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The only thing I can see working is pollution, pollution of our data. There are some current extensions that do some of that, but they are likely not enough and

The only thing I can see working is pollution, pollution of our data. There are some current extensions that do some of that, but they are likely not enough and what we really need is a kind stream of data and requests that your own requests are simply merged into. The thing is that it would need to be smart enough to prevent pattern recognition, e.g., it cannot just be random data because your specific searches and string of searches or actions will stand out quite obviously. Yes, it would place a severe tax on the internet and a few things could be done to minimize that, but I currently do not see any other better option. I could see it implemented where your activities online are merged with and threaded into those of related or similar communities, e.g., be it family and friends, the YC community, or a combination of different groups. The effect would come from the proximity to similar but not exact activities. To use a common example, if your legal free speech activities could make you a target, those online activities are muddled and polluted by being merged with other people's legal free speech activities, and your activities would be merged with those of others. Consider it a kind of mutual compromise of society in order to provide protection/obfuscation in numbers ... the zebra in a herd, if you will. They can't arrest/target everyone if everyone has activity data that looks like they defy the ruling powers.

autoexec 4y ago
> The only thing I can see working is pollution, pollution of our data. this is a terrible and dangerous idea. Nobody cares about the accuracy of the data they collect on you. Stuffing your dossier with random things won't cause anyone to throw it away just because there might be errors in it. Instead all of that data, random/accurate or not, will be used against you all the same. Your clever browser extension might have been responsible for browsing to a bunch of fast food websites, but your health insurance provider won't care. They'll just see that in your internet history and quietly raise your health insurance premiums anyway. If your legal free speech activities make you a target, adding more free speech activities to your permanent record just means you'll also now be targeted for those activities on top of your own. You can't know what will prejudice someone else against you. You might not be gay, or Muslim, or a heavy drinker, or an Andrew Yang supporter, but your browser extension pulls in the wrong data that gets you flagged as being one and it could cost you your job, get you denied housing, etc. You might not be looking into getting an abortion, but anti-abortion activists who buy up the data of anyone who appears to be trying to get one, or looking for support after getting one, will still see you listed and you will still get harassed by them or dragged into a texas court room. You might not be rich, but data brokers and consumer reputation services will see that you've been interested in expensive vacation spots and online stores will start charging you more than your neighbors for the same items on the assumption that you are. If you want to try to hide in the crowd look into a VPN or TOR (although be aware device/browser fingerprinting can still get your traffic associated with you). Just please understand that giving others more ammo to use against you isn't helping yourself or anyone else. Adding more and more data to your internet history just increases your risks substantially because no matter if you deserve it or not your life will be impacted in countless ways by the data you surrender and none of that data, "pollution" or genuine, ever goes away.
- danuker 4y ago
  If you have enough money and time, it might still be useful (and satisfying) to serve society in this way. You would confuse models currently shooting fish in a barrel. You would still pick the cheapest insurer (probably one that does not look at your data). You can live without anyone abusing your privacy in this way.
867-5309 4y ago
>what we really need is a kind stream of data and requests that your own requests are simply merged into having a wife and kids helps with this. or any shared wifi with a guaranteed shitstream for your tunnel to wade through

autoexec 4y ago

> The only thing I can see working is pollution, pollution of our data. this is a terrible and dangerous idea. Nobody cares about the accuracy of the data they collect on you. Stuffing your dossier with random things won't cause anyone to throw it away just because there might be errors in it. Instead all of that data, random/accurate or not, will be used against you all the same. Your clever browser extension might have been responsible for browsing to a bunch of fast food websites, but your health insurance provider won't care. They'll just see that in your internet history and quietly raise your health insurance premiums anyway. If your legal free speech activities make you a target, adding more free speech activities to your permanent record just means you'll also now be targeted for those activities on top of your own. You can't know what will prejudice someone else against you. You might not be gay, or Muslim, or a heavy drinker, or an Andrew Yang supporter, but your browser extension pulls in the wrong data that gets you flagged as being one and it could cost you your job, get you denied housing, etc. You might not be looking into getting an abortion, but anti-abortion activists who buy up the data of anyone who appears to be trying to get one, or looking for support after getting one, will still see you listed and you will still get harassed by them or dragged into a texas court room. You might not be rich, but data brokers and consumer reputation services will see that you've been interested in expensive vacation spots and online stores will start charging you more than your neighbors for the same items on the assumption that you are. If you want to try to hide in the crowd look into a VPN or TOR (although be aware device/browser fingerprinting can still get your traffic associated with you). Just please understand that giving others more ammo to use against you isn't helping yourself or anyone else. Adding more and more data to your internet history just increases your risks substantially because no matter if you deserve it or not your life will be impacted in countless ways by the data you surrender and none of that data, "pollution" or genuine, ever goes away.

danuker 4y ago
If you have enough money and time, it might still be useful (and satisfying) to serve society in this way. You would confuse models currently shooting fish in a barrel. You would still pick the cheapest insurer (probably one that does not look at your data). You can live without anyone abusing your privacy in this way.

867-5309 4y ago

>what we really need is a kind stream of data and requests that your own requests are simply merged into having a wife and kids helps with this. or any shared wifi with a guaranteed shitstream for your tunnel to wade through