Government spies and civilian hackers around the world are spying on you today. Yet it is easy to thwart most of their efforts.

Nothing is ever guaranteed. Nothing is ever 100% foolproof. Yet you can block almost all, perhaps even all, of these spies’ efforts by implementing a few software tools. Most of the tools are available free of charge or for very low fees:

• Start using secure mail. Invite all your friends as well – it’s as easy as Gmail. Look at https://privacyblog.com/category/email-security for information about privacy-enhanced email services.
• Install Signal or Confide on your mobile phone for messaging. Invite all your friends as well – both are as easy to use as WhatsApp but even more secure. Never use the text messaging app that came with your phone.
• Use Qwant or DuckDuckGo instead of Google search.
• In your web browser, always use an incognito window, sometimes called “private browsing.” See http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001378.htm for instructions.
• Use a VPN or the Tor browser.
• If you are serious about privacy and security, use Linux instead of Windows or Macintosh. It is very secure, never gets viruses, and is available free of charge.

Protecting your online privacy really is very easy to accomplish: use encryption. It works.

• Members of the Trump Administration are Using a Self-Destructing Message App To Avoid Leaks
• Chayn’s Do-It-Yourself Online Privacy/Safety Guide

Categories: Encryption, Online Privacy & Security

2 replies ›

1. 

   R.W.

   February 14, 2017 • 4:18 am

   How can you recommend Confide alongside Signal considering that Confide is closed source?

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   • 

     Dick Eastman

     February 14, 2017 • 8:42 am

     —> How can you recommend Confide alongside Signal considering that Confide is closed source?

     I prefer open source software but do not require it. I still use (closed source) Macintosh, (closed source) Microsoft Windows, (closed source) Android, (closed source) Apple iOS, (closed source) Chromebook, a (closed source) VPN, a (closed source) encrypted email service, and will use other such systems. I do use an open source Linux system for online access to my bank account and a few other sensitive applications, but I do not limit myself to open source when using less-sensitive applications.

     I believe each computer user should evaluate his or her own requirements from any list of possible products and then select the one(s) that best fits the need. The only method I know of to do that is to provide a list of ALL the possible products and then to describe the significant properties of each. The end user is the one who should always decide, not me.

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