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Today's FTFY: s/Privacy/Anonymity/ Make sure that it's impossible for my online actions to be traced to my identity, and then I don't need privacy, because the

Today's FTFY: s/Privacy/Anonymity/ Make sure that it's impossible for my online actions to be traced to my identity, and then I don't need privacy, because there is no association that needs to be hidden and protected.

baobun 10mo ago
I see this distinction mentioned from time to time and it doesn't make sense to me. IMO, your actions not being tracable to your identity is privacy. In this framing, anonymity is part of privacy. You desire anonymity because of the privacy it gives you. Which is not to say that anonymity is always required for privacy though it tends to strengthen it. Similarly, sometimes people say there's a tradeoff between security and privacy, which doesn't make sense since privacy (confidentiality) is one dimension of information security. If you still disagree, could you attempt at defining privacy and anonymity and how you can prioritize meaningful anonymity without caring about privacy?
- pluralmonad 10mo ago
  Probably a push back against the commercialization of the term privacy to now mean "we get your data and share it widely for money making purposes, but here are the terms so you have privacy."
  - peebee67 10mo ago
    "Privacy policy" is definitely one of the most prominent Newspeak terms around today. The full term should read "how we'll violate your privacy policy".
- kazinator 10mo ago
  There are two sense of "privacy". Actual privacy, which of course is subsumed under anonymity, and the fake "privacy" that everyone is telling you they have a policy about and are assuring, while they track you and collect personal information.
  - baobun 10mo ago
    Thanks for following up. Food for thought: Rather than nitpick on people who apparently use the word in earnest in its actual meaning and thereby conceding that those policies are actually "taking your privacy seriously", rendering the word void of meaning, we educate and take it back? Saying "Make sure that it's impossible for my online actions to be traced to my identity, and then I don't need privacy" is in a way giving up on privacy alltogether.
danaris 10mo ago
The longer you rely on anonymity for your privacy, and keep leaving tidbits about yourself out there, the more likely it becomes that anyone interested in breaking that anonymity can do so.
- kazinator 10mo ago
  Sounds like you might be talking about some strawman anonymity whereby the user takes some feeble steps on their own, in the face of systems that doing everything they can to rob them of anonymity.
  - danaris 10mo ago
    If you're saying you don't need privacy, then that implies some things about how you expect to be acting. If you're planning to also be very careful about not revealing anything about yourself and your activities online, then that sounds less like "I don't need privacy" and more like "I guard my own privacy." If that's what you mean, and you don't want people to misconstrue your intentions...maybe be clearer in your wording?
deleted 10mo ago
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baobun 10mo ago

I see this distinction mentioned from time to time and it doesn't make sense to me. IMO, your actions not being tracable to your identity is privacy. In this framing, anonymity is part of privacy. You desire anonymity because of the privacy it gives you. Which is not to say that anonymity is always required for privacy though it tends to strengthen it. Similarly, sometimes people say there's a tradeoff between security and privacy, which doesn't make sense since privacy (confidentiality) is one dimension of information security. If you still disagree, could you attempt at defining privacy and anonymity and how you can prioritize meaningful anonymity without caring about privacy?

pluralmonad 10mo ago
Probably a push back against the commercialization of the term privacy to now mean "we get your data and share it widely for money making purposes, but here are the terms so you have privacy."
- peebee67 10mo ago
  "Privacy policy" is definitely one of the most prominent Newspeak terms around today. The full term should read "how we'll violate your privacy policy".
kazinator 10mo ago
There are two sense of "privacy". Actual privacy, which of course is subsumed under anonymity, and the fake "privacy" that everyone is telling you they have a policy about and are assuring, while they track you and collect personal information.
- baobun 10mo ago
  Thanks for following up. Food for thought: Rather than nitpick on people who apparently use the word in earnest in its actual meaning and thereby conceding that those policies are actually "taking your privacy seriously", rendering the word void of meaning, we educate and take it back? Saying "Make sure that it's impossible for my online actions to be traced to my identity, and then I don't need privacy" is in a way giving up on privacy alltogether.

danaris 10mo ago

The longer you rely on anonymity for your privacy, and keep leaving tidbits about yourself out there, the more likely it becomes that anyone interested in breaking that anonymity can do so.

kazinator 10mo ago
Sounds like you might be talking about some strawman anonymity whereby the user takes some feeble steps on their own, in the face of systems that doing everything they can to rob them of anonymity.
- danaris 10mo ago
  If you're saying you don't need privacy, then that implies some things about how you expect to be acting. If you're planning to also be very careful about not revealing anything about yourself and your activities online, then that sounds less like "I don't need privacy" and more like "I guard my own privacy." If that's what you mean, and you don't want people to misconstrue your intentions...maybe be clearer in your wording?

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]