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I am becoming more and more concerned about what information the ubiquitous "They" are collecting about me, and as such, I would like to minimize my e-identity "footprint", as it were (this site notwithstanding). Google, Youtube, eBay, Amazon, Gmail...you name it. All of them have information of one sort or another about me, and I'm really beginning to feel that things may be getting out of hand.
I'm not on Facebook, I don't "Tweet", and I don't have a smart phone (with all of the BS tracking stuff that is included). Despite the way this may sound, I really have no reason to be paranoid, nor do I have anything to hide, but I'd prefer to keep my privacy, well.....private. I just don't like the idea of someone essentially "looking over my shoulder" while I am online, but I don't know what to do about it.
As such, does anyone know how best to go about this?
Also, I'm considering dumping my Gmail account, but I don't know where else to turn. As an idea, could I host my own site, and run my email through there? I really don't know how this works, obviously....
I fully realize that it's inevitable that someday soon, none of us will have any secrets (possibly even within our own heads), but I would like to put-off that day for as long as possible.
Looking for ideas and advice.
Thanks.
Jim
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Follow Ups:
Collusion which is either out now or soon to be released for Mozilla Firefox (see linked article). It doesn't actually address your concerns but at least you'd have a partial idea of who is watching. The Firefox add-on "Ghostery" also supposedly blocks some trackers and monitors the active ones. Firefox also has a "do not track" option but I wouldn't bet the farm on its effectiveness.Per other, better technically informed and more capable, inmates who have responded I think you have to either resign yourself to some loss of anonymity of go back to a cash transaction, no internet, lifestyle.
Edits: 03/03/12 03/03/12
I think it might have been DM. I've been running it for quite a while and it seems to do quite a bit of blocking. You can set it up to show what's being blocked every time you open a link and I've counted as many as a dozen blocks on one link. It's enough to make you want to drop all things Google related.
It begs the question: Who's watching the Watchers? Yeah, I know....Asking that question can lead to insanity, but how does one know that this software can be trusted?
Regardless, I can't do anything with it here at the office, but I'll check it out from home.
Thanks!
Jim
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oddly this place is one of the sites with the most trackers -- 5 or 6 per page.
Even my igoogle home page only had 4.
Been wondering how much "they" know about me and how it's going to be used someday. I don't think it's a matter of being able to completely disappear from the I-grid so to speak, but to avoid handing "them" your info on a silver platter. I'm avoiding using things like Google+ or Google Chrome, those are obvious. But also don't forget about your credit card RFID chips. Many of the big box stores can tell if you've been in their store even if you didn't buy a thing. Big deal? Maybe, maybe not, but why make it easy? Get an RFID proof wallet. Heck, even WalMart sells them. There's a great novel about this out there, can't remember it but I'll come back later if I do.
___
“Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix”
They can tell if you've just stopped-in? That's the kind of crap that really burns me!
Ok, "Obtain RFID-proof wallet" is now going on my To Do list for the weekend.
Thanks!
Jim
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MVP cards, Bonuscards, etc. They all track your purchases.
Actually, I do use them, but I didn't sign up for them, they were "found". Somebody's Grandma probably gets lots of offers and spam Email for prescription drugs, cat food dur to purchases I have made using these cards.
I use one every time I shop and have never once been spammed or popped-up. Well, I was popped-up once, but nothing to do with groceries.
They keep asking me if I'd like to sign-up, and each time I say that I'm "only visiting".
But I think I should probably come up with a different excuse, as I'm starting to get odd looks from the same cashiers each week!
Jim
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You can always sign up using a ficticious name and contact info.
Can't remember which one, but one of my bonus cards is in the name of Gus Mahler. I don't get any marketing stuff from the grocery card(s) and the savings do add up, depending on what you buy. The Sheetz card gives me 3 cents off per gallon at one of the cheapest gas stations in the area and an occasional free coffee. It saves me from going out of my way to get gas at Costco.
The only real problem I have with the cards is everyone is pushing one. My wallet is full enough with other crap (except cash) as it is. If I had a card from every store I shop at, I'd need a suitcase to lug them around in.
Neil
It's hard to be anonymous.
There are services that supply anonymous proxies. Often, they're a bit slow.
A easy step is to turn off cookies and only accept them on certain sites. That will get rid of a lot of ad tracking though some data will get gleaned from your IP.
You can also set your browser to delete cookies when you close it. It's a pain as you'll have to relogin to any site that you visit and want to remember you. But if it's only a few, then a combination of that and specifically allowing cookies from certain sites will take care of most of the tracking.
-Rod
I know where they are located, but I've never paid all that much attention to them. I do delete my cookies quite frequently, and you're right- it's a PITA to have to log-in time and time again, but perhaps that's the price I'll have to pay.
Thanks, Rod.
Jim
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Bill's Audio Cave
(Thanks for reminding me of that, Bill!)
Jim
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account except to do whatever business you need to do and then immediately sign-out and make certain you purge your cache and web browser history both before and after signing in and out. Also, make sure that all cookies and history are deleted both before and after signing-in and out of any accounts. Then reset your IP address and use a different proxy server through TOR. To reset your IP address; open a command prompt and type ipconfig.exe and press enter, then type ipconfig /release and then press enter and finally type in ipconfig /renew and press enter. That will release the current TCP/IP stack and reset the DHCP server.To delete your internet files on your computer simply move the default location for the “Temporary Internet Files” folder on Microsoft Windows. This will delete the hidden cache files but will not completely destroy/erase them, for that you will need a shredder program that is up to Gutmann and NISPOM (DoD) standards for file erasure.
A low cost alternative is to use Sandboxie with TrueCrypt. Make a Truecrypt file say 10 gigabytes which behaves like an encrypted partition on your hard disk, then direct Sandboxie to sandbox all internet files to the encrypted TrueCrypt partition. That way not only are all internet files erasable through the sandbox they are encrypted also.
Needless to say try to keep as few online accounts as possible; don't go looking for free junk services from Google or Microsoft, etc.
TOR the onion router is at;
https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.enMore and more the world seems like a novel...
“just because you’re paranoid, don’t mean they’re not after you”, Catch 22, Joseph Heller
“Big Brother is watching you” Nineteen Eighty-Four, Eric Blair
Edits: 02/29/12
other than the "delete your cookies" thing, most of this is way over my head, but I can learn....and I'm not afraid of trying something!
I've printed this out, and I will definitely look into it this weekend!
Thank you!
Jim
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Do you have to open your system up as a relay as well?
-Rod
a hit running through a proxy. Running the web browser with Sandboxie and TrueCrypt makes general internet surfing data transitory, it also protects from trojans and malware as nothing is actually written to the real operating system files.
Google "Total Information Awareness" if you want to be made more paranoid. 9-11 provided the impetus to start complete spying on citizens in the name of security. The ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) questioned the feasability of such a system. As I recall, they indicated it would likely result in thousands of Americans being faslely profiled as terrorists every year.
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/Total-Information-Awareness
"Total Information Awareness (TIA) is the name of a massive U.S. data mining project focused on scanning travel, financial and other data from public and private sources with the goal of detecting and preventing transnational threats to national security. TIA has also been called Terrorism Information Awareness. The program was part of the Homeland Security Act and, after its creation in January 2003, was managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In September 2003, U.S."
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/Total-Information-Awareness
The Uk is looking at similar projects (see link below).
Our governments have decided that individual privacy is overridden by concerns of national security. It's a difficult issue, in that we would want our security forces to avert acts of terrorism, but not to intrude on our privacy. My guess is that terrorists are going to avoid the obvious things such a system would trawl for.
Where does it stop? See this story about a father arrested at his child's school because his daughter drew a picture of him holding a gun at school.
"The girl's father, Jessie Sansone, was handcuffed, strip-searched and told he was being charged with illegal possession of a firearm. His pregnant wife — at home with their 15-month-old daughter — had to go to the police station while their other three children were interviewed by Family and Children's Services."
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/02/29/jessie-sansone-gun-drawing-mcguinty_n_1310263.html?ref=canada
I think we're in a state of hysteria.
“Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable.” - Mark Twain
nada thing
Jim
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nt.
If you don't have much in the way of Google accounts, you don't have much to worry about.
Especially if you don't do Facebook or Twitter.
I don't do any of that either, and have a Yahoo mail account-probably not any better than Google privacy wise, but that's all I use it for.
Personally, I'm more bothered by tracking cookies, by U-click etc. More invasive in some ways. That said, they can follow where I go online, and that pisses me off.
Not much to do about that.
Jack
I used to think Google was my friend, but with their acquisition of Youtube (and the personal data they can gain from it), and their ever-changing Privacy Policies (not to mention the almost weekly revelations regarding their alleged lack of such), I'm not so sure I want to stay in their "camp"....
Jim
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You don't have to use their data storage or any other services. I have my Gmail ported through to Outlook on my laptop and my BlackBerry, I rarely logon directly.
I'm with you, I'm not on Facebook or Twitter, and have no interest in either. But, you do need to be able to correspond with people and email is awfully convenient.
Even if you had your own server, that wouldn't guarantee that your email isn't being copied or intercepted from the other end, or from the many servers that your message would go through.
Keep it clean, keep it simple, use the most basic of services, and hope for the best.
Don't forget, not long ago we had party lines, that was hardly secure!
Stephen
Yeah, I run my Gmail, both at home as well as the office, through Outlook all the time. Not sure what I gain by it, but it makes me feel a little better.
I hadn't considered not logging-in automatically.....(hmmmmm).
Thanks!
Jim
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- Business and social uses these days require a personal computer and internet. You can't get around it.
- The world (especially the US) has become increasingly paranoid, such that everybody "watches" everybody all the time in increasingly sneaky fashion. There are recording street cams and web cams everywhere.
- Huge data bases are being kept by business and government for any possible use you can think of.
The paper trail is just as bad. You still have to pay bills, pay taxes, get prescriptions, drive your car, etc., so your privacy was done away with long before the internet came along.
I agree with Whitmore -- just watch your back and let go of the illusion. There is no "off the grid" in America.
But then again, I don't want to make it easy for "Them"....
Jim
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If you allow that, let it all make you afraid (goes for all of us), then we're done for.
My sister works for the RCMP. She's told me a couple times how they know a LOT more about you than one could imagine.
Ever seen Gene Hackman in "Enemy of the State"?
A now retired employee here where I work was a bit paranoid about information. He never used credit cards or debit, etc. He would cash his check, take out what he needed and use cash only for all purchases. Never left his name, postal code, etc with any purchase.
Me, I couldn't care. We debit everything from $1 up, have been for many, many years. Use cc where worthwhile for points, etc.
Trace me, that's OK.
Oh, yeah. I remember that movie....and (LOL!) I sure hope I haven't gone "over the edge"!
Hmmmm....I wonder if wiring my place with explosives would be considered "extreme".....
(Note to Big Brother: I'm kidding, ok? Sheesh!)
Jim
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I don't think you've gone over the edge. I get it. I just know it's an uphill battle that I can't be bothered to fight.
BTW, "Conspiracy Theory" is the Mel film.
I seem to recall some dialogue that went something like:
Will Smith: "Why did you blow-up your place?"
Gene Hackman: "Because you made a phone call!"
Jim
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Almost forgot that part of the movie. The paranoia made me think more of the Mel film for some reason.
Oh, yeah. If memory serves, Mel Gibson was dang near "paranoia personified" in "Conspiracy Theory", wasn't he?
(Good Lord, I certainly don't think I've gone that far! LOL!)
Jim
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On a serious note; I'd know. My mom was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (atop dementia) last year. Hears voices, and further; imagine's entire circumstances (some VERY VERY scary). I think you're OK. :)
nt.
not a true sequel but same character.
Bass is supposed to sound big. 6.5" is not a woofer size.
This from the CEO of Sun Microsystems, forgot his name. Sad to say, but inevitable, I think. Anything that has ever been on the internet is available to somebody with the requisite skills. (sigh) The corollary, of course, is never to do anything you wouldn't want people to know about. Eek!
They as a generalization care more about the services that they get by giving up privacy than privacy and they re the IT consumers of the future. So get over it.
A friend of mine's daughter was (more or less) "stalked" online by a guy. She (my friend) thought the creepy guy went way over the line with some of the stuff he dug-up, but her daughter felt it was ok, since "it's all out there anyway, and if he want to waste his time...."
We found it funny (not "haha" funny) how the Gen Y set thinks this is ok, yet we (late Baby Boomers) find it downright disturbing.
Jim
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nt.
But much like a home security/alarm system, you don't have one installed to keep the intruders out, as much as you do to "help" the bad guys decide to hit your neighbor's place....
Jim
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There used to be books advertized in hippie magazines about how to disappear, create a new identity etc. I'm sure the Witness Protection Program is more sophisticated, but you could try using prepaid cell phones, prepaid debit cards, and a pseudonym (possibly close to your own name so you could claim a typo if challenged), a separate computer you could dispose of and replace from time to time, and whatever else you can think of. Use this 'identity' for stuff you want private, and your public identity for your more innocuous life. Never tried it, but it might be fun. Or, not.
And a lot of work!
Jim
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