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Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

cyb3rsecurity.tips

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Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#11

Post by Barrin92 »

kornhole wrote: post #3

Author does not mention the major reason I care which is that allowing others to know what we are doing, thinking, saying, where we are going.. either individually or collectively anonymously or not, gives them power over us in many ways to predict, manipulate, dispossess.. which leads to the imbalances we have today of the haves and have nots of data. The people who say big tech already has so much data on them so w…

>either individually or collectively anonymously or not, gives them power over us in many ways to predict, manipulate, dispossess

The thing is, is that actually true? What always comes to mind for me is the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved their self-declared 'psychometric targeting', which it turned out, after scientists did some studies had a measurable effect of zero on people's behaviour[1].

People love this idea of 'big data' as some powerful ominous tool, even big companies themselves seem to push it explicitly to seem more towering than they are. It's much more boring and unfashionable to think that people are a little more complex and have more agency and that companies push it because it makes them sound more sophisticated than they are.

[1]https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/3/23/17152564/ca...

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#13

Post by a1369209993 »

encryptluks2 wrote: post #7

I guess it really depends on what country you live in. In America, history has taught me people with enough money and power can destroy your life with immunity and that you could be one election away from 1984 or Hunger Games.

> it really depends on what country you live in.

No, it's like that in countries without pretenses of democracy or civil rights too. If anything it's a fair bit worse.

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#14

Post by Gigachad »

yubiox wrote: post #12

Even just basic malware blocking disables a lot of websites. I can't use some air and hotel sites (aa.com, ihg.com for example) anymore, plus unsubscribing from somewhat normal spam is almost impossible because the unsub links have trackers or something.

I don’t bother unsubscribing. Just filter to spam and ignore.

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#15

Post by AussieWog93 »

DoreenMichele wrote: post #6

These articles frequently err on the side of assuming that online security is entirely about worrying about random internet strangers taking advantage of you. For many people, the primary concern is an abusive SO, ex or relative, getting fired from their current job et al. Some articles do address such things but they have something of a tendency to be addressed as a separate issue from "online privacy" rather than o…

Thank you, Doreen, for being Doreen. Always an interesting take.

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#16

Post by imachine1980_ »

Barrin92 wrote: post #11
kornhole wrote: post #3

Author does not mention the major reason I care which is that allowing others to know what we are doing, thinking, saying, where we are going.. either individually or collectively anonymously or not, gives them power over us in many ways to predict, manipulate, dispossess.. which leads to the imbalances we have today of the haves and have nots of data. The people who say big tech already has so much data on them so w…

>either individually or collectively anonymously or not, gives them power over us in many ways to predict, manipulate, dispossess The thing is, is that actually true? What always comes to mind for me is the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved their self-declared 'psychometric targeting', which it turned out, after scientists did some studies had a measurable effect of zero on people's behaviour[1]. People lov…

Yes and no, cross source info allows people to know bulneravility that help change behaviors,much time big data means better and cheaper data tools, like easy accea to optimize internal proces or better ui

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#17

Post by mrtesthah »

superb-owl wrote: post #5

I think it's mostly pointless to put more than a basic minimum amount of effort into protecting your own privacy (e.g. sensible social media settings). There are too many surreptitious means of getting your info. Instead we need to focus our efforts on political action. Privacy is not something that can be controlled at the individual level when you're up against billion dollar budgets.

Certainly regulations are essential, but individual actions to protect privacy, when taken en masse, can reduce the profitability of data harvesting. Moreover, by influencing social mores, it can build solidarity and inertia against potential future mass-surveillance laws.

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#18

Post by rkagerer »

People ask why should they care?

Unfortunately the average person tends to be less concerned about invasions of privacy they cannot see. Like when you go through a scanner at the airport which let's someone in another room basically see through your clothes, vs. the way you feel if someone standing in front of you says to strip naked.

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#19

Post by night-rider »

The extent can mean doing basic things like installing and AD blocker, using a password manager, surfing in isolated sessions (incognito mode) to stop cookie tracking and to leave no forensic artefact on your device, always posting with pseudonyms, using privacy-aware operating systems like Linux, etc

Then you have the extreme options available like Tor, using Qubes, GrapheneOS on your phone, changing your legal name, using burner phones, Faraday sleeves, VPNs for public Wi-Fi, network segmentation for IOT devices, disabling Intel Management Engine. Having multiple operating systems for compartmentation purposes, etc

There is a privacy rabbit-hole to get lost in. Luckily I’ve found a reasonable middle ground and am not one of those LARPer types who take it all too seriously.

Re: Online privacy: to what extent should you try to go dark?

#20

Post by fragmede »

Barrin92 wrote: post #11
kornhole wrote: post #3

Author does not mention the major reason I care which is that allowing others to know what we are doing, thinking, saying, where we are going.. either individually or collectively anonymously or not, gives them power over us in many ways to predict, manipulate, dispossess.. which leads to the imbalances we have today of the haves and have nots of data. The people who say big tech already has so much data on them so w…

>either individually or collectively anonymously or not, gives them power over us in many ways to predict, manipulate, dispossess The thing is, is that actually true? What always comes to mind for me is the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which involved their self-declared 'psychometric targeting', which it turned out, after scientists did some studies had a measurable effect of zero on people's behaviour[1]. People lov…

If you think you're not being manipulated, you're deluded. Advertising works. It worked before the Internet and there's even more of it now. We do still have individual agency but don't you want a cool refreshing Coca-Cola right about now?
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