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Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
reply to post by PtolemyII
the search engine you use, and the browser you choose to do it from, spying on you or not, is kind of meaningless once you understand that for the past, oh 10 to 12 years, the NSA has been tapping all communication at the ISP network level. All of it. Every packet of traffic is routed through their system to be collected and stored.
Sure, you can protect your little bucket, make it all fancy and stealth, but when the whole well is poisoned, you are fooling yourself.
Usually it's not the NSA you have to worry about, but the people who actually will use your information against you, like criminals, insurance firms, recruiters, etc.
But, lets think about the data they are actually collecting. Bank info? Nope, that's on a secure encrypted platform. Email? other than my throw away spam account, nothing to be gleaned from stealing my mails. Search history? Again, plenty of ways to ensure that's not being tracked without using a third party. Medical history? There is no way they can get that data from my browsing.
When talking google and actual companies, it's marketing, plain and simple, they want data on the heard, and we're the heard. You aren't important, in fact, as an individual you are useless, but as a demographic, you are important to them. They aren't tracking Joe Blow directly, they are tracking 30ish males, etc etc.
And for all the hating you guys do on google, they are pretty damn open about their data policies and as such are extremely open about government requests for data.
There was talk a few years back about either the NSA or CIA trying to pressure the computer industry into making one standardized encryption system, to which the Feds would have the key. We fought and pushed back and they backed down. They are talking about it again. I don't think we can stop them this time.
An HONEST proxy site will tell you, if they are hosted in the US, you are not safe, they would have to retain and hand over your data if asked. I'm talking sites you pay to access to hide your tracks, can't hide you if the US asks for the data.
Where is startpage hosted? Who actually owns this company? Has anyone done anything other than hear about it and start using it?
Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
reply to post by PtolemyII
the search engine you use, and the browser you choose to do it from, spying on you or not, is kind of meaningless once you understand that for the past, oh 10 to 12 years, the NSA has been tapping all communication at the ISP network level. All of it. Every packet of traffic is routed through their system to be collected and stored.
Also, I've seen Intel being mentioned a few times as being one of those companies "assisting" the NSA. Just how does Intel become involved in this? They're not a service provider to the public, they're tech manufacturer.
Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
reply to post by bluestar.ranch
Call me naive, but the instant Alex Jones started hawking startpage I deleted it from my list of software I might try. I'll stick with firefox. Hell, even chrome in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, is secure.
Remember kiddies, it's against the T&C of ATS to using add blocking/script blocking software while using the site, and it's also a grey area to even suggest you do so.