I don't entirely understand where exactly this applies, i.e. why you can create accounts on some sites without giving your age. It might only apply in some telecommunication accounts cases, or maybe (possibly mor…

And so the kids just make up fake birthdays. The middle school kids have 5-10 Gmail accounts. My daughter created a whole bunch with silly names.
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