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Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

computerworld.com

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Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#111

Post by john_b »

Someone1234 wrote: post #18

The US really needs something akin to the EU's Data Protection Directive[0]. I've seen tons of businesses hide some tiny clause in their T&Cs (page 30, subsection 15, paragraph 11, etc) which allows them to resell your data to whoever will pay. For example the National Geographic Store sold my personal data when I purchased something from them (even with no check-box opt out, etc during checkout), and I've been recei…

Yes. We already have laws that protect a person's likeness by default. All that is necessary is to extend the concept to protecting personal information (of which a likeness is one example) by default. It probably won't happen until large numbers of Americans start valuing their personal information, however.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#112

Post by rudolf0 »

ceejayoz wrote: post #17
doctorfoo wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://twitter.com/kingofpol/status/525755692318457856 Keywords "gamergate knife".

I'm sure all the folks claiming @femfreq made up her death threats will be equally skeptical about this one.

"KingOfPol" is known for lying and generally being not too mentally stable, so it's certainly not a stretch. Sarkeesian on the other hand is unlikely to lie about such things, but there was clearly some exaggeration involved.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#113

Post by jn1234 »

hackuser wrote: post #102
cowsandmilk wrote: post #54

There are plenty of sources of information where you cannot opt out. If you own property in Massachusetts, I can find it using http://www.masslandrecords.com , you can't opt out of that.

The electricity provider here requires the use of 'smart meters' (that is, if you want to use their electricity). Via smart meters, they can identify what electrical appliances are used in your house and when (and possibly even how you are using them, such as what TV show you are watching), giving them a good picture of everything that goes on in the privacy of your home.[1] There is no opt-out. They have this inform…

Except is that information public? That information actually has an extremely legitimate use, which is to better manage peak grid usage and how to optimize that.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#114

Post by rudolf0 »

doctorfoo wrote: post #15
eli wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know what "whitewashed" means in this context, but you are definitely off topic and your comment reads like you are trying to justify some pretty terrible actions. The fact that other bad things happen to other people in no way excuses the bad things that happened to female game developers.

It's the bias in the media. GamerGate supporters are painted uniformly as misogynists. There is a legitimate argument about press ethics, freedom of speech, and whether appreciating an attractive body is the same as objectification. >justify some pretty terrible actions I'm asking that the terrible actions of BOTH sides are reported. There is an awful, hateful minority on both sides, but in the mainstream media, only…

I actually don't really think so. The people sending death threats and harassment to "anti-GamerGate" and the people sending death threats and harassment to "GamerGate" are not members of the opposing side or the same side. They're all the same people: Internet trolls who see a grand opportunity.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#115

Post by jn1234 »

cowsandmilk wrote: post #54

There are plenty of sources of information where you cannot opt out. If you own property in Massachusetts, I can find it using http://www.masslandrecords.com , you can't opt out of that.

The best hack to get around this is to create a holding company, so then that holding company name appears. However, in most property records also include an address to where the yearly property tax bill is sent.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#116

Post by jn1234 »

anigbrowl wrote: post #93
byerley wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read it differently; "this stunt" is ambiguous in context. In any case, I think you're misunderstanding the nature of the problem. The danger of "doxxing" is that people get overwhelmed by a flood of negative attention from many different people. In most cases, none of the "harassing" individuals actually do enough individual harassment to make the action illegal. You can't go after the doxxer because releasing the…

I think you're misreading this. Doxxing is the online equivalent of incitement to riot; as in a real riot, the chances of any individual participant doing anything blatantly illegal are low, it's the cover that the crowd provides for lawless activity and the intimidatory factor that's problematic. So if you're unpopular with some group in your town, and someone says 'Let's go to Byerley's house at 123 Quiet Street an…

The best hack to get around this is to create a holding company, so then that holding company name appears instead. This might be a costly measure, but well worth it if you value your privacy. However, in most property records also include an address to where the yearly property tax bill is sent, so you might also want to set up a PO box.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#117

Post by mason240 »

eli wrote: post #98
mason240 wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you feel any cognitive dissonance when typing that?

Not at all. Maybe you misunderstood me? Violent threats are totally unacceptable and cannot be justified by pointing to other instances of violence.

Unless they are directed at undesirable groups. Then it's ok by you, because reasons.

Your justifying it right now, for the second time. Hence the cognitive dissonance.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#118

Post by anigbrowl »

jn1234 wrote: post #116
anigbrowl wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're misreading this. Doxxing is the online equivalent of incitement to riot; as in a real riot, the chances of any individual participant doing anything blatantly illegal are low, it's the cover that the crowd provides for lawless activity and the intimidatory factor that's problematic. So if you're unpopular with some group in your town, and someone says 'Let's go to Byerley's house at 123 Quiet Street an…

The best hack to get around this is to create a holding company, so then that holding company name appears instead. This might be a costly measure, but well worth it if you value your privacy. However, in most property records also include an address to where the yearly property tax bill is sent, so you might also want to set up a PO box.

As I said, 'Should everyone be expected to set up a shell company in order to purchase real property and still maintain some privacy?'

Personally, I prefer the European approach of the Data Protection Act that gives consumers a fair bit of legal leverage over how their personal information can be used commercially, as opposed to requiring people to engage in expensive obfuscatory security measures.

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#119

Post by csommers »

gear54rus wrote: post #19

The Internet never forgets. No app is going to change that because Internet is de-centralized and de-centralization makes it impossible to know if the data was really completely removed or not. Let's face it: the only way to not expose your personal info is to not share it in the first place (forget silly Facebook, G+, Instagrams and all that stuff). If you've already done that, make sure that whatever you are doing…

The issue at hand isn't really related to "silly" Facebook, or other "cultural" sites.

Unless you straight-up do NOT: own a home, rent, buy anything, go to school, etc. you will have some kind of available public record.

Yes, it's true that many people go beyond this with what they make available on social media and that's a definite issue. When people start "combining" excess social media posts, with "outside" known data...that's when you've got an issue. This usually results in people being able to EASILY dox someone due to the social side of things giving out information that is normally "protected"(think maiden name, previous locations, relationships, dob/location, etc.), all of which can be leveraged with public information to nearly total dox someone.

At the end of the day, we're in a new "age", where people will have to learn to protect their internet identity, as well as their "personal".

Re: Doxxing defense: Remove your personal info from data brokers

#120

Post by eli »

mason240 wrote: post #117
eli wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not at all. Maybe you misunderstood me? Violent threats are totally unacceptable and cannot be justified by pointing to other instances of violence.

Unless they are directed at undesirable groups. Then it's ok by you, because reasons. Your justifying it right now, for the second time. Hence the cognitive dissonance.

As I've written three times now, violent threats against ANY person are unacceptable and cannot be justified. I am against violent threats and I make no exceptions for people I don't like or don't agree with.

I'm beginning to think you are willfully misunderstanding me. I think I'm done here.

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