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If you're not already operating under the assumption that TLAs have full access to your entire online history, there's really no point in trying to start now. U

If you're not already operating under the assumption that TLAs have full access to your entire online history, there's really no point in trying to start now. Use secure apps like Signal to hide your information from hackers, thieves, and generic script kiddies, not to hide from national security agencies. Especially when said agency can send a van to your house to take all your digital equipment (fully legally if backed by a warrant) until you comply and give up all your passwords and encryption keys. You cannot defeat the legal system through technical means, your only hope is having some kind of escape submarine or private jet to get yourself extracted to a non-extradition country like Russia (or, if you're Snowden, trolling journalists with your flight so all the goons get on the wrong plane). https://xkcd.com/538/ https://xkcd.com/538/

nucleardog 5y ago
For a slightly humorous take on this, James Mickens' paper _This World of Ours_[0] is enjoyable: > In the real world, threat models are much simpler (see Figure 1). Basically, you’re either dealing with Mossad or not-Mossad. If your adversary is not-Mossad, then you’ll probably be fine if you pick a good password and don’t respond to emails from ChEaPestPAiNPi11s@virus-basket.biz.ru. If your adversary is the Mossad, YOU’RE GONNA DIE AND THERE’S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. The Mossad is not intimidated by the fact that you employ https:// https://. If the Mossad wants your data, they’re going to use a drone to replace your cellphone with a piece of uranium that’s shaped like a cellphone, and when you die of tumors filled with tumors, they’re going to hold a press conference and say “It wasn’t us” as they wear t-shirts that say “IT WAS DEFINITELY US,” and then they’re going to buy all of your stuff at your estate sale so that they can directly look at the photos of your vacation instead of reading your insipid emails about them. In summary, https:// https:// and two dollars will get you a bus ticket to nowhere. [0] https://www.usenix.org/system/files/1401_08-12_mickens.pdf https://www.usenix.org/system/files/1401_08-12_mickens.pdf
- ganzuul 5y ago
  This is pretty much my understanding too. We have not progressed one iota in civilization and everything comes down to torture and murder when the going gets tough. My only hope for a future for humankind lies with this socialist software ideal I have been musing about...
inigojonesguy 5y ago
Many people like me wish to hide from Google and Microsoft, not from NSA. Because of two widespread reasons. - I don't want to have a personalized experience on the net. - I don't want Google algorithms to hide my new bike frame invention because I also posted an opinion about bing censoring tank man, or about Google cache as commons.

nucleardog 5y ago

For a slightly humorous take on this, James Mickens' paper _This World of Ours_[0] is enjoyable: > In the real world, threat models are much simpler (see Figure 1). Basically, you’re either dealing with Mossad or not-Mossad. If your adversary is not-Mossad, then you’ll probably be fine if you pick a good password and don’t respond to emails from ChEaPestPAiNPi11s@virus-basket.biz.ru. If your adversary is the Mossad, YOU’RE GONNA DIE AND THERE’S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. The Mossad is not intimidated by the fact that you employ https:// https://. If the Mossad wants your data, they’re going to use a drone to replace your cellphone with a piece of uranium that’s shaped like a cellphone, and when you die of tumors filled with tumors, they’re going to hold a press conference and say “It wasn’t us” as they wear t-shirts that say “IT WAS DEFINITELY US,” and then they’re going to buy all of your stuff at your estate sale so that they can directly look at the photos of your vacation instead of reading your insipid emails about them. In summary, https:// https:// and two dollars will get you a bus ticket to nowhere. [0] https://www.usenix.org/system/files/1401_08-12_mickens.pdf https://www.usenix.org/system/files/1401_08-12_mickens.pdf

ganzuul 5y ago
This is pretty much my understanding too. We have not progressed one iota in civilization and everything comes down to torture and murder when the going gets tough. My only hope for a future for humankind lies with this socialist software ideal I have been musing about...

inigojonesguy 5y ago

Many people like me wish to hide from Google and Microsoft, not from NSA. Because of two widespread reasons. - I don't want to have a personalized experience on the net. - I don't want Google algorithms to hide my new bike frame invention because I also posted an opinion about bing censoring tank man, or about Google cache as commons.