I have not always had an interest in data privacy. Actually, it took me moving in to being a data engineer in the marketing world to really realise the intense nature of data capture.
Like, I am sure, a large proprotion of the privacy aware population, it is not that there is anything to hide, just that privacy of data should be a right. It is one of the reasons I stepped away from most social networks, try to de-Google as much as I can and take care in my data landscape.
But, how does everyone else manage theirs? It would be good to share some useful tips, resources, tools, etc. that the wider community (as it grows) can use.
For me, I use:
- A VPN (Mullvad in this case)
- Firefox with ‘some’ hardening (don’t want to totally cripple the online experience)
- Windows OS with telemtry disabled across the system (never perfect but I am happy)
- Simplewall (Windows App) to manage some outbound traffic
- Random password generators (exact logic is incredibly unique to me)
- Android (mobile) with as much telemetry disabled as possible
- Privacy Guides, a great website to keep atop of new updates
- Various threat landscape blogs and podcasts
Listing it out, it sounds like I do a lot but this is pretty tame. I accept that there is a balance between user experience and privacy. Yes, I could totally de-Google my phone but then a lot of useful functionality is lost. Same with Windows, I could move to Linux full-time (and would if I could) but I am a gamer and, while Linux is improving in that landscape, it ain’t great just yet.
Shout out to !privacyguides@lemmy.one, the official Privacy Guides community in case you were unaware.
I’d definitely recommend GrapheneOS to anyone with a Pixel, simplest ROM I’ve ever installed (none of that exploit and rooting stuff we used to have to deal with!) and you can still install sandboxed Google Play Services if you want things to work in the “normal” way without giving Google the keys to the castle.
On the desktop it’s definitely worth ditching Windows for some flavor of Linux, a happy halfway house is to dual boot and only use Windows for stuff that actually needs it.
Use Signal to message people if you can convince them to download it, though even WhatsApp is better than most of the unencrypted options.
Biggest thing that anyone can do though is to use a password manager to generate and save long, random passwords that are unique (i.e. never reused anywhere) - eventually some dodgy website will leak the password you used and the email associated with it so make sure Jonny Hackerman can’t then use the same creds anywhere else! I’d recommend BitWarden, but even the one built into your browser is better than nothing.
A great setup. I have considered getting a Pixel for the exact reason of GrapheneOS. I am still stuck in convenience at the moment hence why I have stock Android and use Windows. That said, I do have many other things in place with VPNs, anti-telemetry, etc.
Cheers for sharing the link to Privacy Guides, I have followed them for a while now. I had already added a link to the sidebar and would be more than happy to add any other useful links.
I think DivestOS is generally recommended if you cant install GrapheneOS, it’s a fork of LineageOS with improved privacy/security