Let's talk about Privacy

[bitmover]

I discovered bitcoin while studying about how to protect my privacy on the internet.

Crytpocurrencies and privacy and closely related. This way many people here care about privacy, however I still see many users in this forum who are not using basic privacy tools, like an ad block.

This simple guide is for those people.

Usually people who think they don't care about privacy say: "I don't worry about  privacy because I have nothing to hide."
When you go to the bathroom you close the door, even if you have nothing to hide.

While surfing on the internet here are a few tools that will help you protect yourself against tracking and privacy invasion.

• Avoid any Google product. They are not to be trusted as Google will track your data to ad services.
  
  
• Browser recommendation:
  Firefox / Brave browser / Tor Browser
  
  
• Browser Extensions: (works even on Firefox Mobile)
  UBlock (an adblocker) - An AdBlock is also an important method to avoid phishing sites.
  Decentraleyes (blocks content delivery)
  HTTPS Everywhere
  
  
• E-mail provider:
  Consider changing to a encrypted e-mail service, not U.S based
  ProtonMail / Tutanota
  
  
• Search engines:
  I know how it's hard to not use Google. The best private alternative is Duckduckgo .
  If you find very hard to stop using Google, consider using Encrypted Google  (I really don't know if it is truly encrypted)
  
  
• Encrypt your Android Device - Protect your music, photos, personal data that can only be read with a password.
  
  
• Fix Windows 10 privacy configuration, to avoid Microsoft data collection.
  
  
• Some good VPN (protects your traffic data and enables geo-restricted content):
  Proton VPN - Free version available.
  Tunnel Bear Free version available.
  Nord VPN - Free version available.
  To use full time you will need a paid plan on a good VPN service.
  
  
• Private cryptocurrencies:
  Monero (the most popular), PIVX, Dash, Zcash, Particl, among many others.
  

• Open Source and privacy focused Operation Systems (OS) based on Android mobile.
  LineageOS, Replicant and Copperhead.
  

• Privacy focused notes manager.
  Standard Notes.
  This application allows you to sync notes in web, android app, windows, mac and linux. Very nice. Simple and respect your privacy.
  

- Drive alternative

• ownCloud: Open source, self-hosted cloud platform, available for enterprise
• Syncthing: Open source, P2P
• Nextcloud: Open source, self-hosted

- Calendar alternative

• Etar: Open source
• Fruux: Open source

- Google Docs / Sheets / Slides alternative

• CryptPad: Zero Knowledge Cloud
• Etherpad: Open source

- Domain Registration
  Njalla
They do not want to know who you are. No questions about  who you are. No need for Whois Guard.


Important note: Privacy is a never ending task, as you can always do something more. Start doing what is easier for you. There are also many other useful add-ons, programs, etc. This is just a very basic guide, as I see many people who don't even use an adblocker

If you want more information about privacy, go to https://www.privacytools.io/


Edit: Added Https everywhere extension and encrypt mobile device.
Edit2: Added VPNs and private cryptocurrencies.

Edit3: An AdBlock is also an important method to avoid phishing sites. So you really should be using one, as it will increase your security.
Many phishing sites promote their scams through paid ads. If you can't see them, you can't click them.[/list]

Edit4: Added  Standard Notes, drive, calendar and docs.[/list]

German translation: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5455921.msg62383812#msg62383812

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[MintDiceSupport]

Yes, adblockers are really important because some of those ads spread viruses or malware. Adblock Plus supports more platforms but Ublock has definitely gained a lot of popularity and trust.

[jseverson]

If you're suggesting Tor anyway, why not suggest its built-in add-ons for Firefox? There are only two after all, and neither is particularly invasive:

• HTTPS Everywhere - Forces sites to use https when available
• NoScript - Blocks javascript from untrusted domains (you have to trust them manually)

VPNs are also great for making sure your ISP doesn't snoop on you, though routing all of your traffic through Tor achieves mostly the same thing.

Either way, excellent write-up

[braindeadgenius]

I'm definitely going to keep this thread as a favorite for follow up for myself, especially when I go to build a new computer one day. Privacy things are one thing I haven't taken too seriously and probably should be, as we all should be. I agree, Google is definitely a shady company and worth staying away from, even though I use all of their services.

[bananapeelfeed]

I can vouch for the brave browser. It's very fast and for the most part works like Google Chrome.

Thanks for the tip about duckduckgo, I'll check it out.

[bitmover]

If you're suggesting Tor anyway, why not suggest its built-in add-ons for Firefox? There are only two after all, and neither is particularly invasive:

• HTTPS Everywhere - Forces sites to use https when available
• NoScript - Blocks javascript from untrusted domains (you have to trust them manually)

VPNs are also great for making sure your ISP doesn't snoop on you, though routing all of your traffic through Tor achieves mostly the same thing.

Either way, excellent write-up

Yeah these are good add-ons.
As I said, privacy is an never ending task, there are many other good add-ons, programs, vpn, encrypt devices...

I will add https everywhere to the post, as it's very easy to use, thank you.
Added how to encrypt your mobile device too.

[mattcode]

You might want to look at a privacy oriented cryptocurrency too, like Monero (or Zcash). Tracing Bitcoin transactions is trivial.

[bitmover]

Added VPNs and Privacy currencies.

[mk4]

Added VPNs and Privacy currencies.

Might not be used THAT much, but probably add privacy-focused operating systems like Tails[1] and QubesOS[2]?

[1] https://tails.boum.org/
[2] https://www.qubes-os.org/

[rama666]

There is an excellent browser for privacy. There the company is engaged in confidentiality and there are a lot of paid development. But the site is free.
Called Browser AntiDetect by VektorT13
Another good is  Epic Privacy Browser
Well, many people talk about Brave, but I do not like that there are not many plug-ins

[Kakmakr]

I think privacy comes apart, when money is involved. I saw this happening on this forum when Ripple was introduced. People only had to link with their Facebook account to get some FREE Ripple in the beginning. This immediately compromised most of these people and their account was linked to their real identity. <if they used their real account, they DOXed themselves>

After Ripple, we saw a host of Bounties and Coin drops and services where they require your social media accounts and some ICOs even implemented some AML requirements to participate.

Is the few dollars really worth your privacy? Your greed might cost you more, when people use this information to track you or even to link you to your main coin hoard.  

  

[audaciousbeing]

I think privacy comes apart, when money is involved. I saw this happening on this forum when Ripple was introduced. People only had to link with their Facebook account to get some FREE Ripple in the beginning. This immediately compromised most of these people and their account was linked to their real identity. <if they used their real account, they DOXed themselves>

After Ripple, we saw a host of Bounties and Coin drops and services where they require your social media accounts and some ICOs even implemented some AML requirements to participate.

Is the few dollars really worth your privacy? Your greed might cost you more, when people use this information to track you or even to link you to your main coin hoard.  

  

Your observation is spot on and aside from what you see there, a whole lot of ICO will hide under whitelist to gather information about prospective applicants, while others that are bounty or airdrop defined will gladly gave their information away because of what will come out of it. But this post is surely not referring to them as they willingly gave them out either ignorantly or as a result of greed.

I am of the opinion of online privacy is not really applicable to me because I feel the sites I visits are mostly normal sites without anything to hide but this post is something more enlightening and would start implementing some of the recommendations there. Thanks Op.

[zavodil]

TOR is quite slow. Just use VPN

[HabBear]

Usually people who think they don't care about privacy say: "I don't worry about  privacy because I have nothing to hide."
When you go to the bathroom you close the door, even if you have nothing to hide.

This is an interesting statement. People will use locks on their doors, or not disclose to friends how much money they make but when it comes to the internet people don't seem to care much about security - it's because they don't understand it...or don't have the time to learn.

So, in the interest of...

This simple guide is for those people.

For the people that are new to really privacy protection, what should they consider the first risk to their privacy. Presume that those that engage in a lot of crypto transactions or other dealings have embraced privacy...because they know they have to...what about the rest of us? Where are we likely to get hit first? Easiest?

[Kakmakr]

I think privacy comes apart, when money is involved. I saw this happening on this forum when Ripple was introduced. People only had to link with their Facebook account to get some FREE Ripple in the beginning. This immediately compromised most of these people and their account was linked to their real identity. <if they used their real account, they DOXed themselves>

After Ripple, we saw a host of Bounties and Coin drops and services where they require your social media accounts and some ICOs even implemented some AML requirements to participate.

Is the few dollars really worth your privacy? Your greed might cost you more, when people use this information to track you or even to link you to your main coin hoard.  

  

Your observation is spot on and aside from what you see there, a whole lot of ICO will hide under whitelist to gather information about prospective applicants, while others that are bounty or airdrop defined will gladly gave their information away because of what will come out of it. But this post is surely not referring to them as they willingly gave them out either ignorantly or as a result of greed.

I am of the opinion of online privacy is not really applicable to me because I feel the sites I visits are mostly normal sites without anything to hide but this post is something more enlightening and would start implementing some of the recommendations there. Thanks Op.

The thing is, what is normal sites without anything to hide? A lot of these sites looks normal, but they hide a lot of nasty agendas. Most people think Google is a normal site, but behind that money and power is a lot of information gathering and reporting to government agencies.

Just look at what is happening at Facebook now and how they handle our sensitive information. These government agencies will stop at nothing to gather information on innocent citizens and hackers will create sites to try and steal your coins. <Site Spoofing>

[mattcode]

TOR is quite slow. Just use VPN

You have to place a lot of trust in a VPN provider (there is no way to verify a no-logging policy), and in the VPN provider's ISP.

[lizardbtc]

TOR is quite slow. Just use VPN

You have to place a lot of trust in a VPN provider (there is no way to verify a no-logging policy), and in the VPN provider's ISP.

You have to put trust into Tor exit nodes as well. Tor is great tool for anonymity but yet it is not perfect. I know that in some countries if you try to run a node goverment agencies will knock on your dor, others will start to track your activity (like the case with my country). Which lets many goverments agencies to host their own exit nodes. If you use Tor long enough higher chance is that you will go through "compromied" node and thus they can reveal your identity. Tor is good tool, but it is far from perfect, you still have to know what you are doing to keep yourself private.

From OP post, he is saying tor browser - yes it could help but it is not recommended to use it on your ordinary computer (OS), that's why tails exist or whonix whit snapshots of your VM.

[bitmover]

I am of the opinion of online privacy is not really applicable to me because I feel the sites I visits are mostly normal sites without anything to hide but this post is something more enlightening and would start implementing some of the recommendations there. Thanks Op.

The thing is, what is normal sites without anything to hide? A lot of these sites looks normal, but they hide a lot of nasty agendas. Most people think Google is a normal site, but behind that money and power is a lot of information gathering and reporting to government agencies.

Just look at what is happening at Facebook now and how they handle our sensitive information. These government agencies will stop at nothing to gather information on innocent citizens and hackers will create sites to try and steal your coins. <Site Spoofing>

yes, the most problem with privacy are these normal sites that are sneaky collecting your personal information. Most people let them collect this information for free just because they are not really aware of it.

For the people that are new to really privacy protection, what should they consider the first risk to their privacy. Presume that those that engage in a lot of crypto transactions or other dealings have embraced privacy...because they know they have to...what about the rest of us? Where are we likely to get hit first? Easiest?

I didn´t understand your question. What should we protect first? Well, in my opinion the I can´t surf on the web without an Adblock. When you get used to see the websites as they should be, as they were designed, ads are going to hurt your eyes when you spot them.

I do not feel comfortable using Chrome anymore too. I feel Google is sneaking all the time, stealing my data. I think this is a good start.

[Rath_]

Wasn't TunnelBear bought by McAfee recently? I don't think that it will have a positive impact on it. I would recommend TorGuard instead. Their service is fairly good, they even sell pre-flashed routers with software designed for security of your network traffic. Also, it is worth mentioning that they support Lightning Network payments. If someone wants to try Lightning Network then their service is a good choice. Not only you get chance to test Lightning Network, but also you can improve your privacy.

Don't you think that you should mention something about Bitcoin mixers? They are a good choice if someone doesn't want to use any other cryptocurrency.

[beuvtiled]

Does it really help if I use incognito mode in my browser?