Protecting Yourself from Tracking, Russian Meddling, etc.

[fmac]

Anyone else taken steps to prevent their online activity from being tracked?

Here is what I have so far:
- Delete (not deactivate) Facebook
- Remove WhatsApp and Instagram from phone (too weak to delete IG but I don't have app)
- Block location services for most phone apps, delete suspicious free apps
- Use VPN at all times (PIA)

What other steps can be taken? Anyone exclusively use Tor browser? I use Chrome mostly because it's easy to switch profiles based on work/not work. Running ghostery, HTTPS everywhere, and AdBlock.

Edit: Helpful Links
- Check if you were part of data breaches: https://haveibeenpwned.com/
- Check if your passwords are compromised: https://ghostproject.fr/

[fmac]

Add to the list: go to Google's privacy hub and 'pause' tracking across the board.

Link: https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols

[grinch]

This is good. Now I just have to follow through w it

[fmac]

This is good. Now I just have to follow through w it

Right? Hard to say how much convenience (saved logins) is worth trading for privacy.

[fmac]

Relevant links

https://lifehacker.com/how-to-reclai...kin-1820878546
https://gizmodo.com/how-to-browse-th...ace-1795721220

[Skidog]

I thought WhatsApp was total end to end encryption?

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[iceman]

protonmail.com is free encrypted email and works well

[F#*k you cat]

Celebrating my full Facebook delete. Fuck off Zuckerberg.

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[fmac]

I thought WhatsApp was total end to end encryption?

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There's been a bunch of press this year detailing possible data abuse issues by Facebook now that they own WhatsApp. Signal is considered the most secure messenger available now.

[fmac]

Check if your passwords are compromised: www.ghostproject.fr

Check if you were part of any data breaches: https://haveibeenpwned.com/

[Skidog]

protonmail.com is free encrypted email and works well

Yeah I snagged a proton when it released. Don't use it much though

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[abraham]

There's been a bunch of press this year detailing possible data abuse issues by Facebook now that they own WhatsApp. Signal is considered the most secure messenger available now.

I use signal (mostly sms with a few signal to signal threads) and Threema. Been pretty happy with Threema for a few years but I don't use all the options or the work focused stuff.

[Supermoon]

Easiest thing to do for protecting against hacking: change your passwords regularly, and don't repeat them. This is millions of times easier with a password manager. I like LastPass personally.

Turn off ALL location services. If you have any of them on, there is enough data sharing that you aren't really doing much to increase your privacy with regards to things like ad targeting, etc.

Deleting FB is great, but if you still have IG all your data is still in the system.

Use an ad blocker. This is good for privacy, but also to make display ads less lucrative to brands. If they don't run ads, most of this shit dies.

[fmac]

^Amen. I use 1P and it's made life way easier.

Do you use iPhone? Keep Location Services completely off? I use Google Maps, Lyft, hiking/biking apps. Wonder if they'd be functional at all without location on. I'll give it a go.

[Kenny Satch]

I thought WhatsApp was total end to end encryption? [/URL]

dunno if it's still true but this was made in 2016

[Supermoon]

^Amen. I use 1P and it's made life way easier.

Do you use iPhone? Keep Location Services completely off? I use Google Maps, Lyft, hiking/biking apps. Wonder if they'd be functional at all without location on. I'll give it a go.

Most won’t work or will have extremely limited functionality. It’s kinda the price you pay to have a smartphone these days.

[FLS]

Resistance is futile. Russia owns our asses.

Wrap yourself in tinfoil and set your tv to Fox & Friends if you want to believe everything is mostly fine, or, to msnbc, if you want to hear that the walls are closing in and it's all Trumps/Russia's fault.

15 years ago your local pd were illegally spying on you with "stingrays" and nothing happened.

Snowden revealed our own govt is illegally spying on us 24/7, every email, text, phonecall, etc., etc., and for telling the truth, they want him dead.... Clapper lied to congress and the world and is rewarded with a cush msm job.... You think turning of location services on your phone is going to give you any "security"? lol.

VPN for the web though.

How come you never hear any public service announcements that you should absolutely not get your "news" from the likes of facebook?

[grinch]

Double agent lurking . Go to vpn’s stat

[wyeaster]

yeah pretty funny what people worry about and what they don't worry about.

"nsa, google and facebook actually spying on us? meh."

""russians" "turned" the "election" by making 0.00000135% of facebook posts! let's go to war!"

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[RShea]

Anyone else taken steps to prevent their online activity from being tracked?

Here is what I have so far:
- Delete (not deactivate) Facebook
- Remove WhatsApp and Instagram from phone (too weak to delete IG but I don't have app)
- Block location services for most phone apps, delete suspicious free apps
- Use VPN at all times (PIA)

What other steps can be taken? Anyone exclusively use Tor browser? I use Chrome mostly because it's easy to switch profiles based on work/not work. Running ghostery, HTTPS everywhere, and AdBlock.

Edit: Helpful Links
- Check if you were part of data breaches: https://haveibeenpwned.com/
- Check if your passwords are compromised: https://ghostproject.fr/

If you are using Google Chrome- you do know that there is a Unique ID that they have? You need to either use a utility to remove that or quit using Google version and switch to one of the Open Source versions of Chrome out there- SRWare Iron is an example of code based on the Open Source Chromium and while all the extensions that work with Google Chrome, it can be a version behind due to a bit longer development without the muscle of Google doing code and testing...

At least run the UnChrome https://devilsworkshop.org/remove-go...with-unchrome/ and wrap some tin foil around you while you are at it.

[mooseknuckles]

Anyone else taken steps to prevent their online activity from being tracked?

I use Chrome

^Haha, came here to play CaptainObvious.

Signal, 1P, DDG and VPN user here too.

Anyone ditch their smartphone for a flip phone?

[fmac]

If you are using Google Chrome- you do know that there is a Unique ID that they have? You need to either use a utility to remove that or quit using Google version and switch to one of the Open Source versions of Chrome out there- SRWare Iron is an example of code based on the Open Source Chromium and while all the extensions that work with Google Chrome, it can be a version behind due to a bit longer development without the muscle of Google doing code and testing...

At least run the UnChrome https://devilsworkshop.org/remove-go...with-unchrome/ and wrap some tin foil around you while you are at it.

well shit me what other alternatives do you recommend?

I did some quick searching and found Brave and Vivaldi suggested. Any experience with either?

[Kenny Satch]

Can't scroll this thread without hearing the theme from mission impossible in my head.

[RShea]

well shit me what other alternatives do you recommend?

I did some quick searching and found Brave and Vivaldi suggested. Any experience with either?

Why do you ask what alternative do I recommend when I gave you an alternative- did you not read? SRWare Iron IS one alternative.... or just use the UnChrome...

Or get off of Windows and read this: https://curiouspost.com/iridium-brow...e-alternative/

[stalefish3169]

Brave browser is pretty awesome and has Tor browsing built-in. Also duckduckgo.com is good for private browsing.

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