Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

Guys, I just thought it would be good to start a thread about our internet security.

It is often overlooked by 99% of people.

Remember, there are a few demons out there that know EVERYTHING about you and they can provide that info to any third parties, including Governments.

Please go ahead and use the services.

But the demons to watch out for are:

GOOGLE / INSTAGRAM / YOUTUBE
FACEBOOK

These are the only services that are able to accurately identify and track you whenever you visit other sites including this one through iframes and like buttons and so forth. Their iframes are imbedded everywhere.

Some advice.

USE MULTIPLE BROWSERS - at least 2, maybe 3.

Confine all facebook activity, instagram activity, and Youtube activity on CHROME. What you do won't be private. So whenever you want to do a benign Google search for something, use Chrome.

ISOLATE all other activity to the following:

MOZILLA and BRAVE.

Remember to NEVER use Google services AT ALL in these browsers. Like ever.

Global events have made it extremely necessary to look after your privacy.

For instance, if you like getting news from various websites whether they be GUARDIAN, FOX News or even Breitbart, you just don't want GOOGLE and Facebook to be in a position to politically profile you. Do all your Amazon, EBAY purchases in these browsers, or whatever you want to do but don't forget to customize the security settings. Brave is already good out of the box, but Mozilla can be tweaked to be as good.

They first came for him over there, and next they will come for you and then they will come for all of us.

Techies like Get Real can add their input and expert advice of course. And it would be appreciated.

This stuff needs to be taken seriously by all of us.

I'm not telling anyone should stop using Google or facebook. I use them. But isolate the bad guys for your own good.

[Get Real!]

You can all easily test your browser’s privacy/tracking protection at this excellent 3rd party online utility...

https://coveryourtracks.eff.org/

And if you get results that look like mine below, you’re OK...

tracking.jpg

[Paphitis]

Worth watching this video just to understand what the stakes really are people.

[Paphitis]

Anyway folks, this stuff is getting more and more important now in this age of COVID.

You could be an anti vaxxer. You poor bastards are about to be persecuted like no other. You could be a GOP supporter or voter. You probably wouldn't want your employer knowing it. An alternate reality now exists. One controlled by big tech who know everything about you already.

You need to protect yourselves so here's a checklist of where to start. I'm lerning myself and still got a way to go. So again, if the experts chime in it would be appreciated.

So start with the following actions:

1. isolate all non private activity to a single web brwoser. Chrome is a good choice here. Affiliated to Google. So if you use GMAIL,use it through this browser. Browse facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Google Maps, Google Earth through this browser. Only use Google Services and Google searches through this browser. Do not buy stuff, visit news sites, do your banking or anything else. Just Google Services, Google Searches, facebook, Youtube, and Instagram. Of course, if you want to go nuclear, delete facebook and instagram altogether. Most of you won't and since that is the case, its a case of isolating these bad boys. You shouldn't log in to Google but you don't have to if they have you fingerprinted anyway. So remember, chrome is for your benign Google stuff and facebook stuff.

Trackers and cookies can not cross polinate from one browser to the other.

2. Log into your Google account and delete all your browsing history. Do it periodically so they can't retain any info on you.

3. Download Mozilla or Brave or both. I use both. That is probably the most secure way.

4. Mozilla - tweak it to the required security settings. There are how to videos on the net. Brave will need some minor tweaking as well.

5. Use Duck Duck Go in Mozilla and Brave. Do not use any Google services ever in these browsers. EVER. You can do your banking and financial stuff in either Mozilla or Brave and all the other stuff like viewing news sites and web surfing in the other.

6. Acquaint yourself with the Brave Private Browser with TOR. The most secure way to browse when you need it. Just remember, there is nothing that is 100% or absolute.

7. You can also use get Real's browser too, as that has very high security settings that will keep you secure and private.

8. Remeber, if you set Mozilla and Brave to aggressive and strict, many websites will not function properly. for most of us, the standard or custom settings will be enough to keep us 95% private and still provide a good experience.

9. Also understand that the more add ons your install in Mozilla, the more unique your fingerprint is and easier for trackers to track you. But if you stay away from facebook, Google, Instagram and Youtube you should be ok.

10. if you want to go nuclear, get a VPN to mask your IP Address. Only use it when you are getting news, banking, doing cryptos or any other high risk activity.

Take control of your data people. It's very important.

Teach your relatives and friends to be careful on the net. To protect their privacy. the more of us who do it, the more we can beat the bad guys with all their deceit and control.

[Kikapu]

The problem is Paphitis, that 99% of Internet users have no idea what you wrote above, including yours truly. Well, at least not all of it. Not many people are computer savvy, therefore not many changes would happen I’m afraid, but thanks for your warnings all the same. As for securing online banking and other secure transactions, Google Authenticator or similar applications from banks or governmental institutes requiring codes, are sent to ones phone or email for added security.

[Paphitis]

The problem is Paphitis, that 99% of Internet users have no idea what you wrote above, including yours truly. Not many people are computer savvy, therefore not many changes would happen I’m afraid, but thanks for your warnings all the same. As for securing online banking and other secure transactions, Google Authenticator or similar applications from banks or governmental institutes requiring codes, are sent to ones phone or email for added security.

I don’t consider myself computer savvy Kikapu. I’m still trying to educate myself about it.

You should too. I’m going to start posting some videos which I used to help myself and hopefully others can do also.

If you can fly a plane or sail a yacht, I’m sure you can eventually do this as well for your privacy.

There is a lot of material out there aimed at beginners. A step by step process on how to do this.

The internet controls almost every aspect of our lives. It controls our opinions on world events. It controls what information is promoted and what’s demoted.

Take for instance the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. Or the last US election to understand how pervasive it really is.

Hitler would have loved to have these big tech companies in his era. Imagine the harm he could have done if he had Google, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube...

America has it as the global superpower and it isn’t afraid to unleash and monitor us or her own citizens and these big giant tech companies are just too powerful to the point where they control the agenda and outflow of information to suit their purposes.

[Londonrake]

Not directly related but there was an interesting article in yesterday's DT. I can't post it due to copyright. However. It seems that millions of people in the UK have been unwittingly tracked on their cellphones and a behavioural analysis carried out on them in order to see how much their habits and movements have changed post-vaccination.

A bit Snowden-ish.