Ask HN: Is Anonymity Possible in 2022?
5 comments
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operations_security
But really I think there is a lot of paranoia, I see so many people who are so afraid of repercussions that they post to HN with throwaway accounts.
I had a friend who thought she had some idea inside herself that was so dangerous she'd risk assassination if she got it out. She failed a few courses in her last semester of college so she never got her degree. She wanted to be a filmmaker, and she directed a few shoots that I was a cameraman in that were more complex than any shoots I'd ever been in.
She'd procrastinate on editing and completing films and frequently infuriate sponsors or anyone who contributed resources. She did flirt with death it turns out because she became addicted to opioids. Fortunately she got clean and she's still with us.
I'll tell you though that I saw a manifestation of unhealthy narcissism in her that was quite dangerous and when I see paranoia on the part of other people I wonder how much it is delusions of persecution, self-importance, reference, and all that.
But really I think there is a lot of paranoia, I see so many people who are so afraid of repercussions that they post to HN with throwaway accounts.
I had a friend who thought she had some idea inside herself that was so dangerous she'd risk assassination if she got it out. She failed a few courses in her last semester of college so she never got her degree. She wanted to be a filmmaker, and she directed a few shoots that I was a cameraman in that were more complex than any shoots I'd ever been in.
She'd procrastinate on editing and completing films and frequently infuriate sponsors or anyone who contributed resources. She did flirt with death it turns out because she became addicted to opioids. Fortunately she got clean and she's still with us.
I'll tell you though that I saw a manifestation of unhealthy narcissism in her that was quite dangerous and when I see paranoia on the part of other people I wonder how much it is delusions of persecution, self-importance, reference, and all that.
19. Get websites in bulk
If you want to read a website just get a whole thing , and read it offline.
That way nobody knows what you are reading except you. There are projects like Kivix that will enable you to read websites in .zim file format and browse it offline.
This will help to confuse digital fingerprinting.
If you want to read a website just get a whole thing , and read it offline.
That way nobody knows what you are reading except you. There are projects like Kivix that will enable you to read websites in .zim file format and browse it offline.
This will help to confuse digital fingerprinting.
this sounds like yet another generic list
VPNs hide your browsing history so your internet service provider (ISP) can’t see any of your online activity.
these are not good usually. they store information and also you can be identified other ways.
A better solution is a VPS such as Amazon EC2 and do browsing on that instead. that way your computer will be shielded from malware and also your IP hidden
VPNs hide your browsing history so your internet service provider (ISP) can’t see any of your online activity.
these are not good usually. they store information and also you can be identified other ways.
A better solution is a VPS such as Amazon EC2 and do browsing on that instead. that way your computer will be shielded from malware and also your IP hidden
What are you trying to avoid? Generic fear is debilitating; you need to identify, very specifically, what your threat model is, and address that.
Just coming up with horrible "what if?" scenarios seems counterproductive and paranoid.
Just coming up with horrible "what if?" scenarios seems counterproductive and paranoid.
Nice list of things to do. If you want to go deeper, there's a good guide here: https://archive.org/details/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-online-...
How can you become anonymous in the Internet?
1. Use an encrypted messaging app
Instead of sending a text message to a friend on your Android, use an encrypted messaging app like Signal.
2. Use an encrypted browser
Instead of using Chrome or another browser from a large tech, use safe google alternatives and protect your data.
3. Use a VPN
VPNs hide your browsing history so your internet service provider (ISP) can’t see any of your online activity.
4. Use secure email services
Since we’re so used at Google ecosystem, that we use Gmail as our personal email provider. Google keeps all of our private emails on its servers. Better watch out for better alternatives.
5. Use a temporary email
Use a temporary email address or use a safe email services like Fastmail, Zoho mail, and Tutanota.
6. Use encrypted storage
We store all of our documents, photos, and files in Google Drive, which certainly isn’t a good choice in terms of privacy. There are definitely plenty of trustworthy cloud storage services like Internxt, Box, and SyncThing.
7. Check app permissions
We’re all guilty of mindlessly accepting an app’s terms and conditions, but before you do, see what permissions the app has.
8. Read privacy policies
Check what data a website or app collects, shares, and/or sells before you use it. Many companies sell users’ personal information to third parties for marketing and advertising purposes, which is not conducive to privacy, let alone anonymity.
9. Use ad blockers
Adware is the software that places ads across your computer, phone, or tablet, but even if you don’t have adware, most websites and apps have some form of advertising, which can get annoying.
10. Don’t use voice assistants
Amazon employees have admitted to listening to Alexa recordings, and there was a hidden, undisclosed microphone in the Google Assistant-compatible Nest Secure security system4. Your best action is to manage devices and its feature manually.
11. Stay off social media
Although this is essential to socialize and connect with our friends. Social media is a platform that can collect your information and may use it against you.
12. Use a proxy
Unlike VPNs, proxy servers encrypt only your device’s IP address, not your web traffic, making them less secure.
13. Check for HTTPS
Only go on websites whose URLs start with “HTTPS” rather than “HTTP.” HTTPS, which stands for “hypertext transfer protocol secure,” uses a secure sockets layer (SSL) to encrypt all of the communication between your browser and the websites you visit, while HTTP does not.
14. Disable cookies
Cookies are the data about your online activities that shape targeted ads; sometimes they’re anonymized and aggregated, but sometimes they’re not. It is important to disable it to avoid these data farmers.
15. Don’t use Google
Google tracks everything you search online, which can be very personal information. Use search engine like DuckDuckGo, Startpage, and Neeva which doesn’t harvest your personal information to create targeted ads.
16. Use a password manager
Create a unique and secure password for all of your online accounts. You may also use Roboform to safely encrypt your password.
17. Avoid spam
Avoid clicking on any unfamiliar messages, emails, or websites.
18. Use private instances
Private instances can be used by a select group of people that you are close with.
The internet was created to be a place where people could search for information freely, without fear of repercussions. However, with the monetization of our attention comes a total lack of privacy, as we’re surveilled online constantly.