This is something I've been meaning to write about for a while, so I'm using the excuse of taking a break from writing/editing my other diaries to write this one, instead.
I'm not going to go into all the ways possible to maintain your privacy and security online. As with so many of the things I write about, I simply don't have time to delve into the myriad possibilities, not to mention I make no claims to being an expert. I want to stick with things I have a pretty solid clue about. With that in mind, let me offer a general word of advice and a few useful tools.
First things first. Privacy and security start and end with your behavior. What you do to maintain your privacy and security will determine how much you have of both.
So doing things like signing up for Facebook is a sure way to kill your privacy. Don't like it? Don't sign up for Facebook. And the same goes for any and every site. Check their terms of service (TOS). Make sure you understand them. Don't sign up for any you're unsure of or you don't like. If that keeps you off a site, well, either you have to be willing to give up some of your privacy, or you don't use the site. Pick one.
Same with security. Those sites that make it oh-so convenient to order their products online, and all you have to do is let them keep your credit card info? Don't do it. Take the time to enter your info each and every time. This way, when they're hacked—and they will be—your info isn't stolen along with everyone else's.
The basic point is think before signing up for anything. Do not assume anything you enter will be private or secure. Balance your desire to maintain privacy and security with your need to accomplish whatever it is you want to do online. (In my opinion, you're safer erring on the side of paranoia, but ultimately it's up to you.)
Tools
There are a large number of
free tools available to help better maintain your privacy and security. Among the more powerful are proxie servers you can use to "hide" your IP (internet protocol) address; and there are various methods for encrypting your email. Both are good tools for maintaining privacy and security. For tonight though, I'm going to introduce three simple tools for every day browsing.
The tools I list here are all addons for the Firefox browser. You can find them at http://addons.mozilla.org
NoScript
Javascript (not to be confused with Java) is used on practically all modern sites for various interactive features. In the wrong hands, it can also be used to do some very bad things, including stealing your account information. It's always best to run javascript only from those sites you trust.
NoScript is an addon that blocks javascript on untrusted sites, and by default NoScript lists only a small number of sites as trusted, leaving the vast, deep internet untrusted. As you visit sites, you'll be able to add them to your trusted list. You can even allow sites temporarily to see if you need their javascript functions in the first place. It also has settings you can adjust for handling embedded objects on untrusted sites, so for example, you could load flash objects and still prevent all other javascript.
For Daily Kos, you need to allow dailykos.com and googleapis.com. I also recommend allowing dailykosbeta.com and googleusercontent.com, but neither is necessary for basic site functionality.
CookieSafe
I think it's safe to say everyone knows what cookies are. (I'm not talking about he edible kind, either.) The biggest problem with most sites' cookies is that they can live so long they're effectively permanent. And the insidious thing about cookies is that many tracking sites (such as chartbeat) use them. Tracking sites are often used across many different websites, so a cookie set by a tracking site can track every page you go to across multiple sites. Not cool if you want to maintain your privacy.
Cookiesafe functions similarly to NoScript in that it blocks all cookies by default. You then allow cookies on a site-by-site basis. You have three choices for how you allow cookies. Temporarily (for the current session only, after which it's blocked again). Session (cookies are deleted after each session, but you don't have to keep clicking to allow cookies). Persistent (use only for sites you trust).
For Daily Kos, all you need to allow is dailykos.com. If you don't want to go through the log in process every day, set it to Persistent. Otherwise, I recommend Session.
BetterPrivacy
Something not too many people realize is that Flash objects often leave their own version of cookies on your machine called Local Shared Objects (LSOs). Unlike normal cookies, LSOs (aka Flash cookies; SuperCookies) are truly permanent, and they can store literally megabytes of information if you let them. Flash cookies can also be used to set normal cookies on your machine. How's that for evil? But just like with normal cookies, sometimes you want to keep some LSOs while removing others.
BetterPrivacy is designed to handle Flash cookies. Unlike CookieSafe, BetterPrivacy can't prevent LSOs from being set, but it can remove them automatically, depending on your settings. It also allows you to prevent the removal of those you want to keep (good for people who work with Flash on a regular basis). It's not quite as user friendly as NoScript and CookieSafe, but for most people, all you should need to do is set it up. After that, you can forget about it.
---
Let me reiterate the primary point. Security and privacy start and end with
you. You have to balance your desire to maintain security and privacy with the need to get things done online. If you use a little common sense and are willing to take a little extra time, you can mitigate many of the biggest risks. After that, it's a matter of searching for tools that make it easier for you to keep your information secure and private.
A Perfect Conversation is a group for republishing diaries that:
A) Challenge the DK conventional wisdom.
B) Provide information which may lead to new ideas.
or
C) Push for action that is innovative or not just playing defense.
The point is not to agree (or disagree) with these diaries. It's about challenging ourselves to rethink our political philosophies, activities, and issue positions.
Follow A Perfect Conversation
Have you read a diary you think deserves republishing here? Send us a message.
Interested in joining? Read this first.
Diary Title
|
Diary Author
|
Louder Than Words |
David Swanson |
This could be different, or it could end up the same as every other movement we've ever heard of. It's really hard to say at this time. My natural inclination is pessimistic, but I hope I'm wrong. |
A full list of all diaries republished to A Perfect Conversation can always be found
here. Feel free to check it out at any time.
I love Annette's voice in this. (The runup to the song is fun, too.)
Updated by Gabriel D at Fri May 20, 2011 at 12:01 AM CDT
Cross-posted to firefly-dreaming
Also, forgot once again to increment the date on the republished and rec lists. *sigh* I'm not going to bother fixing it. You know what date it is; I know what date it is. 'Nuff said.