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ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

theregister.com

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Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#281

Post by collaborative »

dsign wrote: post #22

The ProtonMail guys always said that unless they were 20 miles from the littoral, in the sea side, they had to abide by national laws. So it was bound to happen. What makes me sad is how flimsy their entire premise (not necessarily "promise") turned out to be: all it took was some minor rascal in France to hug the wrong tree (so to speak), and ProtonMail is in the open saying they can't even protect the IP address of…

If quantum communication becomes a possibility you could imagine an invisible network that provides a type of ultimate privacy

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#282

Post by istingray »

maxo133 wrote: post #87

If they really cared about anonymity ProtonMail would ship their mobile app with bundled TOR. Especially the mobile version, since plenty of non-tech savy people use mobile only.

Yes 100% this. Their mobile apps need to have a switch for "All connections through Tor", and that switch should be enabled by default.

Tor too slow? Speed up the ecosystem by setting up your own Tor nodes, Proton.

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#283

Post by pluc »

happybirds07 wrote: post #54
pluc wrote: post #37

The line is thin between privacy and anonymizing criminal activity.

Well yes, which is why we should always beware of outlawing things "because criminals". Criminals won't stop using VPNs or other tech because they're not legal, and as you say, most things have legitimate uses too.

I agree, but that's also why I don't think 100% anonymity is something we should strive for. I'm fine with anonymity until the provider is obligated to comply by law... but that's mostly because I'm in Canada and I have a relative trust in laws. Wouldn't feel safe with anonymity guaranteed by US law at all.

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#284

Post by zxcvbn4038 »

cbg0 wrote: post #209
_gohp wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True, the swiss government has bent over in all directions imaginable regarding the banking secret once a powerful enough entity pressured them. Forget hosting, VPNs or email providers from Switzerland. It's exactly true, companies incorporate there due to tax laws, even Phillip Morris is there.

"Bent over in all directions" is a bit of an exaggeration, most countries nowadays abide by various conventions to prevent money laundering & terrorism funding, since the G7 founded the FATF https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Action_Task_Force

Ironic since the US is more or less the world leader for money laundering and tax evasion. It also bothers me that the US has spent billions of dollars over the past several decades fighting narcotics just to turn around and make them legal. They must have passed the "It's Ok When We Get Our Cut" Act when I wasn't looking.

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#286

Post by edly »

dwild wrote: post #248
edly wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly what baffled me about people saying "I'm cancelling my PM subscription" as if they didn't make this abundantly clear. In their transparency report, they state very clearly that they "may also be obligated to monitor the IP addresses" being used to access accounts engaged in criminal activity. Privacy activists, for some reason, don't take the time to read transparency reports.

> This is exactly what baffled me about people saying "I'm cancelling my PM subscription" as if they didn't make this abundantly clear. We are on a thread talking about them removing claims on their marketing material... that's abundantly clear to you? Have we reached that level of expectation? That it's abundantly clear when marketing material are not saying the same thing as reports? > In addition to the items list…

I agree that Protonmail has been dishonest in their marketing, but marketing =/= policies.

If you're storing any kind of information you'd rather keep private on a server you do not control and not diving into the policies and blog posts of said provider to make doubly sure they're all they say they are, it's no one's fault but your own when something inevitably happens. Either do your due diligence or blindly accept the risk. People took the second option and look what happened.

And yes, I would say an order from Swiss courts that was unappealable is an extreme criminal case. Anything that could threaten Protonmail qualifies.

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#287

Post by philipov »

lijogdfljk wrote: post #217
philipov wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://xkcd.com/538/

That's good though, no? They're collecting the information from you. I know it's a joke, but it's the difference between watching my home insides without me knowing - and showing up to my home with a warrant.

The joke is made at the expense of people who are naively saying that you can't be forced to turn over something you don't have, as if that's a defense that will work. They can mandate that you collect the thing they want you to turn over, then put you in prison and seize your assets if you don't comply.

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#289

Post by tionis »

rsync wrote: post #280
lnxg33k1 wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I also bought a lifetime plan from that cloud storage company few years ago, scammed by the marketing page, only to find out somewhere in the settings page that my data were never in switzerland or even in EU but were physically in US, and had to pay to move them to EU, just deleted my account, I guess the swiss thing is just a marketing scam

Ironically, I am in Zurich right now supervising upgrades and capacity increases in ZH4. Our terms of service[1] Explicitly state that your data will never leave the location you’ve chosen. So if you’re still in the market for cloud storage in Zürich, email us. We’ll give you a “screwed by pcloud” discount. [1] rsync.net/resources/notices/tos.html

Gotta love the rsync.net marketing. Good company, best support I have ever had with any internet firm. Can only recommend their product if it fits your use case.

Re: ProtonMail deletes 'we don't log your IP' from website after activist arrested

#290

Post by throwawayswede »

What a douchebag company honestly. Their marketing is absolutely evil. Changing the headline does not cut it, they need to fire people responsible for that outright lie.

After a dude gets arrested, they’re like: oh, we were talking about advertisers! Who did you think?

What a trash team.

Proton mail ==

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