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What (nob obvious) ways do people avoid leaving a huge data trail? I'm not talking about the obvious stuff, like not carrying a smartphone, using an AD blocker
by vmoore 5y ago
What (nob obvious) ways do people avoid leaving a huge data trail?
I'm not talking about the obvious stuff, like not carrying a smartphone, using an AD blocker, choosing privacy-aware operating systems and apps etc
I mean, what non-obvious ways are there which people employ to avoid getting their data harvested for AD targeting?
- nicbou 5y agoI think that you covered most bases already. I'd add these: pay with cash, use throwaway emails for everything, scramble anything that can be used to fingerprint you, give false information unless you have a reason not to, move to a cabin in the woods, speak in code, wear a wig.
- dredmorbius 5y agoYour purchase history is probably the largest, most useful, and most difficult-to-hide signal. It can be directly accessed through credit and debit payments, as well as contactless payment mechanisms. It's increasingly possible through facial and other biometrics data. It is specifically associated with spending patterns. Travel data are available through licence plate scanners, tollway tokens, and transit passes, as well as, again, biometrics. Anything online leaves a very fat and wide trail, of course. Your employer's payroll processor would be another data channel. That's going to be available to other prospective employers, increasingly. Utilities data might also be available. Auto repair and smog-station data are collected and reported, and often sold to insurance companies for rating purposes. (Distance driven correlates strongly to risk.)