A Technological Fork In The Road

I have been around computer technology for a long time. My first "computer" was an Atari 2600 with a keyboard and the basic programming cartridge. My first real computer was an Apple II Plus. Before the internet, we used dial up modems and single line BBS systems to communicate.

In those days I never anticipated that technology would become so intrusive and would be used to publicize, analyze, and sell every aspect of our lives.

This is true whether you are using apps on your Priv which transmit the details of your calls, texts, and web browsing to other servers, the Tapatalk app which ties together your activities on different message boards so you can be identified, or Windows 10 which has a keylogger.

Which brings me to the question...who is ready to check out of this system and say enough?

...and what steps can you take to have some access to technology while protecting privacy?

I am about ready to be done with it all

There are some obvious steps you can take to begin to check out of this ... No Facebook or twitter account are obvious ones, and if you have a twitter account only access it from a desktop computer using Linux from behind a VPN with your cookies and persistent cookies cleared.

Don't use an android, windows phone, or iOS based operating system.

The one possible exception would be a Blackphone that wasn't signed in to google services and apps were side loaded with permissions turned off but I don't even know if that would be enough.

What steps have you all taken to combat the loss of privacy?

The ones you want to talk to... for privacy reasons they don't sign up to public forums.

I think crackberry needs a subforum for individuals that want to leave the internet.

Originally Posted by Ronindan

I think crackberry needs a subforum for individuals that want to leave the internet.

...it really isn't an issue of leaving the internet so much as having some degree of control over what degree your personal information is distributed in an age of identity theft.

Originally Posted by Old_Mil

...it really isn't an issue of leaving the internet so much as having some degree of control over what degree your personal information is distributed in an age of identity theft.

Data Mining done by most everyone... from you ISP on, is very different from the spoofing that most identity thieves do. Or it's out of your control because you bought something from some retailer that gets hacked and your info stolen from them.

Being cautions with technology is a smart thing, being overly paranoid....

Most people have NO idea how much privacy they have given up or what companies do with their data or personal information.

Z10 on 10.3.2

Originally Posted by bh7171

Most people have NO idea how much privacy they have given up or what companies do with their data or personal information.

Yup. Most people think it only happens if you use social media. These days you don't even have to use the internet, and you'd be amazed at the volume personal information that is still out there about you regardless of that.

Originally Posted by Old_Mil

...it really isn't an issue of leaving the internet so much as having some degree of control over what degree your personal information is distributed in an age of identity theft.

What you call intrusive, I call a worthy exchange. Quid Pro Quo.

I don't think it's realistic or even possible to live off the grid these days. Use good passwords, deal with reputable companies, and insure yourself against identity theft.

As far as the privacy issue and the internet is concerned, thats the price for using the technology that has been provided to us. Most folks don't even care about security until it hits them in the face and by then its already to late. As time goes on, more and more folks will be using online payments in one forum or another and there will always be the criminals out there who will try and steal information and/or data if they can.

Some critics say we need better encryption, but everyday I read about another computer or security breach and it seems the more complicated and difficult we make it to defeat these cyber criminals, the more effort they put into defeating the security measures we put into place. To me there is no real 100% secure solution, we can only use our common sense, good internet management and passwords when we are on the grid. Just my two cents worth.

Originally Posted by bh7171

Most people have NO idea how much privacy they have given up or what companies do with their data or personal information.

Z10 on 10.3.2

Including crqckberry, you know! They have your email address, the IP address where you post from, and those alone are enough to find out plenty about you.

Unless you're going full tinfoil and using an email exclusively for CB and posting through 7 proxies.

Passport SE, "The BlockBerry" - Cricket Wireless

It is a trade off you have to decide you want to take. I personally love the free services I use and they help with work and pleasure. You just need to work out is the trade off is personally worth it. Though I personally believe every company is getting data on us that they can use so it is becoming an inescapable truth. Just look at the EULA and privacy policy of most companies and their products.

I had an Atari 2600 in 1981 and had no idea you could get a keyboard for them? My buddy got one of the first ones in Canada from Winnipeg in 1977, special order. I thought the Atari 400 was the first with a keyboard, but there may have been accessories I was not aware of.

I have another buddy who won't even have a Facebook or a cell phone today, or as he calls it, a "Brain Cancer Machine. He considers this "off the grid" but he does Google and own a PC so it's not totally 100%.

Yes Facebook makes their $ by selling all our data and anything we click to Companies, but I think a bigger problem that no one mentions much is how people can be bullied or terrorized, slandered anomously on the internet, and let me tell you, it's not only kids that this happens to.

If you are on the net, you are "fair game" and that's what you have to accept.

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Ralph you are almost as old as me! My first computer was a Commordore Pet. It actually looked like a computer. It was fun making simple programs. Easy to do not like installing and patching Android apps for BB10.

Originally Posted by Bbnivende

Ralph you are almost as old as me! My first computer was a Commordore Pet. It actually looked like a computer. It was fun making simple programs. Easy to do not like installing and patching Android apps for BB10.

haha ya. The first Commodore I ever saw was my buddies 64.

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Originally Posted by Ralph Morgotch

haha ya. The first Commodore I ever saw was my buddies 64.

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I learned on this (Cobol):

Originally Posted by conite

I don't think it's realistic or even possible to live off the grid these days.

In some places, it has been deemed illegal.

(Yes, they basically meant living without municipal services but you know... lol)

Originally Posted by Bla1ze

In some places, it has been deemed illegal.

(Yes, they basically meant living without municipal services but you know... lol)

I know when I go shopping increasing been asked for my email address which I am quite happy to give as junkemail@ which I do have set up once a year go and delete. Funny how i get these strange looks from people.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by twiggyrj

It is a trade off you have to decide you want to take. I personally love the free services I use and they help with work and pleasure. You just need to work out is the trade off is personally worth it. Though I personally believe every company is getting data on us that they can use so it is becoming an inescapable truth. Just look at the EULA and privacy policy of most companies and their products.

Yep, the drug dealer starts u off with free samples, then your gone......

This is not something I would consider, but, as you wrote, you can use linux (something like Arch, gentoo or linux from scratch where you are responsible for building your whole system) to stop the "datamining". As for mobile devices, thats more difficult. Again, as you stated, using a BB should help.(Or maybe using ubuntu phone OR AOSP based android without the google services OR something like N900) Using the internet is not a problem, unless you want google something where a proxy should be efficient enough. Unless you log in to google. Mails... well a mailserver and a personal domain is very cheap, so you can handle it like this, but then SSL should be a must for communication.

Then again... the active data you willingly share is probably more "dangerous" then the data they get through browsing. (I know facebook has algorhitms that can predict whether you are gay or not, without you telling them, and there are many more such algorithms that can predict different behavioural patterns just by browsing and the amount of time spent on different pages (still talking about FB)). But still, most of the time, you are just a statistic, and usually, such companies really keep your data private.

I personally still do belive in google, so I do provide, hopefully, more or less anonymous data of where I walk and where I live (I was, again, quite surprised when I noticed that big G has figured out where I live and work without me telling it explicitly...) and as a AOSP android user, I installed google services willingly. It makes the life little easier and as an exchange I provide data about the state of traffic, which may help other people so... no big deal I guess.

Originally Posted by conite

I learned on this (Cobol):

I thought the TRS-80's from Radio Shak that we learned on in junior high were the oldest ;)

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