// https://www.ipvanish.com/blog/internet-privacy/
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VPNs hide your IP address. Meaning, websites you visit can’t trace your online activity back to you.
[...]
VPNs protect you from doxing. Because VPNs hide your IP address, cybercriminals can’t find it to uncover information about you.
Unless you are privileged entity like Police, no way you can make actually any use of IP. IP-based tracking is virtually useless as many devices can access something from same IP, and one device may flow thru several IPs per day.
Also, that quasi-"protection" is made void by:
- browser happily identifying itself, it's version, platform and arch and executing every possible bloat it's requested
- browser letting websites to store "permanent" cookies
- user that logs in with same account
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VPNs encrypt your connection. This can prevent hackers and ISPs from reading your information. Even if your activity is being tracked, encryption prevents unwanted eyes from being able to read it.
[...]
VPNs protect you from cyberattacks. VPNs can help prevent several popular hacking tactics, including unauthorized man-in-the-middle attacks.
That data is already encrypted; TLS, public-key (like that of SSH, as example) encryptions etc. exist for a reason.
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#2. Use an Antivirus
If you want to prevent viruses on your devices, it’s essential to use antivirus software.
If you want to prevent malware on your devices, install possibly the most invasive malware that is deemed legal. Is something that scans *everything* on computer in name of "security" or even sends it to company's server (so-called "cloud") really privacy-respecting?
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#3. Quit Social Media
Valid.
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Delete social media apps. If you have a social media application installed on your phone, chances are it’s tracking almost everything you do: where you go, who you call, what other apps you use, etc. If you want to avoid tracking, you can use social media through your internet browser instead of the app.
Valid, although it only reduces tracking by what browser limits it.
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#5. Use a Password Management Software
It depends:
- Local? Gud
- Service-based? Heck no
Though it's just better to use normal file (eventually PGP-encrypt it and remember master password)
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#6. Use Privacy-First Software
It's something more than just software. OS is also an important factor.
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Instead of mainstream messengers, use one of these:
Threema
Signal
Wire
Signal expects Google Play Services and offers integrations with not-so-privacy-friendly services. Also primary relays run on
Amazon AWS. Really?
Threema seems to be not better with non-free server implementation (You can't trust code that's unavailable), no idea about Wire.
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Instead of Google or Yahoo, use DuckDuckGo. It’s a search engine that doesn’t track your searches or online behavior.
"Trust me, I'm good guy". But there are really no alternatives, so yeah...
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Finally, for your web browser, use either Brave or Mozilla. Both of these browsers avoid tracking your online behavior and come with a ton of awesome privacy features (disabling trackers, Adblock, etc.).
Mozilla isn't privacy-friendly at all. Firefox is loaded with crapton of telemetry and default setup is terrible for privacy. At least it can be configured to be actually privacy-friendly, though.
I go akimbo with NoScript + uBlock, it's just the best. I also have set cookies/cache to be cleared on exits (and I have cache directory on RAM, so it's not preserved across boots). After Mozilla fiasco with removal of "we don't sell your data" in legal documents, I moved to LibreWolf fork
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#9. Use Tor
Tor is absolute overkill for an ordinary user, and virtually all exit nodes are blocked by most websites
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#8. Back Up Your Data on the Cloud
[...]
There is, however, an easy way to avoid the risks of ransomware attacks: you can ensure that your files are safe by storing them on the cloud at all times, instead of on your local system.
This way, even if you fall victim to a ransomware attack, your important data or files won’t be at risk.
To preserve online privacy, voluntarily give them all of your data. Pinnacle of this article XD
Sorry, but that article was made by somebody completely incompetent.
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