I mentioned this article I wrote to another member, and he felt it may be worth offering. It's split into different posts so they aren't too long.
GENERAL SELF-PROTECTION ONLINE. Part 1.
Following are recommendations for more autonomous, secure and private online usage. The individual is free to do his or her own research, and accept or reject anything that's suggested here. Indeed, the following may make uncomfortable reading for some, and some of the measures suggested here may be impractical or unwelcome. Do what you can; what's offered are just suggestions.
None of the following is intended as medical, legal or financial advice. This content is for general information; if in doubt consult a professional.
Both security and privacy come in "layers", as different methods can be implemented simultaneously. Some of these suggestions are common knowledge, but are included for completeness. Our privacy is becoming increasingly invaded with smart devices. There are reports of hidden cameras in B&B and hotel rooms - a disgusting practice.
Use strong passwords, and a separate password for each device or case. Two factor authentification adds an extra layer of security. Physical security keys add another, but can be a pain.
A good antivirus app for PC or phone is a good idea. Note that Windows Defender is a decent antivirus program in its own right.
Delete unused apps and install as few as possible. This will help improve security and privacy. Apps use processing power and having too many can slow your device down. Nearly all "phone home", and even report on each other.
Consider a Protonmail or other secure email account. Having two email accounts can split usage between "business" and "private" or other such categories. I don't give any details of my contacts other than name and email address in my email providers' contact lists to enhance the privacy of my friends. I don't use online calendars or diaries, although Proton's calendar may be secure.
Use a trustworthy VPN for security on public wifi networks. A VPN will also provide some extra security and privacy for general use, but is not a cure-all.
An email alias gives a layer of ID protection, and is useful in instances where you want extra privacy and security. Best to create a username to go with it. This facility is provided by many email services, including Protonmail.
Use privacy oriented web browsers such as Brave, Librewolf or hardened Firefox, and privacy oriented search engines such as Brave or Duck Duck Go. Tor browser is very, but not totally, secure. Linux Tails browser is perhaps the most secure of all. I've tried both; they work fine but are slow in use and need some setting up.
Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Apple products (soft- and hardware) are probably the least private of all, regardless of their claims.
Avoid mainstream social media, particularly from Meta - Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads.
Get rid of TV and save the licence money. TV is a prolific source of mind-numbing propaganda and junk programming. Smart TV is lacking in both security and privacy when internet-connected. Like all Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it's hackable. Why bother with it, avoid being gaslit, save time, money and frustration. Personally, I don't use wifi at all; it's as "leaky" as a sieve.
Self Protection Online.
Re: Self Protection Online.
You did it! Good for you. Horrifyingly, there's quite a few issues I have to follow up. One thing I've just done is delete unused apps on my phone, as you advise - I'm going to delete a few more before I go on holiday, but because of the holiday I'm also keeping a few like what3words, an extra mapping thing, etc.
With DuckDuckGo, I had a client from my psychotherapy practice who got into huge trouble with the police for using it - he wasn't allowed to delete anything from his phone or computer, and DDG deletes after 30 days - I've no idea if any of our members are under such restrictions, but you never know ... automatic deletion (which WhatsApp can have too) can be problematic.
Personally, I *do* have an anonymous email, and the "from" is also anonymous, which I'm very proud of
Though I do use WhatsApp, the immediacy and the connection is too valuable, currently, to do without.
There's a sinking feeling when it comes to Smart TV - I'm about to get rid of my tv licence, and I wanted to learn how to put the laptop screen onto the tv. Perhaps I'd better just stay with the laptop screen
There's a lot in your post! I'm doing well on some of them, but terrible on others ...
Thanks for posting.
With DuckDuckGo, I had a client from my psychotherapy practice who got into huge trouble with the police for using it - he wasn't allowed to delete anything from his phone or computer, and DDG deletes after 30 days - I've no idea if any of our members are under such restrictions, but you never know ... automatic deletion (which WhatsApp can have too) can be problematic.
Personally, I *do* have an anonymous email, and the "from" is also anonymous, which I'm very proud of
Though I do use WhatsApp, the immediacy and the connection is too valuable, currently, to do without.There's a sinking feeling when it comes to Smart TV - I'm about to get rid of my tv licence, and I wanted to learn how to put the laptop screen onto the tv. Perhaps I'd better just stay with the laptop screen
There's a lot in your post! I'm doing well on some of them, but terrible on others ...
Thanks for posting.
Re: Self Protection Online.
Thank you for your enthusiasm. My suggestions are a hard road; even if a few can be applied it's good going.Arzosah wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 6:35 pm You did it! Good for you. Horrifyingly, there's quite a few issues I have to follow up. One thing I've just done is delete unused apps on my phone, as you advise - I'm going to delete a few more before I go on holiday, but because of the holiday I'm also keeping a few like what3words, an extra mapping thing, etc.
Thanks for posting.
Not having a TV, I don't know how to use one with a laptop. It may be possible using an HDMI cable from the laptop (if it has a HDMI output) and set the laptop up for an external monitor. Using a TV as a monitor only or for playing DVD's is OK I think, but the BBC tends to see it as a grey area. I'm invited by the BBC to declare I don't need a TV licence every two or so years. I think watching live material online with a PC falls foul of licencing laws. It's best to check this out for yourself; it's a bit complex.
Re: Self Protection Online.
Totally that, if you watch anything live, the BBC can come at you with a criminal conviction
Last time I gave up my licence, and while I was doing the paperwork, I unplugged my aerial and corded it up in a loop so it was obvious that I couldn't plug it in. Since then, someone suggested scanning from this point, so that there's demonstrably no channels the tv can pick up any more, and I'll do that.Other stuff is going to have to wait, I've some stuff I need to do next week.
PS no idea what "physical security keys" are - is that fingerprint recognition, that sort of thing?
Nor do I have an extra antivirus programme on my phone, apart from what was originally installed *gulp*.
Always more preps to do
Re: Self Protection Online.
The anti-virus on your phone may be OK; there's no easy way of telling. For physical security keys:
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/protect-yo ... curity-key
ONLINE SELF PROTECTION PART 2.
Your router/modem may have provision for a second or "guest" network. Technical help may be needed to implement it. This can be used for Internet of Things devices if you must use them, so if there's a security breach, your phone and/or PC is protected. IoT devices are notoriously insecure and highly invasive of privacy.
Smart electricity meters enable the supplier to cut off and tamper with your electricity supply remotely and with ease. They have contol, not the customer.
Disable or block news feeds such as those in some Web browsers and social media. They're a time-wasting distraction and contribute to information overload. They also tend to be propaganda from corporate media, and the sophisticated algorithms used can induce biased viewpoints in the watcher. Make informed choices and choose your news. Consider independent news media; but choose your sources carefully.
Give the bare minimum of information about yourself when online. Avoid questionnaires. When invited to "say something about yourself" or something similar in an application process, give a generic reply such as "world citizen" if the field (the box you can fill in) is compulsory. Don't fill in non-compulsory fields if avoidable. Be creative when asked your name or age!
Don't create accounts, subscribe to or sign up for anything unless you're really sure that you want the connection, product or service. The more of these you have, the more risk of security or privacy issues. In addition there will be less junk in your inbox.
Paid subscriptions for services are often small, but several can add up to a large monthly outlay in total. Keep them to a minimum and save money.
Be ruthless in unsubscribing from and/or blocking unwanted email senders. This makes it easier to spot scam emails and saves time in the long run. Inboxes need to be well managed and unwelcome communications treated with a firm hand.
Avoid opening attachments or clicking links or buttons on suspicious emails. Elements in suspicious emails include: Is the date/time in UK format? Is the English fluent? Is the content relevant to you? Does any accompanying icon look authentic? If receiving an email about delivery or shipping, are you actually expecting a delivery? And so on.
Using a good adblocker improves the Internet experience now that ads have become so long, frequent and intrusive. Adblockers also help a little to protect against malware. Note that websites can lose revenue if an adblocker is used. Adblockers can usually be disabled for "friendly" websites.
Back up your data regularly, but locally. Cloud storage is useful, but data stored there (and maybe that of your family and friends) will most likely be mined and distributed to third parties. These days this is very much standard practice with any Internet-based service. Proton does a private and secure cloud storage service, I believe. I don't voluntarily use cloud services, but back up locally and offline, so I have full security, privacy and instant access to my data anywhere, any time. I use an offline PC and tablet for entertainment and personal stuff. Really old kit can be used for this, as the high demands of modern browsers and the Internet are absent. The Internet is essential and great fun, but I try to minimise my dependency on it.
Try installing Linux Mint or Linux Lite; these work well on an old PC which struggles with Windows. This is best tried on a spare PC at first, as all data on the hard drive will be deleted. Ensure all data is backed up. Needs some research but with care installation is straightforward for beginners. There will be a modest learning curve, but these versions (or "distros") are very similar and are designed for Windows refugees. I use both of these (Mint daily) and they're fast, easy to learn, use and are highly reliable and stable. Great for privacy, security and more autonomous computer usage. Many apps such as a media player and office suite are included with the installation. I've extensively and happily used both distros (which are far more stable than Windows) on PC's up to 15 years old. Free and open source software (FOSS) is an excellent option. You can use it for free, although donations are invited if you use the software regularly. Normally such software can easily be installed on multiple devices without penalty. I use it almost exclusively. There's a huge selection of PC apps available.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/protect-yo ... curity-key
ONLINE SELF PROTECTION PART 2.
Your router/modem may have provision for a second or "guest" network. Technical help may be needed to implement it. This can be used for Internet of Things devices if you must use them, so if there's a security breach, your phone and/or PC is protected. IoT devices are notoriously insecure and highly invasive of privacy.
Smart electricity meters enable the supplier to cut off and tamper with your electricity supply remotely and with ease. They have contol, not the customer.
Disable or block news feeds such as those in some Web browsers and social media. They're a time-wasting distraction and contribute to information overload. They also tend to be propaganda from corporate media, and the sophisticated algorithms used can induce biased viewpoints in the watcher. Make informed choices and choose your news. Consider independent news media; but choose your sources carefully.
Give the bare minimum of information about yourself when online. Avoid questionnaires. When invited to "say something about yourself" or something similar in an application process, give a generic reply such as "world citizen" if the field (the box you can fill in) is compulsory. Don't fill in non-compulsory fields if avoidable. Be creative when asked your name or age!
Don't create accounts, subscribe to or sign up for anything unless you're really sure that you want the connection, product or service. The more of these you have, the more risk of security or privacy issues. In addition there will be less junk in your inbox.
Paid subscriptions for services are often small, but several can add up to a large monthly outlay in total. Keep them to a minimum and save money.
Be ruthless in unsubscribing from and/or blocking unwanted email senders. This makes it easier to spot scam emails and saves time in the long run. Inboxes need to be well managed and unwelcome communications treated with a firm hand.
Avoid opening attachments or clicking links or buttons on suspicious emails. Elements in suspicious emails include: Is the date/time in UK format? Is the English fluent? Is the content relevant to you? Does any accompanying icon look authentic? If receiving an email about delivery or shipping, are you actually expecting a delivery? And so on.
Using a good adblocker improves the Internet experience now that ads have become so long, frequent and intrusive. Adblockers also help a little to protect against malware. Note that websites can lose revenue if an adblocker is used. Adblockers can usually be disabled for "friendly" websites.
Back up your data regularly, but locally. Cloud storage is useful, but data stored there (and maybe that of your family and friends) will most likely be mined and distributed to third parties. These days this is very much standard practice with any Internet-based service. Proton does a private and secure cloud storage service, I believe. I don't voluntarily use cloud services, but back up locally and offline, so I have full security, privacy and instant access to my data anywhere, any time. I use an offline PC and tablet for entertainment and personal stuff. Really old kit can be used for this, as the high demands of modern browsers and the Internet are absent. The Internet is essential and great fun, but I try to minimise my dependency on it.
Try installing Linux Mint or Linux Lite; these work well on an old PC which struggles with Windows. This is best tried on a spare PC at first, as all data on the hard drive will be deleted. Ensure all data is backed up. Needs some research but with care installation is straightforward for beginners. There will be a modest learning curve, but these versions (or "distros") are very similar and are designed for Windows refugees. I use both of these (Mint daily) and they're fast, easy to learn, use and are highly reliable and stable. Great for privacy, security and more autonomous computer usage. Many apps such as a media player and office suite are included with the installation. I've extensively and happily used both distros (which are far more stable than Windows) on PC's up to 15 years old. Free and open source software (FOSS) is an excellent option. You can use it for free, although donations are invited if you use the software regularly. Normally such software can easily be installed on multiple devices without penalty. I use it almost exclusively. There's a huge selection of PC apps available.
Re: Self Protection Online.
ONLINE SELF PROTECTION - SMARTPHONES.
SMARTPHONES.
Following are recommendations for more secure and private smartphone usage. The individual is free to do his or her own research, and accept or reject anything that's suggested here. Indeed, the following may make uncomfortable reading for some, and some of the measures suggested here may be impractical or unwelcome. Do what you can; what's offered are just suggestions.
None of the following is intended as medical, legal or financial advice. This content is for general information; if in doubt consult a professional.
Although smartphones are incredibly versatile,there are those of us who don't want to live under the microscope, or have our lives micromanaged by corporate, governmental, or other such entities. It's understood that some people need smartphones for their work or if caring for someone. In leisure time, people could possibly consider small changes in lifestlyle, such as leaving smartphones at home when out for a walk. I don't own one of the things and have no wish to be disturbed 24/7 or constantly monitored and tracked. I value individual sovereignty and find the idea of all this surveillance and unneccessary supervision demeaning and dehumanising.
There are many Youtube videos for guidance in using smartphones.
A decent level of privacy, and to a lesser extent, security, on a smartphone is very difficult to achieve. So much depends on a single device which is vulnerable to damage, theft, loss or hacking. The built-in camera and mic can be switched on without your knowledge. There are measures in Settings for enhancing privacy, but these tend to be very limited and can be "buried" in sub-menus. For online use far more powerful privacy measures can be implemented on a PC or similar computer with care and a little technical knowledge from a well informed friend, or from online. Remember that smart TV's and laptops also have built in mics and cameras which can be turned on without your knowing.
Delete unused apps and install as few as possible. This will help improve security and privacy. Apps use processing power and having too many can slow your device down. Nearly all "phone home", and even report on each other.
Consider a de-Googled smartphone. I believe that a custom Graphene operating system can be installed on the Google Pixel models as a substitute for Google Android. Many Google Android devices can be rooted (known as a jailbreak for Apple devices). I've done this for my tablet. This gives full access to the operating system so apps such as pre-installed junkware and spyware can be removed. There are risks associated with this; try on an older and cheap device. This is really for an intermediate-level techie, or someone who's ready to learn. De-googled phones are available on ebay, but take great care with such a purchase.
Faraday bags and wallets for blocking signals to and from phones or tablets are available on ebay or Amazon. These can block annoying notifications and prevent tracking. Note that the metallised linings can wear with a lot of use, causing the bag to lose its effectiveness. A very good seal at the opening is needed for Faraday bags to be effective. Use Aircraft Mode to conserve battery and to assist in signal blocking with these. In fact, use Aircraft Mode whenever possible. Faraday bags can be made at home using kitchen aluminium foil with polythene. Note that the adhesive on the vast majority of aluminium tape has non-conductive adhesive. This can affect the integrity of a home - made Faraday bag.
Smartphones are increasingly used for banking and financial transactions. Even if I had a smartphone, I would continue doing online banking via a relatively secure browser with a wired Internet connection rather than a vulnerable smartphone app.
SMARTPHONES.
Following are recommendations for more secure and private smartphone usage. The individual is free to do his or her own research, and accept or reject anything that's suggested here. Indeed, the following may make uncomfortable reading for some, and some of the measures suggested here may be impractical or unwelcome. Do what you can; what's offered are just suggestions.
None of the following is intended as medical, legal or financial advice. This content is for general information; if in doubt consult a professional.
Although smartphones are incredibly versatile,there are those of us who don't want to live under the microscope, or have our lives micromanaged by corporate, governmental, or other such entities. It's understood that some people need smartphones for their work or if caring for someone. In leisure time, people could possibly consider small changes in lifestlyle, such as leaving smartphones at home when out for a walk. I don't own one of the things and have no wish to be disturbed 24/7 or constantly monitored and tracked. I value individual sovereignty and find the idea of all this surveillance and unneccessary supervision demeaning and dehumanising.
There are many Youtube videos for guidance in using smartphones.
A decent level of privacy, and to a lesser extent, security, on a smartphone is very difficult to achieve. So much depends on a single device which is vulnerable to damage, theft, loss or hacking. The built-in camera and mic can be switched on without your knowledge. There are measures in Settings for enhancing privacy, but these tend to be very limited and can be "buried" in sub-menus. For online use far more powerful privacy measures can be implemented on a PC or similar computer with care and a little technical knowledge from a well informed friend, or from online. Remember that smart TV's and laptops also have built in mics and cameras which can be turned on without your knowing.
Delete unused apps and install as few as possible. This will help improve security and privacy. Apps use processing power and having too many can slow your device down. Nearly all "phone home", and even report on each other.
Consider a de-Googled smartphone. I believe that a custom Graphene operating system can be installed on the Google Pixel models as a substitute for Google Android. Many Google Android devices can be rooted (known as a jailbreak for Apple devices). I've done this for my tablet. This gives full access to the operating system so apps such as pre-installed junkware and spyware can be removed. There are risks associated with this; try on an older and cheap device. This is really for an intermediate-level techie, or someone who's ready to learn. De-googled phones are available on ebay, but take great care with such a purchase.
Faraday bags and wallets for blocking signals to and from phones or tablets are available on ebay or Amazon. These can block annoying notifications and prevent tracking. Note that the metallised linings can wear with a lot of use, causing the bag to lose its effectiveness. A very good seal at the opening is needed for Faraday bags to be effective. Use Aircraft Mode to conserve battery and to assist in signal blocking with these. In fact, use Aircraft Mode whenever possible. Faraday bags can be made at home using kitchen aluminium foil with polythene. Note that the adhesive on the vast majority of aluminium tape has non-conductive adhesive. This can affect the integrity of a home - made Faraday bag.
Smartphones are increasingly used for banking and financial transactions. Even if I had a smartphone, I would continue doing online banking via a relatively secure browser with a wired Internet connection rather than a vulnerable smartphone app.
Re: Self Protection Online.
One thing I have been doing recently is updating passwords to secure ones. I was scared to let Firfox generate them in case it lost them. But my iphone now usually volunteers to save them as well, and if it doesn't, I know how to update it on my mac, which then updates the phone. It's a huge pain. I can't sign in to Amazon Japan to update, and the only customer service is a Japanese phone number. Still got a lot of old passwords on sites I never use, but nothing important. More and more sites are going over to facial recognition, which works well on the phone. Uber called it something else like a pass code or something, but it enabled the facial rec the phone does. My bank uses it. It's so much easier. Had to apply for a tax refund the other day. My god, scan passport photo, scan passport chip, scan my face. Got there in the end. Big Brother is watching me! I do still have some passwords I made up. With those, I wrote down part of them, and hope I can remember the rest. But now I have a backup system I don't need to keep any records. Pretty much all can be reset from my main email anyway, apart from Amazon Jp.
Re: Self Protection Online.
I have this problem as well from early days on the Ineternet; also some personal data "escaped" because I didn't know about online privacy. Fortunately, I set out to have as few accounts as possible, and not to sign up for anything unless I was really sure, right from the beginning. At least as a result of this my exposure has been relatively small. In addition, I've never used social media.
I've never allowed a third party to store my passwords. Also, I've never willingly surrendered my biometric data. This is just a thing with me; I believe facial scanning and such will become increasingly unavoidable as time goes on.
Re: Self Protection Online.
Had a bit of a nightmare the last few days with passwords. I think Firefox was conflicting with the iphone passwords or something. It was offering me too many choices* and none would autofill. NHS was the worst, I think that was definitely their site though. I changed passwords loads of times, but they kept telling me it was wrong. In the end I got their app to work using facial rec. In fact it's so efficient, when I log out, it immediately logs me back in using facial rec! Facial rec is becoming the norm these days and it's so much quicker and easier than the old multi-stage, can't remember, do this, do that blah blah blah.
*something like
website name firefox
website name firefox
Firefox
Icloud
*something like
website name firefox
website name firefox
Firefox
Icloud
Re: Self Protection Online.
Facial scanning ..I had a good one with thatPPrep wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2024 8:13 amI have this problem as well from early days on the Ineternet; also some personal data "escaped" because I didn't know about online privacy. Fortunately, I set out to have as few accounts as possible, and not to sign up for anything unless I was really sure, right from the beginning. At least as a result of this my exposure has been relatively small. In addition, I've never used social media.
I've never allowed a third party to store my passwords. Also, I've never willingly surrendered my biometric data. This is just a thing with me; I believe facial scanning and such will become increasingly unavoidable as time goes on.
Coming back from a journey stopped at motorway service station
Grabbed a coffee ..saw the slot machine and stuck a quid in it ..alarm goes off not on machine but in the room ..barriers came half way down ..stood there like a muppet and a woman dashed over from a shop
I need ID off you...
Me .. im 56 what the hell
Her straight faced ..the facial recognition camera has picked you up as potentially being under 18
Me . In hysterics I was almost crying ..her ..face never changed ..I need ID ... me cant you think for yourself ???
Rummaged through bag moving the paracetamol volterol and many other old people stuff I carry now to find driving licence in wallet
She checks it ..stares at me and leaves
Alarm stops ...
Facial recognition my backside im either bloody hot for my age or these things do not work...
Yeah its going to become the norm...
No more stopping at service stations for me ill have to pee in the car
