Every comments talk about what you guys do, or do not do on your computer/phone. I have another aspect too:
I avoid under any circumstances to buy or use “smart” things. The fridge, the heating thermostat, the bathroom scale, the vacuum, the running shoes, the bike computer is all a huge privacy risk, if they are connected to the internet. Maybe bigger than anything on your computer. Keep theese guys offline!
Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
71–80 of 82 posts
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#72Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
No mobile device at all. But there are Linux phones like the Librem 5 or PinePhone, as well as degoogled Android phones.
How do you deal with phone calls and such?
I try not to get any. I have a backup Librem 5 and a SIM card for the one time in the year when I have no other choice.
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#74Enclose a small form factor, passively cooled, low power, computer in a enclosure made to block all covert communication that silicon trojans inside the CPU could use. No, a faraday cage does not work against all (very large) wavelengths, so absorbing is better.
Doubles down as protection layer against electromagnetic damage.
Once I confirm this works, I will build living quarters equally protected at all sides. Protects the brain equally.
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#75linux distro with full disk encryption, unique password for every site (self managed), nextcloud provider + cryptomator for cloud storage, opensnitch or similar for firewall, agressive ad/tracker blocking at dns and browser level, lineageos for mobile devices, preference foss software, pirate all media, mullivad vpn sometimes
what do you use for nextcloud provider? self-hosted or a third party?
third party, cheap and offshore
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
At rest encryption helps if your threat model includes someone stealing your server. Junkies probably aren’t going to go through your files, but would you rather worry? Similarly, offsite backup for if your server is stolen / house burns down /you accidentally rm -rf everything
well, I also have my passport, visa, house documents and what not. I don't lock them up in a safe. So, yeah, all this really depends on how much you worry about robbery. Atleast , where I live, there is practically 0 robbery.
I used to think like that too but I think it’s flawed. By that logic you should withdraw all your money and pile it up next to your passport and unencrypted drives because they could pilfer your drives to get bank passwords anyway.
Just because something doesn’t offer complete security, doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#77Nothing. Nothing bad ever happened to me due to lack of privacy protection. I am only happy if I get ads tailored to my interests. Even if Backblaze, where I store backups of all my data, would be hacked and leaked – nobody would probably care enough to dig through my personal data. People wildly overestimate how much other people care about them or their secrets.
This is fascinating take and I love that this view is being represented on HN, specifically because it is not a minority opinion in the real world based on my interactions with my social circle. People may not care about your secrets now. Right now you may be young. Right now you may have not pissed anyone off sufficiently to hire a private investigator to dig up stuff on you. Right now you may not be a party to a la…
I have a few friends who are very privacy minded. They even refuse to use most of the big social media networks out of privacy concerns. But most people spend a larger and larger proportion of our social life online. So what ends upp happening is the privacy minded folks become more and more isolated from old friends.
I would argue you have so much more to win, than you have to lose, from letting go of that fear to share your life online.
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#78I take privacy pretty seriously and to protect my privacy I do the following: * Use GrapheneOS on my smartphone with nearly no third-party apps * Use a VPN, because I don't trust my ISP * Use NoScript & uBlock * Use several ProtonMail addresses I change on a regular basis and use one-way trash mails. I also try to be on as few services as possible. If an email is leaked (didn't happened yet) delete it and create a ne…
FTFY:
* Use GrapheneOS on my smartphone with nearly no third-party apps
* Use a VPN, because I don't trust my ISP
* Use NoScript & uBlock
* Use several ProtonMail addresses I change on a regular basis and use one-way trash mails. I also try to be on as few services as possible. If an email is leaked (didn't happened yet) delete it and create a new one.
* Use Qubes + Whonix with FDE on a seperate laptop for things, which should stay private. I classify every other data from other devices as public.
* Regulary check my home network traffic on my firewall. Especially when I do nothing on my devices or got a new device.
* Destroy every camera and microphone in devices which can only be bought "smart" like every new TV.
* Be aware that if I use an online service my data gets collected and act like someone is looking over my shoulder. Its not so bad, if you are aware of that. * Glueing my finger domes on a regular basis
* Scan my house regulary for new WIFI and bluetooth devices in range
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is fascinating take and I love that this view is being represented on HN, specifically because it is not a minority opinion in the real world based on my interactions with my social circle. People may not care about your secrets now. Right now you may be young. Right now you may have not pissed anyone off sufficiently to hire a private investigator to dig up stuff on you. Right now you may not be a party to a la…
I have a few friends who are very privacy minded. They even refuse to use most of the big social media networks out of privacy concerns. But most people spend a larger and larger proportion of our social life online. So what ends upp happening is the privacy minded folks become more and more isolated from old friends. I would argue you have so much more to win, than you have to lose, from letting go of that fear to s…
You do have a point; I do not think I can reasonably dispute that a lot of people will spend more time online.
I am not sure if it is fear though. I personally feel I already spend way too much time online as it is. It was beyond awful as I was going through school, where I ended up doing work/school/fun by effectively just switching screen throughout the day. After years of that pattern I eventually severely cut back ( and even now I think I am overdoing it, but baby steps ).
I am ok with losing some people and some of the artificial online relationship that brings ( I accept that some online relationship may actually be stronger than generic RL ones ).
Re: Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
well, I also have my passport, visa, house documents and what not. I don't lock them up in a safe. So, yeah, all this really depends on how much you worry about robbery. Atleast , where I live, there is practically 0 robbery.
I used to think like that too but I think it’s flawed. By that logic you should withdraw all your money and pile it up next to your passport and unencrypted drives because they could pilfer your drives to get bank passwords anyway. Just because something doesn’t offer complete security, doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea.
The server is in my house though. I don't think it will get stolen.