House votes to kill FCC internet privacy rules

[hepcat]

I'm not trying to be political here, and even though each of us probably don't care a whole lot about our browsing history personally, the issue is that we are sliding further into a country populated and ruled by corporations and where decisions are made on the basis of money and greed rather than on principle; and greed has no boundaries when it comes to right, wrong, or the rights of the citizenry. 1984 and Big Brother, in typical government fashion, is thirty years late, and WAY over-budget, but make no mistake, we're letting it happen.

Every bill introduced by corporate concerns in the interest of greed chips away at your individual rights a little bit at a time. What's good for GM is NOT necessarily what's good us as individuals or for us as a country. This bill is yet another win for corporate greed.

 

[slynne]

I am fully in the camp of "I have done nothing wrong so why do I need privacy" or at least I was. I have a friend who is very into internet security though who has pointed out to me that even people who have done nothing wrong still have something to lose. He once made a web page where he posted the full names, birthdays, and social security numbers of several military officers in order to prove this point. All people who had nothing to hide but all with something to lose and unfortunately, because of his web page, apparently there was a LOT of identity theft and those poor officers were compromised. (so I don’t exactly agree with his methods)

However, some good came out of it. Before he pulled this stunt, the military would submit to Congress a list of all of the people who were being considered for advancement along with their birthdates and social security numbers. All my friend did was pull the data from the Congressional record, which is by law public and available to anyone. Now, however, Congress is a little more careful with the information that gets published and they only include the last four digits. So now, I realize that although I have done nothing wrong, I have something to lose if my history or details about my life get out. I still don’t take as many precautions as I should but will now. I mean, I know how to use VPNs and TOR and proxy servers and stuff. It is just a little extra effort.

At the risk of sounding political, I will say that I have seen a crowdfunding site (can’t find the link but I am sure a google search will reveal it) where the organizers are trying to raise money to buy the browser and internet histories of some members of congress who have supported this. I hope they find some REALLY embarrassing and/or top-secret classified stuff. When an issue is made personal, you can bet it will make folks feel differently about it.

 

[LeeRevell]

I was a crypto tech in my Navy hitch, and a member of the shipboard Security Force. Later I worked security as a civilian. I value my privacy and personal security, even though "I have nothing to hide". I take it as a personal afront when someone or some agency takes those from me.

 

[Wabbit]

I have nothing to hide, but the 4rth Amendment gives me the RIGHT to privacy as I read it. There's a ton wrong, but the Patriot Act and the supreme court ruling in Citizens United both shredded the Constitution. Way more complex than that, but in a nutshell. Olli Olli Oligarchy. Time to get drunk...lol.

 

[lenny flank]

I am fully in the camp of "I have done nothing wrong so why do I need privacy" or at least I was. I have a friend who is very into internet security though who has pointed out to me that even people who have done nothing wrong still have something to lose. He once made a web page where he posted the full names, birthdays, and social security numbers of several military officers in order to prove this point. All people who had nothing to hide but all with something to lose and unfortunately, because of his web page, apparently there was a LOT of identity theft and those poor officers were compromised. (so I don’t exactly agree with his methods)

IIRC, nearly everyone in the US can be individually identified with just their DOB, their ZIP code, and their gender.

 

[slynne]

IIRC, nearly everyone in the US can be individually identified with just their DOB, their ZIP code, and their gender.

Possibly, I have to admit that I have never actually tried it but I know that SS# are a common thing to get asked for in financial situations so I imagine that having that too would be especially helpful if one wants to steal an identity.

 

[Queen]

Maybe a young kid could start and keep things locked down, but all of our (older adults) info is out there if anyone wants to looks. My service number, my college ID number - both used my social, hell we even had it printed on our checks back in the day.

 

[jonsun]

china owns our farms and factories and russia owns our media and government. but hey I have no choice but to live in my van. but be damned if I cant park it anywhere. and If I save for 5 years and buy land the locals throw me off of it cause property values.

freedom

 

[hepcat]

Maybe a young kid could start and keep things locked down, but all of our (older adults) info is out there if anyone wants to looks.  My service number, my college ID number - both used my social, hell we even had it printed on our checks back in the day.

That WAS "back in the day" when, in order to commit fraud, you had to present yourself at a financial institution and either masquerade as the person who was being defrauded or as the hapless victim who innocently received a forged check in order to pull it off.  Today, however, there are legions of folks all over the world who are doing their best to get loans, credit cards, and anything else they can figure out how to do from YOUR good credit rating without ever leaving the safety of their laptop and the internet cafe.  That, though, is run-of-the-mill identity theft; THIS bill is more like allowing someone to go through ALL your financials so they can contact all of those organizations to come up with MORE ways to legitimately line their pockets with YOUR money... using YOUR info!

The opposition to 'net privacy was:  if Google and Amazon and Facebook can compile information, why can't we?  We should level the playing field.  Congress' response should have been to cut Google, Amazon and Facebook out of the privileged information business as well, but instead they chose to put us all at risk by dismantling the rules altogether.  So, if the President signs the bill into law, it'll be GAME ON with your information for anyone who wants to play, anywhere in the world, with any game plan at all.

And I suspect that Net Neutrality will be the next victim of greed. The impact of that will mean that websites such as this one will have a back seat to streaming services like Netflix who will pay MILLIONS to have their data packets sent to the head of the queue and everything else held 'til the backbone gets 'round to sending them on. That'll mean that your load times here and elsewhere could rise dramatically as owners of sites like this don't have the scratch to compete with big business.

 

[eDJ_]

You may want to look into the TOR Project. (free)

https://www.torproject.org/

 

[Ballenxj]

You may want to look into the TOR Project. (free)

https://www.torproject.org/

Will this help in speeding up the connection even if the website has slowed to a crawl? If it helps to surf anonymously, will it also help hide from PC viruses?
This is obviously new to me.

 

[Gunny]

Will this help in speeding up the connection even if the website has slowed to a crawl? If it helps to surf anonymously, will it also help hide from PC viruses?
This is obviously new to me.

No, it just helps you avoid cookies and anyone knowing the sites you visit. The viruses and hackers are still there, avoid downloading anything from the deep web, too many really good hackers and such type hang around there. It's interesting to visit, you can check the prices on various weapons, illegal and legal and anything else. Lots of usenet and closed groups, what they share you probably would be better not to know. 

Read a bit about "Silk Road" and the feds taking it down. Avoid chatting with anyone on there if you see an open group, at least until you are familiar with it.

Rob

 

[Wabbit]

Net neutrality is already dead. It just hasn't dropped dead yet. Is there anyone here who thinks this won't happen?

As to "Tor" or wotnot, maybe at one time, not anymore. However, if it helps you sleep @night great, otherwise don't bother.

The days of the "wild west" net are coming to a close. Encryption is almost mute nowadays. If you're talking the feds\state entities anyways. When you're on the net, act and behave like you're on main street.

 

[crofter]

Anyone dumping google chrome for invading their privacy? (and then peddling their information)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...pro-max-ipad-and-macbook-pro/?sh=1cc8d6934d08 

DuckDuckGo, Apple Safari, and Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge were given as alternatines. Anyone switching search engines? Recomended?
-crofter

 

[travelaround]

DuckDuckGo, Apple Safari, and Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge

I've been using Firefox for many years, and use DuckDuckGo as my search engine. No complaints here.

 

[Treknik]

Try installing Startpage and Ghostery extensions to Chrome. That, along with running a VPN (virtual private network) and CCleaner often and you are pretty anonymous. Also, Chrome running in Incognito mode blocks third-party trackers.

 

[crofter]

I decided to switch to Mozilla Firefox. It is sooo fast!

I just went through my settings (which I check from time to time) and I found some settings turned on that I don't do, and also there is a vehicle ID in my phone that I don't have in mirrorlink carmode stub. Have not found a way to delete that yet...
-crofter

 

[crofter]

Oh yay I found the mirrorlink app and disabled it. Some drivers prob use it all the time.
-crofter

 

[jacqueg]

Anyone dumping google chrome for invading their privacy? (and then peddling their information)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...pro-max-ipad-and-macbook-pro/?sh=1cc8d6934d08 

DuckDuckGo, Apple Safari, and Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge were given as alternatines. Anyone switching search engines? Recomended?
-crofter

Never touched Google Chrome. I'm not all that prescient, but I saw this coming the first time I ever heard of Google Chrome.

DuckDuckGo user for a couple years now.

 

[PeterPiper]

It seems that the number of unsolicited calls , spam and phsihing texts on my cell phone increased dramatically after January as well.

Coincidence?  Nothing political about it.  It's it what it is and what I've noticed.