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Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

There's been a lot of behavior for some time now from ignorant people all over the Internet. Those people always end their sentences with the following"
"everyone spies" , <---- "since everyone spies, there's nothing to worry"
"google and facebook spy more" <------- "this little piece of spyware is harmless comparing to those big spying eyes"
"but it doesn't send data" <-------- "spyware is collecting data, but who cares, it doesn't send anything"

It all bullshit. Every little piece of spyware matters. Matters big time. Not only it constantly uses my CPU and HDD but also invades my right to privacy. If I didn't care about privacy I would go to MS Windows. All works there (VAAPI, NVDPAU, webrender, Firefox with VAAPi to name a few). But it doesn't send anything? Are you sure? Privacy is about not collecting data. If the data is collected and nobody is seeing it- what is the point of collecting it and wasting my CPU, HDD and wasting time of coding? Do you observe your network via Wireshark 24/7? Do you? Since the data is collected (and the software wastes resources:  instead the computer doing what I told it to do, its using the resources for meaningless crap, rather then giving me full power to do what I told it to do), it will eventually be used. Either via Intel Management Engine, dbus, systemd or when someone physically gains access to the machine.

We, under no circumstances, should agree to any data ever be collected.  Patriot Act, no rights to attorney, no rights to explain yourself in front of the court (e.g. Snowden requested to be trialed in the US under one condition: he can explain in court in front of the jury why he did it. HE WAS DENIED!). How about putting a chip in your head that constantly collects data about you? My answer to you is: AGREE TO THIS, IT DOESN'T SEND ANYTHING; AGREE TO THIS, GOOGLE SPIES MORE.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #1 –
Please write it to the developers of the individual programs, and archlinux too.

This is OPENSOURCE! Don't like or missing feature? Just feel free fork it and add/remove features.
You can inspect the source and see what Really is enabled and sends, if enabled.

Want you no spying? Just buy no phone, no computer, no smart TV, nothing....
China, US, Google, Apple, Microsoft, just all company ... All spying you, because users data = money.

I have no problem for example with VLC or kusefeedback. Why? Because I can check in sources, what really is happening and collect/send. Because OPENSOURCE.

I protect my privacy, but I am must not be paranoid in all. I trust OPENSOURCE, because I can control it.


Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #2 –
I agree with your reply @alium. In my estimation the only way an individual could be close to 100% certain of no data collection would be to live in a cave and not use any internet devices. I say close to 100% since, if you were to come out of that cave to purchase anything, there would be data collected. I feel 100% privacy in this day and age is only an illusion....short of total isolation. On second thought, there are satellites in space that are watching everything. :-|
If one wants to be paranoid a reason can easily be found.
There are methods to improve privacy, and opensource is certainly the best option. IMHO

Best regards.
We should try to be kind to everyone.....we are all fighting some sort of battle.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #3 –
Searching on distrowatch for non systemd security based linux distros shows several:
1. Alpine Linux (43)
Alpine Linux is a community developed operating system designed for routers, firewalls, VPNs, VoIP boxes and servers. It was designed with security in mind; it has proactive security features like PaX and SSP that prevent security holes in the software to be exploited. The C library used is musl and the base tools are all in BusyBox. Those are normally found in embedded systems and are smaller than the tools found in GNU/Linux systems.

2. Trusted End Node Security (161)
Trusted End Node Security (TENS), previously called Lightweight Portable Security (LPS), is a Linux-based live CD with a goal of allowing users to work on a computer without the risk of exposing their credentials and private data to malware, key loggers and other Internet-era ills. It includes a minimal set of applications and utilities, such as the Firefox web browser or an encryption wizard for encrypting and decrypting personal files. The live CD is a product produced by the United States of America's Department of Defence and is part of that organization's Software Protection Initiative.

3. Wifislax (186)
Wifislax is a Slackware-based live CD containing a variety of security and forensics tools. The distribution's main claim to fame is the integration of various unofficial network drivers into the Linux kernel, thus providing out-of-the-box support for a large number of wired and wireless network cards.

4. Pentoo (211)
Pentoo is a Gentoo-based Linux live CD with a selection of applications and tools designed to perform penetration testing.

5. Openwall GNU/*/Linux (259)
Openwall GNU/*/Linux (or Owl for short) is a small security-enhanced Linux distribution for servers, appliances, and virtual appliances. Owl live CDs with remote SSH access are also good for recovering or installing systems (whether with Owl or not). Another secondary use is for operating systems and/or computer security courses, which benefit from the simple structure of Owl and from the inclusion of the complete build environment.

Apart from TENS, you can find out more about all of these on their respective pages on Wikipedia  :D
Artix is more inherently secure than many mainstream distros, but it also retains a usability that some of the security based distros sacrifice. But you can easily install and set up things like Audit secure logging to monitor what was going on, and wireshark as you suggest,  and configure a firewall. There are some firewalls that can be set up by a GUI, just go through it and check the boxes to block everything except the things you absolutely need. What you install with Artix is just a start point, you should then go forward and customize it to suit your requirements, and accept others may have different ones. I find the fact VLC saves recently played videos to be a useful feature for example, the videos themselves are also in my home partition anyway. It just saves time having to navigate to them every time I open VLC. But if you don't want that behaviour, fine, disable it, you're not supposed to set things up like anyone else does, that's why the options are there.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #4 –
Hello,
it looks to me like you yearn for "software that sucks less" > https://suckless.org/

By using such software it will be easy for you to check the source code for spyware and you will gain more control over your machine (and you will learn a bit in the process).

Best regards.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #5 –
Quote from: alium – on
China, US, Google, Apple, Microsoft, just all company ... All spying you, because users data = money.

You know what really annoys me?

I understand completely that companies like google, apple, facebook, etc need a way to make a profit because otherwise their company will of course fail. But the thing that annoys me is that none of them (that I'm aware of) offer an option to pay a monthly subscription for your account so that you can be omitted from any spying and privacy invasions. Then that way, the people who don't care about their privacy being violated can continue using their google account or facebook account or whatever exactly as they do now, while the more privacy-conscious people can pay $15 a month or whatever and have none of their data spied on.

But no, instead your only options are either be spied on, or not use the service. I wouldn't mind google and facebook so much if they had an option like that. Maybe then I would actually use their service.
 

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #8 –
Quote from: alium – on
that is hard :D
Sure it is very hard, nothing is for free.

Quote from: Luke Smith
When you have to decide on something, choose an option which gives you more freedom.


+ Internet is chapter on its own and blocking ads and scripts is standard.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #9 –
The most dangerous device nowadays is the "smart" phone. I'm not saying don't use those services, but don't use them on your phones; the amount of permissions the dedicated apps request is a volley of stabs at your privacy.

Try F-Droid for less aggressive social media alternatives for facebook, reddit etc, always keep your GPS sensor shut off, only switch WIFI on at home, don't use your mobile data unless absolutely necessary, root your device to uninstall factory "helpers" and install a root-level firewall (if rooting is not an option, use a VPN-based, FOSS firewall like Netguard), install a FOSS ad-blocker (e.g. Blokada) because ads -besides being annoying- can also track you, disable automatic updates from Google Playstore, remove invasive permissions from apps you don't want to have them, ultimately, choose a smartphone that can be unlocked, rooted and flashed with a custom open-source ROM and for the love of your God, don't ever use any closed-source "instant messaging" app like whatsapp, viber, skype, messenger.

Both whatsapp and skype were sold for roughly $1 billion and are offered to us for free. However, those who invested $1 billion want their money back, tenfold.

Nothing is free.


Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #10 –
Quote from: nous – on
The most dangerous device nowadays is the "smart" phone. I'm not saying don't use those services, but don't use them on your phones; the amount of permissions the dedicated apps request is a volley of stabs at your privacy.

Try F-Droid for less aggressive social media alternatives for facebook, reddit etc, always keep your GPS sensor shut off, only switch WIFI on at home, don't use your mobile data unless absolutely necessary, root your device to uninstall factory "helpers" and install a root-level firewall (if rooting is not an option, use a VPN-based, FOSS firewall like Netguard), install a FOSS ad-blocker (e.g. Blokada) because ads -besides being annoying- can also track you, disable automatic updates from Google Playstore, remove invasive permissions from apps you don't want to have them, ultimately, choose a smartphone that can be unlocked, rooted and flashed with a custom open-source ROM and for the love of your God, don't ever use any closed-source "instant messaging" app like whatsapp, viber, skype, messenger.

Both whatsapp and skype were sold for roughly $1 billion and are offered to us for free. However, those who invested $1 billion want their money back, tenfold.

Nothing is free.





Agree but one I could argue is: WiFi only at home, arguably I disagree because if you use a VPN like wireshark(configured correctly to route everything through it) or openvpn, then everything is encrypted and appears you are at home(assuming running vpn server at home) so you’d be safe this way

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #11 –
Quote from: ndowens – on
Agree but one I could argue is: WiFi only at home, arguably I disagree because if you use a VPN like wireshark(configured correctly to route everything through it) or openvpn, then everything is encrypted and appears you are at home(assuming running vpn server at home) so you’d be safe this way
No, because all these apps can read telephony data, which means the cell towers IDs and signal strength, which means they will ignore your IP and triangulate your position.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #12 –
Quote from: nous – on
No, because all these apps can read telephony data, which means the cell towers IDs and signal strength, which means they will ignore your IP and triangulate your position.
This seems a bit "paranoid" to me. I can't imagine that anyone would be that interested in anything I do online....but I'm just an old guy sittin' back doin' what old guys do. I could care less...we live in a global society after all, and the internet is the absolute definition of that expression. This same internet is the last place I would expect ANY privacy at all. To each their own, but I'm not going to panic about this sort of thing...I'll smash my computer with a hammer rather than buy into this privacy paranoia. IMHO of course...one can always "opt-out" should they so choose.  :)

Best regards.



. 
We should try to be kind to everyone.....we are all fighting some sort of battle.

Re: Why Its Important To Stop Data Harvesting

Reply #13 –
Quote from: conky60 – on
This seems a bit "paranoid" to me. I can't imagine that anyone would be that interested in anything I do online....but I'm just an old guy sittin' back doin' what old guys do. I could care less...we live in a global society after all, and the internet is the absolute definition of that expression. This same internet is the last place I would expect ANY privacy at all. To each their own, but I'm not going to panic about this sort of thing...I'll smash my computer with a hammer rather than buy into this privacy paranoia. IMHO of course...one can always "opt-out" should they so choose.  :)

Best regards.



.

It is so much worse many can imagine. Seriously, they know more about you than yourself.
Eg, you went 2 years ago 17:04 out of house, your geolocation data reveals you bought a snickers bar 17.21 at the petrol station, then paid cashless in a supermarket 17:42, they know all items you bought, you  made a FB post from your phone at 17:53 etc etc


The metadata is what no one really understands, how powerful the meta data is you leave everywhere. Given my tiny example, imagine what could be almost predicted if they have millions of datasets on you, everyday, if necessary in real time.