Now that Congress has totally screwed us on Internet Privacy, I am seriously considering using a VPN service.
These are a couple of links from my early research:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403388,00.asp
https://www.lifewire.com/best-vpn-service-providers-4061659
If anyone here has experience with a VPN service for personal use, please let me know.
No experience with this but I'll be watching this thread because it sounds like a great idea.
Some helpful info here. (https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-services-anonymous-review-2017-170304/)
Quote from: bbmike on March 29, 2017, 01:52:56 PM
Some helpful info here. (https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-services-anonymous-review-2017-170304/)
Cool. Thanks for the link O0
I admittedly don't know much about VPNs other than the recent vote has really pissed me off.
https://thenextweb.com/insider/2017/03/29/subscribe-vpn-service-get-pay/ (https://thenextweb.com/insider/2017/03/29/subscribe-vpn-service-get-pay/)
https://thenextweb.com/politics/2017/03/29/vpn-searches-spike-privacy-vote/
This article does a good job of breaking down the entire issue and the differences between what Google and Facebook do to track you and what your ISP can do
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/03/28/congress_approves_sale_of_internet_histories/
I started by installing this plugin - https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
Quote from: mirth on March 29, 2017, 02:21:13 PM
I started by installing this plugin - https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
It goes without saying but....don't install any "plugins" that Star recommends. Or if you do, don't post pictures 8) :o
https://medium.freecodecamp.com/how-to-set-up-a-vpn-in-5-minutes-for-free-and-why-you-urgently-need-one-d5cdba361907
I was all set to switch to Opera until I read this:
QuoteAlso, I'm obligated to point out that even though Opera's parent company is European, it was recently purchased by a consortium of Chinese tech companies, and there is a non-zero risk that it could be compromised by the Chinese government.
:tickedoff:
There's always the option of doing all your browsing of 'questionable' searches on a cash-pre-paid android phone so your employer/ex-wife's lawyer/megacorp injury defense lawyer can't buy your browsing history from LexisNexis or the like.
I think I'm going to give this a try, just to screw with the system
https://adnauseam.io/
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet-idUSKBN1702TA
What is it with GOP congressmen and their hard-on for this BS? One of the few subjects in which I agree with the Donks.
I understand the "small government" angle, and that there's an imbalance between ISPs and web sites regarding the ability to sell their collected data. But for F's sake this is about selling off private information without personal acceptance. Which is already happening too much with everyone else (i.e. websites), so the ISPs have been crying that they cannot. As if they don't charge hefty enough fees for use, as it is. ::) We should be getting laws pushing back this nonsense, not spreading it further in the name of business equality.
Much worse, it has also regularly been about letting ISPs subjectively force internet speed throttling on users depending on the content they're using. Which is just soft censorship at best, and downright consumer fleecing at worst. This concerns me the most, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it getting pushed again in the next year or two since it's been on just such a regular cycle over the years, getting shot down every time thus far. But they keep trying & trying.
Quote from: Nefaro on March 30, 2017, 11:33:38 AM
there's an imbalance between ISPs and web sites regarding the ability to sell their collected data.
This is a fallacy promoted by the large ISPs that lobbied for overturning the privacy rules. There is no imbalance. If you don't want Google collecting your data, don't use Google services. Same for Facebook or any other company along those lines. You don't have to use those services, but you do absolutely need an ISP to connect to the internet.
Furthermore, Google is only going to capture the data you choose to give it access to by using there services. It isn't going to track your activity if you're using Firefox, not logged into a Google account and searching with Duck Duck Go or Bing. Your ISP can track you all the time, no matter what. It can see every site you visit and it you're data isn't encrypted, it can see all of that too.
If this were 25 years ago and Congress said it was okay for every phone company in America to listen to, record and sell every phone conversation of their customers, there would have been riots in the streets. Today, the internet equivalent is met with a shrug of the shoulders by most of America.
I'll add this. ISPs already monetize their customers by charging fees for the internet services they provide. If Comcast wants to start providing free internet in exchange for collecting and selling customer data, I'd have no problem with it. So long as it were transparent and governed by the same rules that other web companies follow when giving away services in exchange for collecting and selling customer data.
Quote from: mirth on March 30, 2017, 01:11:59 PM
I'll add this. ISPs already monetize their customers by charging fees for the internet services they provide. If Comcast wants to start providing free internet in exchange for collecting and selling customer data, I'd have no problem with it. So long as it were transparent and governed by the same rules that other web companies follow when giving away services in exchange for collecting and selling customer data.
Agreed.
But it's obvious that wouldn't be the case. At least, I've seen no such propositions coming from the ISPs.
I'm a bit peeved about the privacy thing, but it's the other related issue that gets me fuming. For ISPs to throttle customers, at their own whim, should be criminal.
More so since these big providers have a monopoly, or near-monopoly, on the service in any given area. It's not like there are many local options, if at all, to promote business competition. Hell, I only have two decent hi-speed options here and I live in a major metropolitan area. Some areas are stuck with only one good option, if any.
Admittedly, this piece of legislation doesn't concern the speed throttling & site blocking issue which has been put forth before. But it will come again. It keeps coming back - need to stake it in the heart for good.
NordVPN sale (http://www.cio.com/article/3154838/virtual-private-network/get-72-off-nordvpn-virtual-private-network-service-for-a-limited-time-deal-alert.html#tk.rss_all). I think I'll take advantage of this.
I bought NordVPN. It is extremely easy to install and use. I also haven't noticed any change in download speeds.
Quote from: bbmike on April 10, 2017, 08:34:19 AM
I bought NordVPN. It is extremely easy to install and use. I also haven't noticed any change in download speeds.
Cool. Good to know.
I did the same. I'm testing it out on my Windowbox and I also don't notice any difference yet. I'll soon be trying it out on my iMac.
I've noticed that if I download from Steam with NordVPN activated I get really slow download speeds. If I turn it off, the download speeds are back to normal (extremely fast). I'm guessing that Steam is doing something on their end if they don't see my 'normal' IP address?
Quote from: bbmike on April 27, 2017, 04:42:37 PM
I've noticed that if I download from Steam with NordVPN activated I get really slow download speeds. If I turn it off, the download speeds are back to normal (extremely fast). I'm guessing that Steam is doing something on their end if they don't see my 'normal' IP address?
Seems likely