Big Brother is Watching You

[O Really]

Who are these lots of people that are concerned about NSA snooping but not corporate snooping? Have you seen even one commentary here or elsewhere that condemns the former while praising the latter?

Bright, educated, literate and analytical people such as yourself, Banni, and RStrong, might, based on overall privacy concerns, bemoan the loss of that privacy whether through NSA or corporate data-sniffing. I don't doubt that you do. Loss of privacy has occurred over a period of time, largely because we (collectively) have willingly given it up like the mythical frog in gradually warming water. But post-Snowdenski, most of the public angst has been directed toward the NSA, not the very real and more likely personal risk we all incur as we see 12 million or so victims of identity theft, a very large number of wrongful foreclosures, stolen assets, ruined reputations, shams and scams, stalking, jobs lost....etc. all because personal information is so easy to obtain. Even in RStrong's parade of horribles entrant Mayfield story, the victim got retribution including a couple of mill, demonstrating that instead of being acceptable, the FBI's treatment of him and disregard for facts and competent investigation work was indeed wrong, even if not ultimately illegal. I look at it like this: I've got a security system at my house. I probably don't actually need it here, but I got it when I lived in a neighborhood closer to some sketchy areas in a more high-crime city, and I just brought it along. But anyway, I didn't install it because I'm worried about the NSA sending fed jackboots to my house. They might, but I installed the security in the event somebody thinks they'd like to steal my stuff. I'm more concerned about the more likely than about the more theoretical. I don't know what the percentage rate or number for NSA abuse is, but 1 out of 6 or so are electronic victims, and in 2011 there were 5.8 million violent crime victims and 17.1 million property victims. I can only be scared of a limited number of things in my life, and I find a lot of things more scary than NSA. Some undoubtedly disagree.

[O Really]

I've got mixed feelings about that tracking. Yes, it's an erosion of privacy because the technology makes gathering and analyzing of information easier, and now there are lots of strangers who know something about your habits. But - in principle - is it really any different from the barista in your regular coffee shop who greets you by name and asks if you want your "usual" today, or would you like to try a (whatever they're pushing this week)? In one sense, if I'm going to get ads tossed at me, I'd rather have ads that I might actually have an interest in. I could consider getting coupons and promos based on loyalty cards to be intrusive, or I could consider it good personalized customer service. Publix has a new shopping app available (you listening, Ingles?) that when you make your list, it sorts it by store location for the store you're in. So they know what you're buying, where you're buying it, and probably where you go in the store that you didn't buy anything. Do I care about that? Dunno. Apparently not, since I use the app when I shop Publix.

[rstrong]

I used to hear the claim "The Internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it!"

Bruce Sterling recently gave the counterpoint: "The NSA interpreted privacy as damage and routed around it."

[rstrong]

Congratulations to the Washington Post and the Guardian US for winning the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for public service, for their coverage of Edward Snowden's NSA leaks!

[rstrong]

A statement from Edward Snowden

[O Really]

Some are not impressed.

[Mr.B]

How to keep companies from tracking you online — for good

"To initiate “Do Not Track” on your browser, go into your browser preferences and look for the tab labeled “Privacy.” Check the box to enable the DNT feature. You can get the same protection on your mobile phone by enabling DNT via your browser privacy settings. Most popular browsers offer a DNT option, including Google’s Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Explorer and Safari. "

I have had this set for some time. I also delete my browsing history each time I log off a website. It doesn't seem to work for YouTube though. If I look up something on YT, suggestions for similar searches appear the next time I click on YT.....

I wonder if that really works...?

[Mr.B]

"Assuming you've been forced like the rest of us to create a Google account in order to engage with YT, try logging off from Google or YT any time you don't need to be logged in to either. That might help."

I have noticed that in order to log in to YT, I have to use my Google account ID. I don't log into either unless it's absolutely necessary. After I check my Gmail, I log out and delete my browsing history. I use AOL or Bing to search; when finished, I delete my browsing history. I also use paid AdBlock so as to not get swamped with ads; It slows down my log ins, but it's worth the wait.

[bannination]

How to keep companies from tracking you online — for good

"To initiate “Do Not Track” on your browser, go into your browser preferences and look for the tab labeled “Privacy.” Check the box to enable the DNT feature. You can get the same protection on your mobile phone by enabling DNT via your browser privacy settings. Most popular browsers offer a DNT option, including Google’s Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Explorer and Safari. "

I have had this set for some time. I also delete my browsing history each time I log off a website. It doesn't seem to work for YouTube though. If I look up something on YT, suggestions for similar searches appear the next time I click on YT.....

I wonder if that really works...?

"Do not track" is an optional specification. It tells the website you don't want to be tracked, but that doesn't mean they have to comply. I ignore it, but I don't track anything cross site, and I certainly don't sell it. I used to use google analytics here, as most do, but decided privacy of everyone is more important - to me - and to everyone else.

[bannination]

"Assuming you've been forced like the rest of us to create a Google account in order to engage with YT, try logging off from Google or YT any time you don't need to be logged in to either. That might help."

I have noticed that in order to log in to YT, I have to use my Google account ID. I don't log into either unless it's absolutely necessary. After I check my Gmail, I log out and delete my browsing history. I use AOL or Bing to search; when finished, I delete my browsing history. I also use paid AdBlock so as to not get swamped with ads; It slows down my log ins, but it's worth the wait.

You're probably wasting your time. There are other ways to track you that clearing a browser history won't help. - Flash cookies, IP address, browser fingerprint, etc. etc.

[Mr.B]

"You're probably wasting your time. There are other ways to track you that clearing a browser history won't help. - Flash cookies, IP address, browser fingerprint, etc. etc."

It must be working; I don't get spam emails anymore like I did before I started using the browsing deletion.

[rstrong]

Some are not impressed.

Yup. Rep. Peter King continues to show how out of touch with reality he is.

Earlier he referred to the New York Times as "'Terrorist Appeasers" for supporting Snowden.

To put that into perspective, King went on record during the 80s stating his support for the IRA, which notably bombed a shopping center during the Christmas season killing six and injuring 90.

[bannination]

"You're probably wasting your time. There are other ways to track you that clearing a browser history won't help. - Flash cookies, IP address, browser fingerprint, etc. etc."

It must be working; I don't get spam emails anymore like I did before I started using the browsing deletion.

Well, if it makes you feel better, there is no way to get your email address from casually browsing. You'd have to enter it yourself somewhere, deleting history or not.

Not that what you're doing is in any way a bad thing, it's just not as effective as you may think it is.


BTW, I'm beta testing secure connections to blueridgedebate.com. If you'd like to encrypt your connection, protect your passwords better, etc, you can access it like any secure website: https://www.blueridgedebate.com. (Most forums transmit your login information in clear text, trying to be better than "most").

It's not on by default yet because I'm not 100% everything functions, I had an image problem which I fixed, but I felt like I needed more time to say it properly works.

Luckily my cert and keys were generated after the heartbeat flaw was found.

[Wneglia]

"You're probably wasting your time. There are other ways to track you that clearing a browser history won't help. - Flash cookies, IP address, browser fingerprint, etc. etc."

It must be working; I don't get spam emails anymore like I did before I started using the browsing deletion.

Well, if it makes you feel better, there is no way to get your email address from casually browsing. You'd have to enter it yourself somewhere, deleting history or not.

Not that what you're doing is in any way a bad thing, it's just not as effective as you may think it is.


BTW, I'm beta testing secure connections to blueridgedebate.com. If you'd like to encrypt your connection, protect your passwords better, etc, you can access it like any secure website: https://www.blueridgedebate.com. (Most forums transmit your login information in clear text, trying to be better than "most").

It's not on by default yet because I'm not 100% everything functions, I had an image problem which I fixed, but I felt like I needed more time to say it properly works.

Luckily my cert and keys were generated after the heartbeat flaw was found.

I'm glad you understand all this stuff, because I sure don't. At any rate you get an A- for your efforts according to Qualys SSL labs

BTW I'm the one with the heartbeat flaw. The computers are at risk for the heart bleed flaw.

[bannination]

"You're probably wasting your time. There are other ways to track you that clearing a browser history won't help. - Flash cookies, IP address, browser fingerprint, etc. etc."

It must be working; I don't get spam emails anymore like I did before I started using the browsing deletion.

Well, if it makes you feel better, there is no way to get your email address from casually browsing. You'd have to enter it yourself somewhere, deleting history or not.

Not that what you're doing is in any way a bad thing, it's just not as effective as you may think it is.


BTW, I'm beta testing secure connections to blueridgedebate.com. If you'd like to encrypt your connection, protect your passwords better, etc, you can access it like any secure website: https://www.blueridgedebate.com. (Most forums transmit your login information in clear text, trying to be better than "most").

It's not on by default yet because I'm not 100% everything functions, I had an image problem which I fixed, but I felt like I needed more time to say it properly works.

Luckily my cert and keys were generated after the heartbeat flaw was found.

I'm glad you understand all this stuff, because I sure don't. At any rate you get an A- for your efforts according to Qualys SSL labs

BTW I'm the one with the heartbeat flaw. The computers are at risk for the heart bleed flaw.

LOL, heart beat..... I must have said that because that's the part of the code that was exploited... the heart beat protocol. I think the news decided to name it the "heart bleed". I'm probably at risk for both!

I'm normally happy with a C or better :> Neat website checker btw!

[rstrong]

I doubt the CIA would have any problem with an independent third party making such decisions. So long as the CIA has final say on who that third party is, of course.

[rstrong]

Police have admitted that they're using devices that mimic cell towers to hack phone calls. AT&T customers first became suspicions when they started getting a signal.

[bannination]

We kill people based on metadata.

It's just metadata.... if you have nothing to hide then................... BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rstrong]

Police have admitted that they're using devices that mimic cell towers to hack phone calls. AT&T customers first became suspicions when they started getting a signal.

US Marshals raid Florida cops to prevent release of records of "stingray" surveillance

Stingrays, also known as IMSI catchers, simulate a cellphone tower and trick nearby mobile devices into connecting with them, thereby revealing their location. A stingray can see and record a device’s unique ID number and traffic data, as well as information that points to its location. By moving a stingray around, authorities can triangulate a device’s location with greater precision than is possible using data obtained from a carrier’s fixed tower location.

The ACLU has filed records requests with police departments around the country in an effort to uncover how often the devices are used and how often courts are told about them. They're used without telling any judge because the device’s manufacturer makes police departments sign a non-disclosure agreement forbidding them from disclosing use of the device to the courts. In other cases they invoke the Homeland Security Act to prevent the release of records.

Before the Sarasota police could hand over their documents, US Marshals swooped to grab the records, claiming they belong to the U.S. Marshals Service and barring the police from releasing them.

Florida public records law requires that even if a dispute over records occurs, the Sarasota Police Department was legally obligated to hold onto the records for at least 30 days once it had received the ACLU’s request so that the dispute could be resolved in court.

In the US Marshals' defense for breaking the law, the ACLU obviously didn't know their place.

More, from the ACLU.

[Mr.B]

"It's just metadata.... if you have nothing to hide then..............."