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I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

neilzone.co.uk

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Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#521

Post by jim33442 »

pull_my_finger wrote: post #272
bArray wrote: post #6

I was sitting in a room the other day with a young adult, we were searching for additional algorithm learning materials. They searched in Google, and accept the cookies. They clicked on a website, and accepted those cookies too. They then started entering their email address to access another service. I was completely taken aback. I'm the sort of person that either rejects the cookies, or will use another site entire…

I use Cookie AutoDelete on Firefox and it's great. It works with Firefox Container Tabs (groups have their own cookie settings), and let's you greylist (allow cookies from a particular domain pattern until the tab is closed) or whitelist (always allow from the domain pattern). I set it up for my kids computers also. The default is to blacklist (cookies aren't set), and I can whitelist for particular sites where they…

Also Firefox and Safari by default block 3p cookies everywhere, which is a significant step above Chrome

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#522

Post by drnick1 »

majorchord wrote: post #519
drnick1 wrote: post #496

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should always configure your browser to automatically wipe all data on exit. The Arkenfox user.js user profile does this and more to mitigate fingerprinting.

I am logged into way too many sites to do that unfortunately. I do use a password manager with a browser plugin to make it easier, but it's still a lot of manual work to re-login to all the sites I use on a normal basis, for both work and home, every time I restart my browser. Would be nice if there was some other solution, like maybe encrypting the browser profile and then requiring a pin/password/biometric/somethin…

It shouldn't take more than one second to log into a website using the Firefox password manager.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#523

Post by bpt3 »

raw_anon_1111 wrote: post #451
bpt3 wrote: post #431

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What exactly is your issue? Once again, I'm not the one who said they would like to design a new browser extension framework, but I have created custom versions of Firefox that have all ability to phone home removed and modified extension support. So not verifying every single line of code, but making fairly substantial changes in the direction the parent poster wanted to go in. I'm interested in a conversation about…

That the geeks solution to “I don’t trust $companyX” is that “I am going to compile an alternate solution without looking at the source code”. Is kind of meaningless.

Good thing no one has proposed that solution anywhere other than your own mind.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#524

Post by autoexec »

bethekidyouwant wrote: post #461
autoexec wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have all kinds of evidence for it (for example, here's an article about the data sold to insurance companies https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driv... ) and we've had evidence for a very very long time ( https://www.cbsnews.com/news/data-brokers-selling-personal-i... ) The data collected about us online is extensively used against us both online and offline. The multi-billion dollar industry…

We were talking about browsing history, not credit card, purchases and metrics from your car.

At all gets added to your dossier and it all gets sold and resold and used against you. You can't know what is going to prejudice someone against you, or what assumptions they'll make. Your browsing history can be a lot more relieving than your credit card purchases or your driving data. It can give them your medical issues, your sexual preferences, your addictions, your political views, your religion, etc. Just knowing the dates and times you're going to websites can tell them a lot.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#525

Post by teamonkey »

I was annoyed the other day when Reddit asked for age verification (via a Palantir-run service, no less) for my 18-year-old Reddit account. Obviously no way I’m doing that.

In any case I doubt there’s a proof of age stronger than looking at the subreddits I subscribe to. A broad selection of middle-age hobbies and tedious interests. Without me proving my age they could probably place it to within a few weeks.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#526

Post by majorchord »

drnick1 wrote: post #522
majorchord wrote: post #519

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am logged into way too many sites to do that unfortunately. I do use a password manager with a browser plugin to make it easier, but it's still a lot of manual work to re-login to all the sites I use on a normal basis, for both work and home, every time I restart my browser. Would be nice if there was some other solution, like maybe encrypting the browser profile and then requiring a pin/password/biometric/somethin…

It shouldn't take more than one second to log into a website using the Firefox password manager.

In my case it often can and does.

Many sites I use force email or SMS-based 2FA, sometimes in addition to "security questions" and/or have other multiple steps of authorization (like captchas) required; it's often not just a simple username/password for me.

Now multiply that by 25 different sites. Not happening.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#527

Post by cortesoft »

chickensong wrote: post #510
cortesoft wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, the Paradox of Voting is the exact same situation [1]. My decision to vote is not rational, but I know if all the rational people don't vote that is bad, and so I focus on the other parts of voting, like civic pride and the little sticker that says "I voted" > It may be you don't believe in democracy at all, and that's fair, but consumer action is the only way you can affect business decisions, by joining the de…

> choosing an individually suboptimal option with my wallet hurts me That may be true, particularly in the short term, but you might be hurting everyone else including yourself in the long term. Opening your wallet sends a signal to the receiving business to keep doing what they're doing, even if we all know it's bad. There's also a cultural aspect to consider. It's normalized to not think of anything other than cost…

> Opening your wallet sends a signal to the receiving business to keep doing what they're doing, even if we all know it's bad.

That is exactly my point, though. The signal from my personal transactions isn't going to be enough to change anything. It will be drowned out by everyone else.

Of course, you are right that if enough people closed their wallet, then the business would have to change. However, that is STILL true even if I keep my wallet open. If N people stopping their shopping at a store would cause it to close/change its practices, then surely N-1 people stopping their shopping would also cause it to change. I could still keep shopping their, get the benefits while they last, and then switch once it finally goes out of business.

Of course, you might reasonably say, "Well, if everyone thought like you, then the change would never happen!" True, but my decision does not change anyone else's decision. The other people won't even know my choice, it isn't going to make other people boycott.

You could argue that people will listen to what I say, and I could influence them. That is true, but that is again independent of whether I actually 'vote with my wallet' or not. The influence I have on other people is the same whether I tell them not to shop there and I also don't shop there, or if I tell them not to shop there but secretly shop there myself.

Obviously there is some other morality at play here, but it isn't as simple as invoking the direct signal I am sending by choosing to shop somewhere or not.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#528

Post by cortesoft »

twodave wrote: post #514
cortesoft wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, the Paradox of Voting is the exact same situation [1]. My decision to vote is not rational, but I know if all the rational people don't vote that is bad, and so I focus on the other parts of voting, like civic pride and the little sticker that says "I voted" > It may be you don't believe in democracy at all, and that's fair, but consumer action is the only way you can affect business decisions, by joining the de…

> My decision to vote is not rational And I think this is great. Often our convictions aren't, and those are what make us interesting! I also think it's interesting how/why we rationalize our irrational behaviors! For example, I generally feel the same way as you about voting, but I don't like living as (in my mind, at least) a defeatist. Also, I feel that if I didn't vote then I have no right to complain or have an…

I mean, I do actually vote in every election, for the same reasons you are talking about. There are social reasons I do it, and there is something communal and bonding about the process of elections.

But it isn't because my individual vote actually matters.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#529

Post by cortesoft »

graemep wrote: post #359
cortesoft wrote: post #310

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly, this still doesn't do anything to show me that I should opt out. I, as an individual, am not going to have any effect on a business if I opt out or not. No business decision is going to be made because I opt out. You might argue that it will matter if enough of us do it. Sure, that is true... but again, it won't matter if I do it or not. If N number of people opting out is enough to ruin the business model, th…

You could use exactly the same argument for not bothering about doing things that pollute, generate landfill, or generally make things worse for society. Its highly unlikely your vote will swing an election. If you want easy things to do use cookie blocking extensions.

I could make that exact same argument, and people have been for a long time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons

These are all related to the collective action problem (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_action_problem). This is why we have regulations and rules and laws about things like pollution, because we CAN'T rely on everyone wanting to live in a clean world to make everyone not pollute.

Re: I'm reluctant to verify my identity or age for any online services

#530

Post by cortesoft »

mixmastamyk wrote: post #411
cortesoft wrote: post #383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, I don't think I have nothing to hide. I have plenty to hide, so I hide it. I just don't think blocking cookies meaningfully protects anything that I want to hide. I feel like it is putting gloves on while you walk around naked, it isn't doing anything to protect your privacy. > You may get worse rates for a mortgage, or not get one at all. That is an interesting example, because getting a mortgage is going to req…

Browsing history (and input) is used in many court cases today and has been for years, at borders as well. It’s not about whether it’s personal, but rather about establishing intent. Ignore at your own peril, and enjoy risk with no benefit.

Rejecting cookies doesn't erase your browser history.
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