Internet Privacy is a Right Not a Priviledge!
People can not trust a government that does not trust them . . . I look at the various restrictive internet laws being put in place and new anti-free speech initiatives around the world appearing every day and I am concerned. SOPA/PIPA, TPP, and others like la ley Sinde in Spain all point to world governments nots liking their populations communicating without government spin, filters, and control.
I like being able to read newspapers around the world without anyone knowing what articles I'm reading. I've even posted an editoral response or two in foreign edition newspapers. I do not consider it my business, nor the government's business, what the guy down the street is viewing on the internet. In the name of security, liberty is being eliminated.
What can people do? Two things starting now. Go to the EFF website and read up on the attack on your rights. The other thing is to immediately start using TOR on your computer. It allows you to regain some of your privacy. Both things are discussed in more detail below.
I cover some of Bruce Schneier's recommended privacy/security software at: http://schreckschraube.com/btblog/bruce-schneier-privacy-article/.
You can also look at the entire privacy category on my blog at http://schreckschraube.com/btblog/category/privacy/ where I do provide interesting links and tidbits occassionally, .
The Electronic Frontier Foundation Has Information
Click on the link above to visit the eff.org site. The EFF is not a perfect organization, but it is very aggressive in fighting for free speech and privacy on the internet. They are also a treasure trove for the latest news in the fight for internet privacy and freedom. Go to their site and look around. I'm cheap but even I kicked in a few bucks for this organization.
The Free TOR System Can Help Protect Your Privacy
The TOR Project at torproject.orgNow for a more aggressive action, use TOR. It is a system that has been around for a few years. It masks your IP address and your internet activities fairly effectively with encryption. The encryption works from your computer to the and through the TOR network. From the TOR net to the final endpoint, the data is not encrypted. You have two options. Either use encrypted protocols, such as HTTPS or make sure there is no personal information that can identify you. An example would be a disposable free e-mail account with no connection to your real identity.
The software is FREE, so there is no excuse not to use it. For maximum security, read the manual!
TOR is used often by activists, media, military & law enforcement, businesses and many others. VPNs are great but they suffer from one issue, one point of failure. The TOR network is a distributed system and does not suffer from that issue. TOR is an ABSOLUTE must if you are using a public wifi access point!
There is a download package for Windows, one for Linux, and one for Mac.
As I find more resources worth accessing, I may post them on this page but I will post them on my blog.
This page sourcecode was last updated: August 27, 2013