Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What do you do for online privacy?

16 pointsdeafpolygon13 comments

Two years ago, I submitted this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33558737 which turned up some interesting comments.

I thought I'd revisit this topic now that it's been almost two years.

# Applications, Operating Systems

Do you run specific browsers, and why? Do you have specific applications that you use to protect your privacy? Do you engage in any kind of hardening?

Do you run any specific kind of operating system (say, Windows, Mac, etc) and why? Does it matter to you personally whether you are tracked?

# Online Storage

For example, do you store files on cloud storage as-is? If so, what kind of criteria do you have for that? Do you encrypt all files before they go anywhere? Does AES128 or AES256 encryption provide reasonable protections?

# Social Media

Do you avoid or block social media? If so or if not, why?

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I used to be a try-hard. I'm not infosec or a programmer, I'm just a person with a computer. I would install every extension possible that claimed to do something, I encrypted everything, basically following every how-to article willy-nilly and fell down a rabbit-hole[1].

Now I keep things simpler:

- social media has been whiddled down to Fediverse and LinkedIn, phone is degoogled

- I do send many of my important emails encrypted - My browser has minimal extensions installed --- because I learned about fingerprinting

- No cloud, no AI

- Never use public WiFi at McDonald's or hotels

- I've used Linux for the past 18 or 19 years as my daily, but that isn't a magic shield.

In short: didn't get into hardening; some encryption, no cloud; mostly avoiding social media (LinkedIn will soon be deleted).

[1]: https://bbbhltz.codeberg.page/blog/2021/04/the-privacy-secur...

Out of interest, during your try-hard phase, did you use VPNs?

The try-hard meta seemed to be the opposite of midwit meme e.g.

Newbie: Use the VPN it prevents tracking and password leaks on wifi! Mid level: Don't use the VPN as the VPN owner could be tracking everything! Elite level: Use multiple VPNs for different things, self host Tor and VPNs in other countries

> My browser has minimal extensions installed --- because I learned about fingerprinting

What do you use now?

# Operating Systems

Linux, but I don't really mind MacOS, just that they're too pushy on restricting control while enabling their own services on your computer. With Linux I've been able to keep only what I use and remove the rest.

Never Windows, unless it's for work.

# Applications

I use Firefox with Ublock and Containers. I have one Container for Google stuff, another for Meta (Whatsapp is the de facto communication tool in my country). I was thinking of deleting cookies, but my workstation stay on for days, and it ultimately won't matter.

I don't have anything really essential on Google either (I use it only for collaboration and the odd emails).

# Online Storage

Backup is either as is (media files) or encrypted in some vaults. I use Syncthing for syncing with encrypted nodes online.

# Social Media

I only have my Linkedin and X account left, but I don't use them. No apps on my phone other than WhatsApp.

I don't really care about privacy other than trying to replicate the real world. If you really want to know about me, you can with some work, but I try not to publicize everything online.

I use a privacy focussed email provider (mailbox.org), Brave Browser and sometimes the Tor Browser.

Social media is a Problem (i also consider github and hn as social media) i did not fully solve yet but at least no google, meta, X or related.

Linux and graphene OS, encrypted self-hosted services (immich, navidrome, audiobookshelf, pi-hole, gotifY,...) with wireguard instead of cloud services.

Open source apps where possible...

  Obtainium
  OrganicMaps
  PDF Doc Scanner
  K9mail
  OpenCamera
  Immich
  Audiobookshelf
  Fossify file manager

Some free ones

  Substreamer
  Magic Earth
  Koreader

Improving in this is one of my hobbies but i don't See it too critical. Trying my best with acceptable effort is enough :-) Pareto rule...

Brave offers the most privacy friendly browsing available by default on both desktop and mobile.

This easily negates much of the privacy invasion efforts of ad networks. Even if they do continue to track you, this hinders their ability to put "personalized" ads in front of you.

If enough people do this, invasive "personalized" ads and associated machinery will eventually reach a tipping point and become non-profitable.

This won't stop advertising but it will force the industry to adopt more sensible, privacy respecting "context sensitive" techniques.

Social media apps are a different story.

> Browser

Brave. I keep extensions limited to reduce potential uniqueness. Unfortunately, I do use Linux. Would be nice to modify the fingerprint to be less bespoke, but I haven't taken the time to figure that out.

>Social media

I only use it through web browsers. Apps may be fine, but much harder to trust. GrapheneOS does make me feel better about it, but all the web apps now are great in mobile so it seems fine.

Extreme Privacy by Michael Bazzell[1] is an excellent read on this topic. It provides insight into mostly practical tips and can always be watered down to meet your requirements.

[1]: https://inteltechniques.com/book7.html

Sadly I don't do very much online privacy wise, despite knowing that I should do way more. At best, I avoid cloud storage (I avoid any system that requires a continued fee for access/use where possible), use adblockers on every browser possible (uBlock) and try to keep my full name off social media/other websites, but not much more than that.

I have nothing to hide so I don't care

Thank you for the opportunity to mention these:

“If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.”

Cardinal Richelieu

——

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument

Exactly. It is not philosophical either. Lots of wrongful convictions. Even if proved wrong you may not even get out of prison!

You think you don't. Whats your HN password? Exactly.

> I have nothing to hide

Yes, you do.

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