Stop giving away your privacy!

Stop giving away your privacy!

You think your internet searches don't matter?

I've just taken five minutes to look at a users search data. In those five minutes I was able to identify the town where she lives, the type of car she drives, where she shops and what she was getting for her partners birthday.

I got all of that, and could have gotten more, from just three months of her on line searches!

Just imagine what you could learn about a person if you had YEARS of their search data!

Imagine what people might know about you!

Google is a fantastic search engine, no doubt about that, so I want to use it, I just don't want them collecting MY data.

So, how do I use google without giving them my data?
Its simple.
I use a search engine that sends my searches to google, it displays the results just like google, but google don't get my IP and cant assign a user ID code to my searches.
The search engine I use does NOT keep my IP or ANY other data about me.





There's another benefit to using Startpage, when it lists the results of your search you can just click the link same as you would in google, or you can click Enter via proxy. If you choose enter via proxy, that website cant assign you an ID code or collect data about you.

Google needs data to survive.
True, and its still getting data, they just cant assign an ID to your search and don't get your IP address.

I mentioned at the top of this post that I'd spent a few minutes looking at a persons search history. I suggest you do the same because then you might realize just how important it is to keep your private data PRIVATE! The link below will show you how to do that.

A few years back AOL unwittingly released three months worth of search history of 350,000 of its users. That data is now public!


Check it out HERE

Most of us have been using Google for at least a decade, just imagine if all that data got out!

Protect yourself, make Startpage your home page. Also go into your browser settings and delete all those google cookies. If you want to be extra safe use the - Enter via proxy option too.

StartPage.com
All pics were clipped from startpage.

a reply to: VoidHawk

Ok.

But what does it mean to you?

Dude we are talking numbers here.

What do you want to see?

originally posted by: Treespeaker
a reply to: VoidHawk

Ok.

But what does it mean to you?

Nothing at all, because unless I have a specific reason I go via startpage.

Dude we are talking numbers here.

huh!?

What do you want to see?

Everyone keeping their data private, its so easy to do!

Ive been using the internet since i was 14 with dial up, everything i like, things im into, what i do - its all already collected, its too late for me.

Why arnt i worried?

Because im not up to anything naughty or shameful that can be used against me, ive built up a natural tolerance to ads so weather they are of interest or not, my brain just blocks them out. If anyone is that interested in me or my searches to stalk me, while flattered i feel sad for them.

I care about privacy, but just to late to save myself, if i was brand new, id make more effort to maintain the privacy we all deserve.

Couldn't agree more

A little picture to go with that...

originally posted by: kloejen
Couldn't agree more

A little picture to go with that...

I'll repeat that in the hope it doesn't get missed.

originally posted by: Biigs
Ive been using the internet since i was 14 with dial up, everything i like, things im into, what i do - its all already collected, its too late for me.

Why arnt i worried?

Because im not up to anything naughty or shameful that can be used against me, ive built up a natural tolerance to ads so weather they are of interest or not, my brain just blocks them out. If anyone is that interested in me or my searches to stalk me, while flattered i feel sad for them.

I care about privacy, but just to late to save myself, if i was brand new, id make more effort to maintain the privacy we all deserve.

Thats all well and good, until some ahole who's been viewing your data realizes you just filled your home with lots of nice new electricals or whatever.
Privacy does matter.

a reply to: VoidHawk

Good luck being invisible.

We are on one of the most public sites around.

Back ground checks are mandatory, you been as long or longer tha me.

You know this.

You don't ever want to forget seven degrees of separation.

It runs through the program weather you like it or not, personally I "love" it.

Cheers!

a reply to: Treespeaker

I'm not talking about being "invisible", thats not possible on the net. I'm talking about being safe from bad types that might use such data to target people for theft etc. By using Startpage we dont leave a trail of our purchases for example!

a reply to: VoidHawk

That is somthing that could possibly happen, since im not a rich man, if somone had to go to such lengths to get my worn and tattered clothes or old tech bits - they probably need it more than i do.

Im sorry, im just not a worthy target and not bothered about my already breeched privacy.

Also if you think you are safe from your searches, imagine a virus on your PC, it couldnt be detected because it IS your operating system, every keystroke logged and sent to a data gathering IP address..... Theres so many ways to maintain privacy and so many more to take it away again, if they want you they can get you.

Now when/if my child starts using the internet, yes im going to use my knowledge to protect him/her, but if im honest, i know its just delaying the inevitable. Its a sad and sorry state of affairs, i havnt given up completely, but for myself im already too exposed to reverse anything.

a reply to: kloejen


The internet is not a private thing by nature--unless you stay anonymous. Which I did as a child and was done doing by age 11 when I made my own graphics website that ended up getting hosted by another site. The internet was very different back then. But if you have any account anywhere for anything, then you don't care about privacy. That has nothing to do with free speech. Snowden's not that smart or he would have found out more and enough to keep himself safe and out of jail lol

I think he's wrong. I think that privacy doesn't really exist. Free speech does. That's why there's nothing to fear. As long as you're not an evil psychopath who is bent on killing others or otherwise inconveniencing nice people, then you're all safe. Just don't download things like movies and music without paying for them. Just watch them on free streaming sites instead. haha Things like that.

Oh, or be totally fake and throw off the information collection thingys. You guys ever read that book, Feed? If you haven't then you really should. And if you have, then you know what I'm talking about

Basically, we should be more worried about more important things than our privacy and advertising agencies making money off of our interests. And if you really care about those things, then don't talk about anything on the internet that you wouldn't be okay with everyone else knowing. That's what I was taught as a kid. And it's true.

nope.....there is no privacy........
really now....smart search probably is at cia headquarters....my heavens...no one posted this. keystrokes and everything go strait to the man....

a reply to: VoidHawk

The only safe way in order to keep your digital privacy would be to disconnect from the internet altogether and somehow prevent other people or companies from posting or storing your info anywhere.
Besides, even with other precautions, ISP's in most countries have to store their clients data for up to years anyway by law.
Too late to shut the door, Big Brother already has his foot in it. Ask Snowden...

Who owns "startpage", and why should we trust them any more than we trust google?

a reply to: VoidHawk

The entire premisis of the internet is to gather data and store it. No place anywhere on the internet is safe. Period. Period. Period.. You just did something to someone you proclaim you are against.

All I can say is live your life right all around. On the internet and off and be a role model to all data gathers. They will care if they are human and plenty still are, not all are AI programs.

A person who worked for the CIA suggested 2 internets. The one we all know of and a seperate one.

This is really just unbelievable. Who in the hell would have thought it would ever come to this. It's ALL ONLINE. Words, numbers, puctures , graphs.
But. Was somehow made so.

If anyone wants genuine privacy GET OFF LINE buy a type writer or pen and paper and huddle in the darkest room of your house with your shades drawn and little light on and start writing away. Alll your top secret info. Then personally deliver it to your "members".

Old school is the golden rule.

a reply to: Treespeaker

Did you have the permission of the person to be nosey in her internet activities?

I have had my info stolen by hackers getting passed high tech security encrypted corps and such. Kmart, Target, HomeDepot, Sony, Anthem, UCLA, My bank itself was hacked, the IRS, Dept of Treasury, WH, FBI and CIA leaders....just to name a few.

I am confident my info has been taken repeatedly.

I cannot unring that bell.

originally posted by: Klassified
Who owns "startpage", and why should we trust them any more than we trust google?

Thats what i was thinking too.

It could be a Government controlled website for all we know, trying to gather even more info on us, pretending NOT to gather info.

Although they are based out of the Netherlands.... so it says... who's to know who or what is who or what in this World?

a reply to: VoidHawk

The most important thread on this web site. I am amazed that people are not fighting to keep their finances and lives more private. I put it on the same line as making money plastic that any government or company can withdraw from one regardless of how much money you actually have and all that implies for control over the individual.

I have had too many cold callers demanding I use their services for items I own in my home. When I get immediately tetchy as to how they actually know my private business, they clam up or a few try to argue I should just cooperate. Wrong guy for that one when you have your beak in my business.

What makes me laugh is that we are sold a lot of this by the money merchants under the guise of it being the government protecting us from terrorism. The experion report we all have and pay for about our private information, as the information's actually mine why should I pay for it? Also with a Data protection act how the hell do complete strangers know my credit accounts or anything else - what gives them the right to market onto to others or this back to me for some fee? I was blackmailed into having one for a mortgage application some time ago and was furious.

The main people this prying helps) is for those in the financial market. I hate the fact that governments have OK'd these vultures and their associated industries.

Being older than many here I remember when someone once asked my Grandmother her age, she clocked him with her brolly. If we have passwords why do we have to give all our private information out and shouldn't we have a say as to whom it is sold to - if anyone at all, especially medical records.

originally posted by: TruthxIsxInxThexMist

originally posted by: Klassified
Who owns "startpage", and why should we trust them any more than we trust google?

Thats what i was thinking too.

It could be a Government controlled website for all we know, trying to gather even more info on us, pretending NOT to gather info.

Although they are based out of the Netherlands.... so it says... who's to know who or what is who or what in this World?

And you both missed the whole point of the thread!
I never stated that we could be invisible from "the man", I know thats not possible. The point is to not allow corporations etc to gather our entire internet history, our searches our purchases etc etc!

a reply to: Shiloh7

Thanks for seeing what this thread was about, it seems to have gone over the head of so many!

Your comments about callers etc, LOL you sound just like me, must be our age
My children (now grown up) are often embarrassed by my reactions to such people, and they often say "How can you just close the door in their face!" I tell them its easy, thats what the door is for.