Just a warning I read about the DuckDuckGo Browser
DuckDuckGo browser seemingly sends domains a user visits to DDG servers
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23708166
Supposedly not saving or using the personal information, but weird of them to even use the server based method of getting a favicon...
Someone concerned about privacy should maybe consider using a different browser for now...
Topic: #DeGoogle - Take back control of your privacy (Read 403 times)
So thats a nice thing to see of Apple, offer it but don't enable it by default and force it onto its users.
It's partially forced from Apple too, as you will probably never be able to update your device again to a newer, better-looking and more secure OS without having to also get the COVID update.Google's update might actually be easier to back out from as it only requires the Services update reversal (although IIRC, you some apps become obsolete without the latest version of Google Services).
What annoys me is the fact that they add these things without ever letting you know that "hey, this is something new we added inside your device!". I, for one, don't agree with contact tracing be it anonymous or not, so I would never want to have even the basic stuff of it inside my phone.
Apple will always be watched closely...
I mean if it gets updated and stays disabled and will only be active when activated I am fine with that.
If its off and still sends data and one expert finds out, it will be Apple on a serving plate.
So thats a nice thing to see of Apple, offer it but don't enable it by default and force it onto its users.
It's partially forced from Apple too, as you will probably never be able to update your device again to a newer, better-looking and more secure OS without having to also get the COVID update.Google's update might actually be easier to back out from as it only requires the Services update reversal (although IIRC, you some apps become obsolete without the latest version of Google Services).
What annoys me is the fact that they add these things without ever letting you know that "hey, this is something new we added inside your device!". I, for one, don't agree with contact tracing be it anonymous or not, so I would never want to have even the basic stuff of it inside my phone.
-snip-
I would personally not rely on those little switches in our phone settings. I'm very suspicious when it comes to them - as they are not physical switches, a little coding backdoor could give you only the impression that you've turned the permissions on. And honestly, I believe Google has control over your phone at any time.True to that. I dont trust Google at all.
We have some news now:
Apple has launched a software update for iOS which includes the basic stuff needed for contact tracing apps. In other words... this thread now has even more substance.
The problem is that, while iOS has an optional software update, Google introduced the basic stuff needed for contact tracing without asking you for your permission. If your phone has had Google Play Services updated recently (and I believe it's done automatically), you most likely have the contact tracing stuff in your phone already.
To check if you do, you only need to do 3 steps:
1. Open your phone's Settings
2. Look for the "Google" settings, open them
3. If the opening window shows some COVID-19 exposure settings, you have the update in your phone.
One more reason to forever and completely abandon Google. No offense but fuck them.
Apple has launched a software update for iOS which includes the basic stuff needed for contact tracing apps. In other words... this thread now has even more substance.
The problem is that, while iOS has an optional software update, Google introduced the basic stuff needed for contact tracing without asking you for your permission. If your phone has had Google Play Services updated recently (and I believe it's done automatically), you most likely have the contact tracing stuff in your phone already.
To check if you do, you only need to do 3 steps:
1. Open your phone's Settings
2. Look for the "Google" settings, open them
3. If the opening window shows some COVID-19 exposure settings, you have the update in your phone.
One more reason to forever and completely abandon Google. No offense but fuck them.
I can confirm the iOS Portion of the statement.
My iPhone has been updated and just searching through the settings for Covid found that option
It was installed during the last update.
Yes it was added, but the it was disabled.
So thats a nice thing to see of Apple, offer it but don't enable it by default and force it onto its users.
Does the Playstore have access to your location?
I don't have an android phone, but I thought you can give each app permissions?
I would personally not rely on those little switches in our phone settings. I'm very suspicious when it comes to them - as they are not physical switches, a little coding backdoor could give you only the impression that you've turned the permissions on. And honestly, I believe Google has control over your phone at any time.I don't have an android phone, but I thought you can give each app permissions?
We have some news now:
Apple has launched a software update for iOS which includes the basic stuff needed for contact tracing apps. In other words... this thread now has even more substance.
The problem is that, while iOS has an optional software update, Google introduced the basic stuff needed for contact tracing without asking you for your permission. If your phone has had Google Play Services updated recently (and I believe it's done automatically), you most likely have the contact tracing stuff in your phone already.
To check if you do, you only need to do 3 steps:
1. Open your phone's Settings
2. Look for the "Google" settings, open them
3. If the opening window shows some COVID-19 exposure settings, you have the update in your phone.
One more reason to forever and completely abandon Google. No offense but fuck them.
-snip-
We can turn of location tracking on google apps but still google can trace your moving with any app you have installed because we all are using Playstore.
We can turn of location tracking on google apps but still google can trace your moving with any app you have installed because we all are using Playstore.
Does the Playstore have access to your location?
I don't have an android phone, but I thought you can give each app permissions?
But the reality is, most of the people don't care about their privacy or they think there is nothing to hide from the whole world so they just let the google to steal all their data.We can look for alternatives to google products but still we can't claim 100% anonymity.Smartphones means no privacy.
Thats exactly the problem.
I don't think its not caring, but it just seems like too much work to move elsewhere.
I mean I bet 95% of the people using Gmail or Google in general don't know that there are settings to increase your privacy.
Google is literally tracking your every move, where you go and which stores you go in to.
This has so much value, which ads to show, which products you are interested in and this combined with your gmail. -> Treasure Cove!
But the reality is, most of the people don't care about their privacy or they think there is nothing to hide from the whole world so they just let the google to steal all their data.We can look for alternatives to google products but still we can't claim 100% anonymity.Smartphones means no privacy.
Thats exactly the problem.
I don't think its not caring, but it just seems like too much work to move elsewhere.
I mean I bet 95% of the people using Gmail or Google in general don't know that there are settings to increase your privacy.
Google is literally tracking your every move, where you go and which stores you go in to.
This has so much value, which ads to show, which products you are interested in and this combined with your gmail. -> Treasure Cove!
But the reality is, most of the people don't care about their privacy or they think there is nothing to hide from the whole world so they just let the google to steal all their data.We can look for alternatives to google products but still we can't claim 100% anonymity.Smartphones means no privacy.
People close to you could regard you as something similar to what the world calls conspiracy theory if you try to tell them about the privacy risks on the internet.
We should also be aware that we are being watched/spied and programmed not just by our fellow humans through this things.( I have felt the "evil one" programming and spying on people few months or weeks ago.) We should be making it very hard for them to abuse these things or spy on us.
I am not sure the centralized alternatives are safe either. I think well decentralized crypto-based alternative would be better alternatives.
Your post is useful though. Saved it for the future
We should also be aware that we are being watched/spied and programmed not just by our fellow humans through this things.( I have felt the "evil one" programming and spying on people few months or weeks ago.) We should be making it very hard for them to abuse these things or spy on us.
I am not sure the centralized alternatives are safe either. I think well decentralized crypto-based alternative would be better alternatives.
Your post is useful though. Saved it for the future
I've been using DuckGoGo for a while as my standard engine now. After watching the documentary of netflix, I started looking into it a bit more serioiusly and was quite shocked.
I have switched to DuckDuckGo and I have been getting used to it.
Siwtched over to Firefox also, so slowly moving away.
- Written from my chromebook
I've been using DuckGoGo for a while as my standard engine now. After watching the documentary of netflix, I started looking into it a bit more serioiusly and was quite shocked.
- Written from my chromebook
- Written from my chromebook
^^^ Isn't Firefox owned by Google? 
Even if it was to be owned by Google, it would mean nothing as soon as it's open-source. Tor Browser is based on Firefox on both mobile and PC (even on Tails). There are lots of Firefox forks. Android is created by Google and yet it's open-source and can be modified as much as one is willing to. You could create a super-spyware-filled OS or you could create what Replicant currently is. You're free to do anything I don't think they are yet sadly. First quotation in this topic is on point.
Many people will say i have nothing to hide so i don't care about privacy. Biggest mistake they could make. If they will need privacy for whatever reason, it will be too late.
I, myself, have convinced over 10 people to get rid of all this data-stripping crap. If someone isn't conscious enough to understand that nothing is completely free and your data is worth much more than you'd ever pay for these services, it only means they need to be woken up to reality by someone who knows. We're so used to Google and Facebook that we don't even notice anymore that we may have an eavesdropping device sitting in every room in our house (Echo/Home). We have been taught this way. Many people will say i have nothing to hide so i don't care about privacy. Biggest mistake they could make. If they will need privacy for whatever reason, it will be too late.
^^^ Isn't Firefox owned by Google?
Google paid Mozilla some decent amount of cash to have Google Search set as default search engine.
But Google does not own Mozilla nor Firefox.
Great great guide. Very important topic that people neglect in our times.
It will only get worse with time if we won't do anything about it. There are signalists saying this already since years, but it will take time to reach critical mass of people that get it.
Many people will say i have nothing to hide so i don't care about privacy. Biggest mistake they could make. If they will need privacy for whatever reason, it will be too late.
It will only get worse with time if we won't do anything about it. There are signalists saying this already since years, but it will take time to reach critical mass of people that get it.
I'm glad to see people finally waking up to the reality & see how their data is mined and used. Well done!
I don't think they are yet sadly. First quotation in this topic is on point.Many people will say i have nothing to hide so i don't care about privacy. Biggest mistake they could make. If they will need privacy for whatever reason, it will be too late.
^^^ Isn't Firefox owned by Google?
I'm glad to see people finally waking up to the reality & see how their data is mined and used. Well done!
I fully agree!
I use duckduckgo, firefox, my own email service, a secure Linux distro, and will also have a look at the Android alternatives.
I am considering to translate the original post to Swedish and publish it.
Thanks alot, very much appreciated. I have added a contribution area where I will list everyone that has contributed to the list.
I remove the hint and replaced it with a guide of how to unlock your Bootloader.
Sadly it cant be done for all phones.
Thanks for the credits. Yes, the Bootloader unlocking guide is different from phone to phone. But as long as people know it's needed, a quick search is enough. I remove the hint and replaced it with a guide of how to unlock your Bootloader.
Sadly it cant be done for all phones.
The "Eyes" Concept is based on where the company is located that made the specific program.
Multiple sources I have looked at told me they are based in a location thats part of the 5 Eye Alliance.
Oh, now it makes sense. Thought some source said they were created by the surveillance alliances.Multiple sources I have looked at told me they are based in a location thats part of the 5 Eye Alliance.
These would probably be good alternatives to the Google OS thats installed on Chromebooks.
Replacing windows is a whole other chapter =)
Also true, you'd switch from a very intuitive UI to an OS where you'd have to use Terminal quite often. It's a pretty fun journey though for those interested in switching from privacy-lacking Windows Replacing windows is a whole other chapter =)
Agreed, even small steps will change your privacy to the better!
Thanks for the kind words and please do translate and share the word.
Just link back to the original and get a conversation started there!
Thank you for the great thread & for the merit! Will return the favor as soon as I can, I'll make sure to translate the thread in the following few days Thanks for the kind words and please do translate and share the word.
Just link back to the original and get a conversation started there!
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I definitely agree that it is quite insane to stop using all Google services at some point, so gradually replacing individual applications is the best solution. I've been using Firefox again for a while now, and I'm also seriously considering putting Gmail out of use altogether. I think it’s a good start, definitely something anyone can do.
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It's only insane because we've been taught to use their services and their mass-data-collecting apps. If we were to use FOSS apps and software and get accustomed to them from the start, right now it'd be insane to move to Google. I definitely agree that it is quite insane to stop using all Google services at some point, so gradually replacing individual applications is the best solution. I've been using Firefox again for a while now, and I'm also seriously considering putting Gmail out of use altogether. I think it’s a good start, definitely something anyone can do.
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I've made the change within a few days and it is a bit harder to get used to it, but it's indeed worth it.EDIT: Here you go! I've translated the topic to the Romanian board. We usually don't have that many members active over there, but every little step matters.
Recently when i'm looking news about Zoom, i found out Keybase was bought by Zoom. Zoom is known to have bad security, bad privacy and lying about feature of their service.
I don't use Keybase, but i'd have some concern if i were to use Keybase.
Source : https://keybase.io/blog/keybase-joins-zoom
This is what I love about this community!
Thanks for pointing that out, I will remove it. Yes Zoom has been the center of attention with their security flaws.
Recently when i'm looking news about Zoom, i found out Keybase was bought by Zoom. Zoom is known to have bad security, bad privacy and lying about feature of their service.
I don't use Keybase, but i'd have some concern if i were to use Keybase.
Source : https://keybase.io/blog/keybase-joins-zoom
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