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Privacy Resolutions for the New Year
Chris Hoofnagle writes "EPIC has released ten privacy resolutions for the New Year. In addition to losing weight next year, lose all those data brokers who are after your bits."
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I wonder if EPIC has anything to do with this scary-yet-insightful video-flash movie.
So why isn't your email publically available in Slashdot?
Welcome to the no-privacy age!
Disclaimer: yes, you are correct in questioning my mental sanity. But then again, insanity is just a different view of reality, right?
From the Privacy Resolutions:
I can understand why people want anti-spyware when running on windows boxes, since they also do a good job with cleaning recent files and such.
I can also understand why people would want firewalls for privacy. They're more convenient than actually locking down all ports and services manually
But anti-virus? And as a privacy measure? I don't get this. I have run without anti-virus for almost seven years, on various Windows boxes. I have never been virus-infected.
Whenever I am called out to do virus disaster recovery, it's almost always for people who have an antivirus solution installed. When are people going to drink the kool-aid, and understand that anti-virus solutions don't help.
My advice would rather go something like this: Set up your mail client so it won't auto-infect you by receiving mail. Don't open attachments. Don't install warez. Don't be so freakin' naive and gullible. Stop believing strangers send you naked Britneys.
http://virtuelvis.com/
So sweet. This is the best /. story this year because it can get rid of all those credit card offers.
I called up the phone number in step 5 and was notified of a web site that would remove credit card offers and insurance offers for 5 years or permanently!
Guess what I signed up for?
https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
So sweet. Less junk mail is a good thing.
- Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
Cashiers who ask for info? Tell them they don't need it. And repeat "Here's your money" like a broken toy, it helps!
If you work for a retailer and are forced to ask, ask politely if the client wish to give some info. I'm just a client and I really appreciate when I'm asked instead of trying to answering their threatening demands.
Grab a clean razor and dig the RFID tag out of your forearm.
To understand recursion, you must first understand recursion.
you don't want a marketer to know what brand of condom you prefer, even if there is no practical consequence. Well, and I say, fuck it, I don't care.
Dear Sir,
We at Foo Health Insurance have reviewed your personal customer file. It appears you use condoms from the SuperStrong[tm] brand, which is statistically consistent with a promiscuous sex life. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, and to better serve you, we have cross-checked your medical claims file and successfully determined that you have started taking tri-therapies recently. What's more, your credit record seems to indicate that you would be better served by another health insurance company. We therefore regret to inform you that you will no longer be able to enroll in your current plan. Please find enclosed a list of plans you are eligible to.
Regards,
Joe S. Bastard, Foo H.I., Inc.
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
IMHO some of these are bordering on paranioa..
* " Don't return product warranty cards."
Maybe that will void your warranty?
Bull. Go back to the store you purchased your faulty device at and they'll take it back under warranty. No warranty card needed.
* " If you have to use a supermarket shopping card, be sure to exchange it with your friends or with strangers. "
Why not? If nothing else, you'll help your friends/strangers save money and preserve their own personal data, and you'll boost your points rating.
* " Pay with cash where possible. Electronic transactions leave a detailed dossier of your activities that can be accessed by the government or sold to telemarketers. "
Many police cases are solved by following credit card trails. Even the WTC terrorists could have been stopped by following their credit card activities. So I expect you'll say "fine, I'm no criminal! why should I worry?". Well, maybe you'll think about it next time you go buy a bottle of scotch at your local convenience store late at night, and the FBI come banging at your door a week later when it turns out that convenience store was held by Ali Bin Terror and they're arresting and detaining everybody who has been in contact with him, "just in case".
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Engage in "privacy self defense." Don't share any personal information with businesses unless it is absolutely necessary
Or... Give them disposable information that allows you to cease hearing from them, or know when/if they have distributed your information without consent.
To this end, I highly recommend Spam Gourmet which allows the on-the-fly creation of disposable email addresses.
If you walk into McDonalds and really want to sign up for their win a free cheeseburger contest, you give them an email address like cheesy.n.youraccount@spamgourmet.com and you will only ever receive 'n' emails to that address before it dies.
Of course if you then receive emails from Pizza Hut, you know exactly where they got the email from.
If you never want to hear from the person, give them this address: me@privacy.net.
Any emails sent to that address receive a reply to the effect of: "whoever gave you this address didn't want you to have theirs".
Useful stuff!
Indy Media Watch-Proctologist of the Internet
Then when your employer, the **AA, Microsoft, the FBI, or your spouse starts complaining about what thet found due to our lack of privacy, you could say "It might have been the PlausDen.A virus - not me!"
Not that I personally want this virus installed on my system... I just want the possibility that I may have had the virus.