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asperger101
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11 Oct 2018, 8:06 am

Hello!

I want to discuss important for me problem. I mean talking about the privacy related issues, a security and staying anonymous. I'm into topics such as programming, pentesting, cryptoanarchy, libertarianism, cryptography, networking and Linux. I often hear arguments from my friends such as they haven't got anything to hide and only criminals use technologies such as Tor, I2P etc. Personally, I think they are just an ignorant people and saying "nothing to hide" is just the same as saying "they don't care about freedom of speech because they don't have anything to say". So, if they don't have anything to hide, why my friends just don't show me all their conversations on Messenger or pregnancy test results?!

People have the right to say that they have nothing to hide until they impose their views on others. I noticed the fact that my views can be used to make my life difficult. Psychiatrists often classified me as a mentally ill person, with the delusions and a psychosis because I was talking about the privacy related issues, an anonymity and a security. From a psychiatrist, the path to a psychiatric hospital and incapacitation is easy.

Easiest way to get rid off these problems is stop talking about these topics but what amazes me more is fact that my friends are really ignorant about these topics. Every self-respecting sysadmin have a little obsession about security.

How would you relate to this situation? Share your opinions.



MeganMaxwell
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11 Oct 2018, 8:25 am

I am an open book. Someone could watch me all night long and it wouldn’t bother me I’m just not that interesting outside my own head.



MeganMaxwell
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11 Oct 2018, 8:26 am

Do u not like to be watched?
Do u believe that ur not being watched?



Mythos
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12 Oct 2018, 1:00 pm

Somewhat, privacy is indeed a right but it also needs to be breached in necessary circumstances. If somebody is watching you through your phone / computer camera (my brother found something which allowed him to watch people through their IP cameras; security very much lacking) then the government should have the right to do so because I can imagine they're professional enough to keep everything above board in absolute confidence. I know it's odd but there you go, it's sometimes a necessity.

Regarding forensic cases, often devices will be confiscated and write blockers used to prevent data from being overwritten, locally or remotely. Often there is basically zero chance to hide anything from the police, even if you did for example SSH into your device and attempt to delete files from elsewhere. Atop this, your ISP will hold essentially every site you have visited from what I understand. I believe even VPN's cannot hide this information. Really, nothing you do will ever be yours and yours alone.

As an overarching principle, privacy will be breached. I mean, all the time. Every major corporation and public organisation will be assaulted in some way. In reality, it's not that hard (I say this in the loosest sense; I certainly couldn't do it but it likely would only take a cursory glance or anything of its kin).

With regards to security as a general idea, there are now too many methods to bend and break sensitive systems. There will never not be a hack, DDoS attack or eavesdrop. Cryptography is not all that good either (you mention pen testing so you likely have come across all kinds of tools for hashes, brute force software and other such things).

In a nutshell, absolute security is a pipedream as is absolute privacy.



AspieUtah
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12 Oct 2018, 1:36 pm

I use privacy and security applications (as recommended by EFF, Edward Snowden, John McAffee and others). I like having options, so I have redundancies that I use rarely. The most secure thing a user can do is stay current with all installed applications and passcodes. Like Edward Snowden, I couldn't remember my passcodes if a gun was held to my head. They are intentionally lengthy, printed out and stored until I need them.

Also, as Snowden advises strongly, use Signal <https://signal.org/download/> for all communications. The desktop version is finally published for Mac, Windows and Linux and works only with a tethered mobile device. The original Android and iPhone versions remain available.


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Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


AQ38
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14 Oct 2018, 12:06 pm

I'm privacy-conscious and wanted to help people, so I was completely blindsided when they started calling me "paranoid" and giving me garbage gadgets.



Mythos
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14 Oct 2018, 3:06 pm

AQ38 wrote:
I'm privacy-conscious and wanted to help people, so I was completely blindsided when they started calling me "paranoid" and giving me garbage gadgets.
Absolute privacy comes from not owning any technology at all.



beady
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14 Oct 2018, 4:04 pm

Mythos wrote:
AQ38 wrote:
I'm privacy-conscious and wanted to help people, so I was completely blindsided when they started calling me "paranoid" and giving me garbage gadgets.
Absolute privacy comes from not owning any technology at all.


Even if you shun technology you can still be intruded upon - seen and listened to through the walls, drones, cameras everywhere. Maybe if you lived off the grid in a cave in a remote area you might still eek out some privacy.
I would like more privacy and hope we can get some back through laws and organized rebellion.



AspieUtah
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14 Oct 2018, 4:07 pm

beady wrote:
Mythos wrote:
AQ38 wrote:
I'm privacy-conscious and wanted to help people, so I was completely blindsided when they started calling me "paranoid" and giving me garbage gadgets.
Absolute privacy comes from not owning any technology at all.


Even if you shun technology you can still be intruded upon - seen and listened to through the walls, drones, cameras everywhere. Maybe if you lived off the grid in a cave in a remote area you might still eek out some privacy.
I would like more privacy and hope we can get some back through laws and organized rebellion.

And so-called Smart Devices like your power, gas, water and appliances Smart Meters.


_________________
Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


stevens2010
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14 Oct 2018, 10:55 pm

asperger101 wrote:
I often hear arguments from my friends such as they haven't got anything to hide and only criminals use technologies such as Tor, I2P etc. Personally, I think they are just an ignorant people and saying "nothing to hide" is just the same as saying "they don't care about freedom of speech because they don't have anything to say".


The problem your friends do not fully understand is that we sometimes are not permitted, in advance, to know what we are doing is "wrong." It is easy to find examples where specific individuals are persecuted for the exact same behavior that others are exalted for. In addition, if someone desires to frame you the more knowledge he has about you, the easier it is. I know quite a few attorneys and it has been pointed out to me that if someone tries to gaslight you or implicate you in something by inventing stories, when they know little about you it leads to exculpatory mistakes.

Nearly every person I know who complains that they have "nothing to hide" has been significantly more obsequious (there's a less politically correct term for this) than most people. They seem to feel the need to prove that they are being a good boy every minute by showing how "good" they are. In fact these people usually are the least trustworthy.

Most people with Aspergers have a lot of experience with being accused of absurd things in social situations. Some even in legal situations. And many of us have reacted to that by withdrawing more and more from being observed by other people. Every persecuted person will tend to do this at some times. Of course as you've pointed out, sometimes this makes us even MORE suspect and leads to additional efforts to screw us over, which in turn leads to more withdrawal and more paranoia. The end result is that we trust no one. If anyone knows how information in public circulation--sometimes information about things we're the most proud of--can be used to shame, ridicule and incriminate us, it is an Aspie.



AQ38
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17 Oct 2018, 11:17 pm

stevens2010, I think you just confirmed my self-diagnosis. I am just floored at how much energy I have wasted trying to help people who were just ignoring me and ridiculing me as a nutcase and I didn't even know it.

I can share some more privacy links if anyone's interested, but the privacy-conscious posters on this thread have obviously already read them and are better at paraphrasing/communicating than I am, at least in the context of a newbie with what I think my online time is going to look like over the next few weeks.



Noca
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19 Oct 2018, 11:03 am

If I lived in a police state/nanny state or a s**t hole country like Saudi Arabia then I would be more concerned with privacy than I am now. For now I have submitted to my Google overlords in return for their services.



beady
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19 Oct 2018, 10:50 pm

Noca wrote:
If I lived in a police state/nanny state or a s**t hole country like Saudi Arabia then I would be more concerned with privacy than I am now. For now I have submitted to my Google overlords in return for their services.


I know what you mean. They have so much that we want. They know this though :(

"Google overlords" - :lol:



AQ38
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20 Oct 2018, 8:47 am

Quote:
If I lived in a police state/nanny state or a s**t hole country like Saudi Arabia then I would be more concerned with privacy than I am now. For now I have submitted to my Google overlords in return for their services.


Unfortunately, I do live in the United States, which might explain why people who live in normal countries think I'm a little strange. I don't usually like to advertise that or use red white and blue avatars, but it's probably pretty obvious just by my the way I write and the things I write about.

When I read your post, I almost reflexively wanted to tell you about searx, a metasearch engine that aggregates the results of other search engines without storing information about its users.

Unfortunately, while that may have made me feel good and check off "Help da peepulz" on my to-do list, I have to wrap my mind around the fact that it would NOT help you at all because you would hear only the annoying buzz of a fly whining, "Have you heard about Weston A. Price? Buy my religion today for a sparkly clean floor available this week only for twelve easy payments of $99999.99 charged monthly to your local credit card so buy your Lennock's today and get a free can of coca cola!"

Probably easier to stick to "I don't like punkyouters."



Enigmatic_Oddity
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22 Oct 2018, 6:35 am

I spend most of my time online behind VPNs and using Tor when using my PC or phone. I don't use social media, and often create one time email accounts for services that require an email address. I leave my mics and TVs unplugged unless I intend to use them, and I obscure any cameras with access to the web, such as the one on my phone. I know these aren't perfectly secure ways to ensure privacy but I don't think I should be making it easy for others to collect data on me.

I abhor how the (Australian) government has free reign to indiscriminately collect data, sharing it with thousands of parties. All these compromises to privacy have crept into law bit by bit over the last decade, without any significant protest and generally with bipartisan support. But when I've ever spoken to other people about it, they generally think I'm crazy.

It's hard for politicians and the media to discuss it because the other side invariably will always say something like arguing for privacy and security is arguing in favor of child pornography. Then sense goes out the window.



nick007
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24 Oct 2018, 9:58 am

I use the VPN Private Internet Access. Part of the reason I'm concerned about privacy is because I DLed alot of stuff I could get in trouble for due to copyright infringement. I also have accidnetly DLed illegal porn because it was mislabled & had the wrong screenshots. Another reason I'm concerned about privacy is because I've had fraudulent charges on my credit-cards more than a few times(the banks canceled my cards & dropped the charges). I'm worried about hackers stealing my identity & similar types of stuff.


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