Digital freedom and your data
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On Data Privacy Day, we talk to Oliver Schonschek, News Analyst on privacy and security about the value of personal data and why we should all become privacy experts.
Click here to see the full blog post
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Fursts againz?
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Okay, enough of teh lolz...
One of the problems about privacy is that so many companies are deliberately making it hard for you. I recently got an actual paper letter through my door asking me to join a community site. Was interested since I know we've been missing out on local events (e.g. waking up wondering what that burning smell is, hearing a whistle and realising there's a steam engine doing rides around the village... so I literally run around chasing the smoke for half an hour trying to get a glimpse - never saw it!). So I tried to sign up to that website and it requested actual address, actual name and e-mail address. I refused to give my real name, but that database now links my e-mail address to a physical address - and when it turned out to be nothing but people trying to request or sell things, I tried to delete my account... and could only "deactivate" it.
I never normally give websites that kind of information and I'm annoyed that my worst suspicions were confirmed. Thank goodness I didn't give my real name!
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@mossman said in Digital freedom and your data:
Okay, enough of teh lolz...
One of the problems about privacy is that so many companies are deliberately making it hard for you. I recently got an actual paper letter through my door asking me to join a community site. Was interested since I know we've been missing out on local events (e.g. waking up wondering what that burning smell is, hearing a whistle and realising there's a steam engine doing rides around the village... so I literally run around chasing the smoke for half an hour trying to get a glimpse - never saw it!). So I tried to sign up to that website and it requested actual address, actual name and e-mail address. I refused to give my real name, but that database now links my e-mail address to a physical address - and when it turned out to be nothing but people trying to request or sell things, I tried to delete my account... and could only "deactivate" it.
I never normally give websites that kind of information and I'm annoyed that my worst suspicions were confirmed. Thank goodness I didn't give my real name!
These kind options "Log in with your Google/Facebook account"
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@Catweazle said in Digital freedom and your data:
These kind options "Log in with your Google/Facebook account"
Exactly - I never do that. I also refused to use WhatsApp (even before the Facebook takeover) since it was linked to a real telephone number. I would never use my real name or details if I can help it (local TV companies think I'm a seventy year old lady with a very odd name) and I don't understand the way people are so happy to give everything to Facebook & Google and let Alexa and Google Home listen to all their conversations and process those to handle identifiable data like logins and so on.
I recently read an article about how Microsoft was leaving Skype voice recordings - completely unencrypted - on open servers with shared logins for third-party agents to listen to at home and check for voice quality. Unbelievable!
Edit: even my avatar on this forum can't be traced back to me since I threw that kettle away ten years ago... ha ha ha :smiling_face_with_open_mouth_closed_eyes:
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@mossman , Little can be done to keep Fakebook & CIA from tracking you. I don't have an account in FB (vade retro), but my family and friends do have accounts and FB access to their email directory.You can not prevent the bank from knowing your purchases and with it also advertisers know at the same time when you pay by credit card. Very difficult to avoid Google in the network with the huge number of pages and related services and few valid alternatives. Nowadays we have reached a point where we are forced to veneer the PC and the browser at ease and pay a VPN to have a minimum of BASIC privacy. Even more difficult, but impossible in a smartphone, smart TV with even more limited protection resources.
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@mossman said in Digital freedom and your data:
I threw that kettle away ten years ago
Did you? Ten years ago? I remember that kettle very well. Gotcha!
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