4 ms·

For a less romanticised, more practical resource on the topic, I recommend The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Online Anonymity https://anonymousplanet.org/guide.html htt

by vlfig 5y ago

For a less romanticised, more practical resource on the topic, I recommend The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Online Anonymity https://anonymousplanet.org/guide.html https://anonymousplanet.org/guide.html (also, Monero > bitcoin)

jpeter 5y ago
The "get an anonymous pre-paid sim card" section doesn't tell you what to do if you can't get one in your country.
- choeger 5y ago
  You buy one. You can probably buy a sim card for cash in any high school, college, or public park.
  - 3np 5y ago
    You may be surprised to find this is getting increasingly unlikely in more and more places.
    - pwdisswordfish8 5y ago
      If you're not bothered by having a conversation with the homeless, indigent, or hard-up, then it's more doable than you think. You're not just subject to the chance of happening upon someone already in the business of providing these services. You can be a job creator. With mandatory (and otherwise widespread) masking policies right now, it's even easier than under normal circumstances.
      - numpad0 5y ago
        > You can be a job creator. And the godfather, depending on how local laws are written.
      - 3np 5y ago
        At least where I live, there is simply no option for voice/SMS SIM cards other than a subscription drawing from your credit card or bank account etc. So it would take the proxy person to also hold a bank account or credit card and be on the hook for any charges to the SIM card. Even with government ID etc they can't just go to a shop and pick up a prepaid for cash. Theoretically possible, yes, but in practice, I think the only option is if you have the "right" connections with organized crime. I don't think you'd be able to solicit on the streets, even in the capital.
    - samatman 5y ago
      "desirable illegal thing isn't available on the black market" is wrong. Not even worth saying it. No, that horrific thing you're thinking of isn't a counterexample but you probably can't afford it.
- notdang 5y ago
  In Mexico a new law was passed that requires all sim cards/phone numbers to be registered to the person using it, up to the biometric data.
  - pixiemaster 5y ago
    same in germany. fortunately there are services like digitalcourage where you send your card and get another random back - easy to deflect the legal issues you‘ll be confronted with because it’s not illegal to exchange.
    - ASalazarMX 5y ago
      Why has this loophole not been closed? It seems really easy to ban exchanging personal SIMs. Mexico already tried something like this in 2008 IIRC, and it was aborted because the database was leaked and sold for like 20-30 USD a copy. That database empowered fraudsters then, and I fear this new one, having recent biometric data, would be even worse if passed, as our government is an even less capable digital steward now. If this law gets enforced, an loophole like the one DigitalCourage uses would be closed quickly.
      - emteycz 5y ago
        Because it doesn't actually help and creates false sense of security.
  - ASalazarMX 5y ago
    It's still being contested, so far no telco has asked for biometric data, yet.
  - 650REDHAIR 5y ago
    Just purchased a telcel SIM without any info.
    - notdang 5y ago
      It was voted in the last instance a couple of days ago. There will be some delay until it's implemented and apparently there are plans to contest it.
- ValentineC 5y ago
  Pay someone a small tip to buy and register a pre-paid SIM card for you. (This seems to be common for people churning/abusing new account bonuses.)
- arsome 5y ago
  They're suggesting you buy cryptocurrency then buy an eSIM online (which comes in the form of a QR code you scan) from a particular, kind of sketchy service. Don't need to worry about country restrictions unless the country you're in somehow bans roaming.
- anonypla 5y ago
  Writer of the guide here. I actually do tell you what to do in that case: - Take the cost and go physically to such a country - Use online services such as dtmf.io and pay with Monero (there are others but I didn't test them and some are "sketchy" to say the least) But you could also just ask someone you trust in such a country to buy one for you (carefully) and mail it to you including a top-up voucher paid by cash. Otherwise well just don't use services that require phone numbers for verification. No other way I'm afraid.
devmunchies 5y ago
> (also, Monero > bitcoin) Agree, but IMO both are old tech since they're proof of work. Any good privacy-focused crypto like monero that's efficient?
- 1ark 5y ago
  No, nothing beats PoW as a consensus protocol when it comes to security and privacy so far, unfortunately. Pretty recent rundown of privacy coins posted on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/md3toy/2021_guide_to_private_cryptocurrency/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/md3toy/2021...

by vlfig 5y ago

jpeter 5y ago

The "get an anonymous pre-paid sim card" section doesn't tell you what to do if you can't get one in your country.

choeger 5y ago
You buy one. You can probably buy a sim card for cash in any high school, college, or public park.
- 3np 5y ago
  You may be surprised to find this is getting increasingly unlikely in more and more places.
  - pwdisswordfish8 5y ago
    If you're not bothered by having a conversation with the homeless, indigent, or hard-up, then it's more doable than you think. You're not just subject to the chance of happening upon someone already in the business of providing these services. You can be a job creator. With mandatory (and otherwise widespread) masking policies right now, it's even easier than under normal circumstances.
    - numpad0 5y ago
      > You can be a job creator. And the godfather, depending on how local laws are written.
    - 3np 5y ago
      At least where I live, there is simply no option for voice/SMS SIM cards other than a subscription drawing from your credit card or bank account etc. So it would take the proxy person to also hold a bank account or credit card and be on the hook for any charges to the SIM card. Even with government ID etc they can't just go to a shop and pick up a prepaid for cash. Theoretically possible, yes, but in practice, I think the only option is if you have the "right" connections with organized crime. I don't think you'd be able to solicit on the streets, even in the capital.
  - samatman 5y ago
    "desirable illegal thing isn't available on the black market" is wrong. Not even worth saying it. No, that horrific thing you're thinking of isn't a counterexample but you probably can't afford it.
notdang 5y ago
In Mexico a new law was passed that requires all sim cards/phone numbers to be registered to the person using it, up to the biometric data.
- pixiemaster 5y ago
  same in germany. fortunately there are services like digitalcourage where you send your card and get another random back - easy to deflect the legal issues you‘ll be confronted with because it’s not illegal to exchange.
  - ASalazarMX 5y ago
    Why has this loophole not been closed? It seems really easy to ban exchanging personal SIMs. Mexico already tried something like this in 2008 IIRC, and it was aborted because the database was leaked and sold for like 20-30 USD a copy. That database empowered fraudsters then, and I fear this new one, having recent biometric data, would be even worse if passed, as our government is an even less capable digital steward now. If this law gets enforced, an loophole like the one DigitalCourage uses would be closed quickly.
    - emteycz 5y ago
      Because it doesn't actually help and creates false sense of security.
- ASalazarMX 5y ago
  It's still being contested, so far no telco has asked for biometric data, yet.
- 650REDHAIR 5y ago
  Just purchased a telcel SIM without any info.
  - notdang 5y ago
    It was voted in the last instance a couple of days ago. There will be some delay until it's implemented and apparently there are plans to contest it.
ValentineC 5y ago
Pay someone a small tip to buy and register a pre-paid SIM card for you. (This seems to be common for people churning/abusing new account bonuses.)
arsome 5y ago
They're suggesting you buy cryptocurrency then buy an eSIM online (which comes in the form of a QR code you scan) from a particular, kind of sketchy service. Don't need to worry about country restrictions unless the country you're in somehow bans roaming.
anonypla 5y ago
Writer of the guide here. I actually do tell you what to do in that case: - Take the cost and go physically to such a country - Use online services such as dtmf.io and pay with Monero (there are others but I didn't test them and some are "sketchy" to say the least) But you could also just ask someone you trust in such a country to buy one for you (carefully) and mail it to you including a top-up voucher paid by cash. Otherwise well just don't use services that require phone numbers for verification. No other way I'm afraid.

devmunchies 5y ago

> (also, Monero > bitcoin) Agree, but IMO both are old tech since they're proof of work. Any good privacy-focused crypto like monero that's efficient?

1ark 5y ago
No, nothing beats PoW as a consensus protocol when it comes to security and privacy so far, unfortunately. Pretty recent rundown of privacy coins posted on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/md3toy/2021_guide_to_private_cryptocurrency/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/md3toy/2021...