I asked this question inside a topic, but due to the importance of the subject, I’m expanding on it here:
How much do you care about sharing data on the web?
Let me tell you a bit about how I handle it. Year after year, I’ve become more concerned about this issue.
It’s been about 3 years since I stopped using Gmail because, obviously, it reads your emails to serve you ads.
I started using Brave as my main browser on all devices, with a high security layer. This hinders the experience a bit, but when that happens, I unlock it for a few moments and lock it again.
When I use Google for searching, I always go incognito and sometimes use a VPN.
I stopped using any web-based financial control platforms. Leaking this data is extremely sensitive for me, mainly because there’s a link between your financial history and your account.
I started using a password manager with a strong, unique password generated for each important service. I currently use the paid version of Dashlane, and it works very well for me.
I never use my main email on websites or other services that aren’t “complex.” I use a secondary one, and practically all the advertising goes there.
I use ProtonMail as my main email service, configured on my own domain. Along with that, I use ProtonVPN, which comes in the package and serves me very well for browsing without tracking.
I subscribe to two Serasa services: CPF monitoring and dark web leak monitoring.
I never put my main card number on any website or digital wallet. BB allows creating fixed virtual cards, so I can use them on PicPay, split purchases on Mercado Livre, etc. The only exception is Apple Pay, which uses the original numbers.
Of course, there are some things we can’t avoid: my photos are on iCloud Drive, which has had leak cases (I’m even looking for a reliable service for that), my phone’s contact list is all stored in my old Google account. Since I use an iPhone, many passwords are stored on the device for Face ID use, and so on.
You can’t be 100% “untraceable” on the web, but I take these precautions. What about you? Do you care about this?
John McAfee uses Gmail because he’s a computer, not a human reading his emails. Many privacy companies that provide services are controlled by Western intelligence agencies. For us, that’s not a problem, but for criminals it is. He proudly uses Gmail! Just check his Twitter.
Now, in 2020, since we live in Western democracies, the worst thing that can happen to our data is receiving targeted ads. Other than that, VPNs are important on public Wi-Fi networks.
Honestly, I’m not too worried when it comes to companies. Even if I use other services, eventually the data will cross paths anyway.
That said, I always think about protection when it comes to encryption, so it doesn’t fall into the hands of malicious people.
Out of what was mentioned, I keep different email accounts. Services I rarely use, test, or don’t care about go into my secondary account. With credit cards, I always try to use PayPal, boletos, or something safer. Probably credit cards are what worry me the most
To be honest, that level of concern there seems like paranoia to me. I worry about the security of my data, but privacy, not so much.
That’s why I use strict methods to keep my data safe, like a password-protected section in OneNote to store all my passwords (I don’t trust any password manager app); my cards are constantly blocked; main accounts (Google, Microsoft, Amazon…) have two-step verification, among other security layers, etc.
Worrying about security is natural, because depending on the type of data you have, it can cause irreparable damage. Now, the issue of privacy is completely subjective. It depends on how much you value your personal data and how concerned you are about how it’s used, like photos, videos, or places you’ve visited. Personally, I don’t have the time or the inclination to pay attention to that.
And just one more thing: once I saw that iconic image of Zuckerberg with his laptop behind him, camera covered, and the caption said: “If even Zuck covers his laptop camera, how much more should you…” I simply thought: that’s exactly why he covers the camera and I don’t (I’m just using the laptop camera as an example), he has plenty of reasons to do that, he’s Zuck, and I… well…
I used to be more paranoid about my data, but not so much anymore. I was wasting a lot of time on it.
Brave is just a little bag to use. If you’re talking about always having JavaScript disabled, just install the quick javascript switcher in any browser. One click you block it, another you unblock it. Magic.
I don’t use an online password manager because of leaks… Just offline, KeePass. It’s OpenSource (though I’ve never bothered to inspect the source code).
Its backup is zipped with a password and has a different master password. The only unlocked copy is on a flash drive that never leaves the house and isn’t even connected to the PC. But most of my less important passwords are abc123 or something obvious that nobody tries (obviously the one for Tecnoblog isn’t — at least I don’t think so).
As for email, I have about 600 different emails. But I only use two or three to receive spam and sign up. That’s when I don’t just use guerrillamail.com with a bunch of asdasd data.
But for regular email, I use Gmail itself. After all, it’s computers reading for ads I’ll never see, not people.
As for credit cards, I simply don’t have one because I don’t like them and don’t want one. (details: a good part of them are used to build a financial profile of the person. And store ones can also be used to monitor what the person bought at the store. You know that annoying spamming you sometimes get at home with offers for products you have no idea where they came from?)
I know it’s like trying to bail out the ocean with a teaspoon, but since only the initial work is hard, I always do it.
Email, calendar, and contacts: Fastmail (for email, I use a different alias for each login)
Storage: Dropbox
Password manager: Enpass
Finance app: Minhas Finanças, used offline
And I leave all cloud backup synced to Google Drive disabled, so I set up a bridge to save to Dropbox instead. For example, WhatsApp only backs up to Google, so I disable cloud sync and use an app to configure the folder to auto-sync to my preferred service.
The only two things that are hard to switch today are two services: first, the search engine — I used DuckDuckGo for a while, but the direct results on Google Search are unbeatable.
And second is Google Photos. Since I don’t have an iPhone, it’s impossible to use Apple’s service, and there’s nothing quite like Google’s offering on Android. I know some apps back up photos, but I’d like one with less invasive AI.
My concern is minimal. I just avoid entering my information on suspicious websites/services. Other than that, I don’t really care much.
There’s that saying, „if the service is free, you’re the product.“ Yes, but… they’ll get my data to serve me targeted ads, they won’t break into my house, threaten me, or cause any real harm with it. Besides, I’m just a nobody on this internet — the interest in my information isn’t relevant to the world.
I’m increasingly worried about my data, especially when big companies like Facebook and Google get hold of it, either literally without my consent or by coercing me into handing it over so I can use their services.
I no longer use Gmail (but I sometimes use their email address, I just never use their website or app anymore, so I don’t really care).
I use Firefox, and I genuinely really like the browser. I find Brave a bit suspicious, honestly, but each to their own.
I usually use DuckDuckGo, but sometimes I use Google. I also recommend using encrypted.google.com.
I also use a password manager, in my case Bitwarden, and I like it a lot (I gotta support open source software).
Lately I’ve been using Firefox Relay, which gives me up to 5 email addresses I can use to sign up for sites, and the emails sent there are forwarded to my main email address (when I sign up for sites I’ll actually use).
I don’t subscribe to any Serasa (credit bureau) services because I don’t want to give them money. I honestly think we should try to use our CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) less. Nowadays the CPF is way overused — literally every app asks for my CPF now! We should focus on preventing the CPF from being used for anything (it isn’t and shouldn’t be an ID document!), not on remedying it once it’s stolen. That’s also why I avoid buying things online.
Try Nextcloud. It seems good. But the best thing is really not to use cloud services. The cloud is simply a remote server that you have little control over.
Shocked (but not that shocked) by the number of people who ignore big tech stealing their data to profit and still try to justify it. Cognitive dissonance much?
Guys, I know tracking and monitoring are constant these days, but that’s no reason to think it’s normal, or that it should be this way. THIS IS NOT OKAY! As citizens, we should choose leaders who don’t accept this and lobby our legislators to stop it! It’s the government’s job to protect us, and we have to demand that from it.
(btw the problem isn’t just companies. The government is also a problem, and that’s why it’s important we choose our rulers consciously.)
I could be wrong, but I don’t think you need to self-host Nextcloud. I think they have some providers you can subscribe to (which is why I said not to use cloud services). But I don’t use Nextcloud, so I could be wrong.
I don’t think the biggest issue is other people finding stuff about you, but rather big tech having that information (to use for profit).
that’s a fallacy. first, the problem isn’t the government having all the info it needs about you, but rather it having information it doesn’t need and that could be used against you. for example, during the George Floyd rallies in the United States, the police were using facial recognition to identify protesters. THE SAME POLICE THAT KILLED GEORGE FLOYD AND BREONNA TAYLOR.
second, like I said before: just because the government has that info doesn’t mean it should, or that it’s okay for other people or companies to have the same info.
mandatory edit: look, I get your point. I really do. after all, a lot of people believe that, even if it’s wrong, there’s nothing you can do about it. but we can’t think like that. in this situation, it’s better to see the glass as half full. we’re slowly managing to change things. like, the LGPD is about to go into effect on the 16th, for example. I just think accepting that nothing can be done — that’s accepting defeat. everyone’s voice, and each person’s voice, is valid and important, especially for democracy. that’s why we can’t do nothing.
It’s not about ignoring. If you’re using the internet, that data ends up in the hands of big tech companies anyway through cross-referencing. Using certain services will only protect you from malicious individuals. It’s not worth spending time on that and using less effective tools for this reason.
As others have already said, if you don’t want to be tracked, don’t use the internet. But to be perfectly honest, with so many satellites and other technologies out there, you’re not even safe from it on a desert island.
Who is being coerced?
I’m not coerced into anything.
If I use a free product like Gmail, I know Google benefits in some way. That’s never been a secret.