The importance of operating completely anonymous

[tread93]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

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[hd49728]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

You can choose non KYC platforms and if you want to protect your privacy, always use Tor connection on the Internet. Some locations don't allow you to use Tor and you have to use bridge.

Check https://kycnot.me/ with two tabs: Exchanges and Services.

With Services tab, you will have some like VPN services; Domain, Hosting a& VPS; Phone numbers & SMS; Giftcards & Goods; Various tools; Anonimization; Cloud storage; Other services.

Check https://www.privacytools.io/ too.

[bittraffic]

It must be hard to really be anonymous in every way. Because as long as your phone is turned on, it can be traced when you have used it on one platform. I watched several tips, but they always said that once you have used your data in one exchange, it's recorded there on the database.

But it's possible to make a wallet anonymous by depositing coins that go through many layers. This I think is more important. I'm not an expert though.

[dhruvfire]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

Governments are against this approach and if you are planning long term holding, it will be almost impossible to hide these details in a  developed country. Do not get scared because of this, just pay the taxes and live peacefully. Government will get little relaxed with time and reduce the boundations related to crypto.

[Latviand]

Governments are against this approach and if you are planning long term holding, it will be almost impossible to hide these details in a  developed country. Do not get scared because of this, just pay the taxes and live peacefully. Government will get little relaxed with time and reduce the boundations related to crypto.

A bit stupid to think that the government would just let you do your thing just because you're following their guidelines, that's a naive thinking because I know that almost every governing body out there wants to control their population to the point where they can move them to do what they think is best for the state. Regarding anonymity, I don't think that OP understands how the Internet works, there's no such thing as complete anonymity, more like pseudonymity. Maybe you can avoid tracking for awhile but if you plan to stay on this forum, it's going to be a difficult thing to do.

[Fiatless]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy, etc?

In life, you try to control what you can and do all you can to minimize the effect of what you cannot control. In my country, you cannot be anonymous unless you don't buy anything or do any financial transactions. Or you decide not to own a phone which is not possible for now. But there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of remaining unknown. One of the ways is to stay away from social media. Some persons are so addicted to these platforms that they can write their autobiographies through detail on their social media platforms. They are in the market, bank, or home on the street, it will be uploaded to their social media account.

Another way is that instead of keeping your money in banks or exchanges, become your bank through a centralized wallet. Exchanges and bankers will always want to know more things about you. They will keep asking for more information until they know virtually everything about you.

[Despairo]

Hiding your social data, phone number and email are too much, are you really want to hide everything in this world? it's not possible because you've create ID card and driving license which contain your real identity.
 
I only hide my financial data because I don't want to get a fake friend or get a problem with many people.

Regarding anonymity, I don't think that OP understands how the Internet works, there's no such thing as complete anonymity, more like pseudonymity. Maybe you can avoid tracking for awhile but if you plan to stay on this forum, it's going to be a difficult thing to do.

There's Tor network, explain to me how you can trace someone location if he's using Tor network for anything?

If you want to use this forum privately, you can [Guide] Use Bitcointalk (more) privately you can achieve complete anonymous after next few years later.

[Rruchi man]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

Total anonymity would have been possible in those days when there was no society or publicly provided amenities that required an identity. These days staying completely anonymous is not possible unless you decide to move to a secluded place and choose to stay without the internet, only eating what you grow or kill.

Rather than wanting to stay completely anonymous which is possible, some people who want to stay away from the eyes of the government have taking up other identity (the identity of other people) and have all documents in the names of these other identities too. It may work for sometime, if you are careful enough not to raise any suspicion.

For bitcoin to increase your anonymity, use a mixer or mixing service.

[un_rank]

what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information...

Bitcoin users can best give you advice on staying pseudo-anonymous with bitcoin, you can achieve this by:

• Avoiding KYC/AML compliant exchanges
• Running your own node over Tor
• Keeping your cold storage wallet off the internet
• Not linking your offline identity with your bitcoin addresses
• Using change addresses.

...but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

Bitcoin helps with financial privacy. For the others, research on throwaway phone numbers and emails, also check up privacy email services.

- Jay -

[Kryptowerk]

what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information...

Bitcoin users can best give you advice on staying pseudo-anonymous with bitcoin, you can achieve this by:

• Avoiding KYC/AML compliant exchanges
• Running your own node over Tor
• Keeping your cold storage wallet off the internet
• Not linking your offline identity with your bitcoin addresses
• Using change addresses.

...but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

Bitcoin helps with financial privacy. For the others, research on throwaway phone numbers and emails, also check up privacy email services.

- Jay -

I agree with most of the above and this is a nice check-list you provided.
However, I'd be very careful with the statement "Bitcoin helps with financial privacy" <- I'd go as far as to say for 95+% of Bitcoin users this is not true, actually the opposite. As soon as you buy from a KYC exchange or get your identity linked in any other way with your BTC, you are more transparent than ever before.
With the right measures, like the ones you mentioned above, this can be turned,. But without, Bitcoin is in-itself not private at all with its open-ledger and the complete visibility of all transactions ever made, including the funds sent and senders and recipients' addresses.

[John Abraham]

It's tough to remain anonymous these days. You have to be careful wherever you have to use personal information online. Do not create a Social Media account with accurate data: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other platform. Never use factual information. If you gamble in casinos, Avoid KYC Required casinos. There are a bunch of NON-KYC Casinos. Not sure how reliable they are. Do your own research before you sign up for those casinos. Most Non-KYC Casinos do not have licenses. You have to be careful with that.

Do not use Centralized exchange if you can. If you submit KYC in Centralized exchanges, you have already leaked your Identity online. Almost all of us use Centralized exchanges to buy or sell our Bitcoin for fiat. That's why I said it's tough to remain anonymous these days. But if you have alternatives. You are the lucky one.

[KiaKia]

1. Use strong IP masking, like Tor.
2. Stay away from any Centralised exchanges.
3. Use Bitcoin Mixers.

The only way the government can get its hands on your information is through the help of centralized crypto exchanges because all centralized exchanges must abide by the law, they are running their businesses because they are permitted, it's easier for them to betray their customers and give up the customers information, starting from identity information and home addresses, KYC is very dangerous and unsafe if we think about it very well.

[franky1]

alot of sponsored people love to scare people into using their services.

heres a few hard facts that debunk their narratives
they mainly try to use china as a prime example

china has been promoted as a surveillance state. where its been promoted that china is a one bank system and government are watching everyone in china..
that is completely false and illogical on many levels

china have lots of banks and payment services. most owned by private businesses. also london has more camera's than chinas main city.. and im sorry to burst some bubbles but there are no wire fences or prison warden turrets with gunman watching chinese rice paddy workers, office workers, or fishermen around china
china is too huge to have politicians sat at computers or in turrets watching everyone
again britain has more turrets then china does

so dont believe the idiots that get their info from fox new types of sources.

what you will find however is that BUSINESSES watch THEIR CUSTOMERS and they have to report suspicious customers to authorities

so the key thing is
a. avoid telling too much to businesses about yourself
b. avoid large value transactions through unregulated services then being sent to regulated services
c. dont do things that are like waving a red flag shouting that you want to hide

(b) is the important part. by acting suspicious by promoting yourself as a hider. you will actually get noticed more and put onto watch lists which businesses share.

make yourself appear insignificant, unnoticed
most watchlists are of large value items that have been mixed. they only find larger value items significant enough to prompt an investigation because the time and effort and cost of an investigation means its not worth pursuing the small value stuff

(heck even scammers know this. knowing a victims costs of going to court are over $1k scammers that only steal a few dollars or hundreds know victims wont waste time trying to trace and sue a scammer)

regulators dont take someone to court for just one $90 theft. they have bigger fish to fry

so make yourself insignificant, not even worth looking at. dont make yourself notable or shout that you are trying purposefully to hide. just blend into the crowd. not become famous

the more you reveal about yourself the more famous/infamous you become

regulators IN REAL WORLD regulations and policies ACTUALLY DO list that customers of businesses that use mixers should be treated as suspicious by the business. so that right there (research it) shows using mixers will get you watched..
also listed are AEC which are currency networks designed to enhance anonymity. such as dash/monero/lightning
find another way. dont use services/systems that promote that they are designed specifically to hyper anonymise you. as those services will be the things that get you watched. use services/systems designed for other functions. but as a unadvertised side effect just happen to change taint handling of users funds

[laurenB7742]

It is not possible to be completely anonymous unless you are not using any devices such as phones or computers and are not participating in any social platforms, your identity will be guaranteed. But with today's society, all of that is tied to us on a daily basis, I don't believe someone wouldn't use any centralized platform.

Do not use Centralized exchange if you can. If you submit KYC in Centralized exchanges, you have already leaked your Identity online. Almost all of us use Centralized exchanges to buy or sell our Bitcoin for fiat. That's why I said it's tough to remain anonymous these days. But if you have alternatives. You are the lucky one.

We need to admit this, most people don't like centralized exchanges for many reasons but most of us use them, they are almost indispensable for us if we want to invest in bitcoin.

[Blurr007]

Well, i don't have much to say.

But i think you wouldn't want to be anonymous while dealing with country own data, (e.g - creating of bank account,  national identification numbers, House address and others...) .

In terms of internet, anonymous would be a little bit difficult because of gmail, KYC verifications and more,
Even if so many people has fall into creating multiple or fake gmail accounts, face verification has started coming into the picture.

[tabas]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

Don't be too showy with all of your life happenings in social media. You don't imitate those people that keeps on bragging their achievements, things, vacations and other things. And only register to websites that you're really using because if you sign for random websites and that includes your main email, you'll be swarmed by scam emails that you might fall because of how scary their message about your "dirty little secrets". That's how they manipulate their victims and scares them as if they really know what you do but in reality, those are just scary you and tries you if you're gonna fall. For email, I've read that the most suggested one is to use protonmail.

[Dickiy]

If anyone can please add their expertise here on being completely anonymous for the sake of the masses. In a world that is centering on control and tracking activity as a means of control, what are the best measures one can take in any given region for the sake of remaining completely anonymous online with not only bitcoin transactions but online anonymity with delicate private information on not only location whereabouts but financial data, social data, phone number and email privacy etc?

This is a very complicated thing to do, it's a crazy thing in my opinion, I think if you don't register anything on social media and you don't use your personal data to enter the internet world but you have the identity of the country's residents, which are almost all in those days the government stores it through the internet network, so in my opinion it's quite impossible, unless you don't have an identity either in citizenship status or whatever and what is certain is that you will have very difficult access to facilities that must use personal data.

A reliable hacker they always have personal data that can be said they are more anonymous than ordinary people who say they are anonymous, I think you can't do everything anonymously as you expect unless you are able to manipulate personal data.

[BenCodie]

And yet another user who could vastly benefit from the vast amount of knowledge that would be compiled and discuss if the forum were to house a Cybersecurity & Privacy board.

Achieving anonymity and privacy with peace of mind that you're doing it right requires a lot of research. It's a personal experience and it varies from person to person based on their threat model (who are you protecting yourself from?) and their knowledge-base (what practices you know of, what you can comprehend and what you are capable of employing). Discussion helps to learn more about both of these topics, which is why I am hoping the aforementioned board is added.

To answer your post, two basic rules:
1. Never share your personal information online unless you absolutely need to. If you do absolutely need to, do so in a secure environment that is away from where you'd like to remain anonymous.
2. Never upload sensitive files to third party services unless you are okay with the potential for eyes other than your own viewing these files.

Some privacy-enhancing technologies include:
- Linux: While there are a vast amount of linux distributions out there, varying in their security/privacy hardening out-of-the-box, almost all popular Linux distributions beat Windows and Mac OS when it comes to privacy.
- VPN: Even a VPN is not enough in some circumstances these days, however a VPN can help to hide your day to day internet usage from your ISP and protect your IP from services online by passing traffic through their servers. Look for a non-logging VPN with a reputation for privacy-first. A bad VPN would make using one redundant.
- Tor: If you need another layer of security, using Tor over VPN is a good way to enhance your anonymity.
- Firefox: Firefox is great because you can learn to harden it further than just in the settings page. There are also some browsers which have forked Firefox and have hardened them so that they're more privacy friendly out of the box. Privacy from tracking is dependent on your browser!

Avoid google and services using big tech to preserve your data and privacy further. It's a hit to convenience though there are almost always just-as-good solutions to google services that are much better for your privacy.

[Flexystar]

I don’t know, we have to have internet access for various stuff these days. You have entire bank account at your finger tips, you have entire social squad one message away and entire universe information at tip of one click.

Are we going to be anonymous in any sense you think?

Pick any category from the above you will have to submit mandatory cookies to the site for enhancing user experience. Know how, they will always capture your location data, personalised cookies and they will tailor all of your data in no time!

You can’t be private over an internet.

You can just stay secure, alert and safe over internet. That’s all.

[un_rank]

However, I'd be very careful with the statement "Bitcoin helps with financial privacy" <- I'd go as far as to say for 95+% of Bitcoin users this is not true, actually the opposite. As soon as you buy from a KYC exchange or get your identity linked in any other way with your BTC, you are more transparent than ever before.

That is not a direct influence of Bitcoin but from the use of 3rd party services. Bitcoin keeps you pseudo-anonymous, if you use an exchange and submit your private details, you break that anonymity yourself.

...Bitcoin is in-itself not private at all with its open-ledger and the complete visibility of all transactions ever made, including the funds sent and senders and recipients' addresses.

Addresses have no identity linked to them. Transparency does not break your pseudo-anonymity.

- Jay -