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[risk_reversal]

I am sure that we would all agree that user's internet privacy has been severely eroded over the years.

Nowadays the amount of information which users generally divulge / leak merely by surfing is getting worrying.

http://webanalyticsland.com/privacy-policy/

As a consequence individual users can be accurately profiled over a long period of time. Searches undertaken in Google are also stored and used to profile users surfing the net (I have recently started using Startpage as a search engine as their privacy policy is apparently infinitely better than Google's).

Now my surfing habits are fairly mundane and boring but I have reached the point where I am thinking of meaningfully stepping up my privacy arsenal.

I was just wondering how people on this forum feel about this issue and what steps you take (if any) in trying to combat this.

As I understand it there are 2 clear issues a) IP address (which reveals isp/location) and b) details revealed by the browser itself.

You can test the uniqueness of your browser by going to the page linked below (interesting read also) and

[EDIT]: fixed broken link

http://www.pc-freak.net/blog/tag/how-to-improve-your-web-browser-security-better-securing-your-personal-identity-privacy-on-the-net/

mid way down the page there is a test as to how identifiable is your browser

panoptickclick.eff.org - the test me button.

I have recently been trialing NoScript (an addon for Mozilla based browsers) and find that commercial sites usually have 3-4 script which (I guess) snoop.

I have also been looking at surfing via anonymous private proxy (paid for service, the public ones scare me) or using VPN systems (paid one equally) eg Hide My Ass or Witopia. Not sure if anyone uses these or other(s).

I will stop their but I have noted this particular page

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/4487-talktalk-start-trial-of-its-internet-security-system.html

echoes of Phorm or should I say son of.

I have not even touched on cookies be they the normal ones, Flash one (LSO) or the next generation which will slowly be unleashed upon us DOM cookies.

Sorry long post

Any thoughts or am I just a bit touchy.

Cheers

[AdrianH]

I gave up worrying a long time back. I smply use CCleaner at the end of each day and delete all persistent cookies apart from some forums/shopping sites I trust.

Avast gives me Safe Zone for any secure transaction needs which makes the session untraceable.


I have a neighbour that has so many "protection" apps/scripts his machine is barely able to operate, it is hysterical, he is paranoid about cookies/traces yet visits all the worst and most dangerous sites available .......  if you really have something to hide or do not want to be tracked unplug your machine.

Why the panic over online transactions when people are desperate to clock up clubcard points and airmiles? Why do you think stores have these "loyalty " cards, they trace every single thing you buy and target you for promotions with the info. They know what you do,where you go , what you like, what you drink/smoke/read, what adult items you use and they have your name , address and credit card details, being careful/sensible online and you are a lot less traceable than you are in Tesco/Sainsbury's etc.

[tonyappuk]

I'm with AdrianH here but that's maybe because of my advanced years. As you get older you become less concerned about your privacy, you've seen it all before. I take reasonable care with online purchases and I only use on line banking to peruse my account. If anyone wants to find out my browsing preferences and shopping habits they're welcome. I'm pleased that most "legitimate" spam (if you know what I mean) has an effective unsubscribe link nowadays and the warning to never use this sort of link is no longer valid (in most cases). Of course obvious as opposed to legitimate, spam should still just be deleted.
Tony

[silversurfer44]

I agree with Adrian & Tony, as long as one is careful and not Gung Ho! then there is nothing to worry about. Your second link doesn't work either RR.

[AdrianH]

>>  http://www.pc-freak.net/blog/tag/how-to-improve-your-web-browser-security-better-securing-your-personal-identity-privacy-on-the-net/  <<  is the link that was broken in the OP.

[silversurfer44]

Sorry. but I think it was better broken.

[AdrianH]

  

[roseway]

I'm afraid I'm with the majority here. I take great care with things like bank and credit card details, but if someone wants to know my IP address and what browser I use, then all I can say is, much good may it do them.

[UncleUB]

I'm afraid I'm with the majority here. I take great care with things like bank and credit card details, but if someone wants to know my IP address and what browser I use, then all I can say is, much good may it do them.

Ditto. 

[renluop]

I'm in the careful but not paranoid camp, being another with a bus pass for several years.

Even twenty odd years ago ,when I took early retirement from a bank, I was noticing the shortening time customers' were valid. So when there's media panic over a lost disk, I am relativley relaxed: the info won't be much use for long.

[jeffbb]

Hi
quote IP address (which reveals isp/location)

In my case the location is generally about 200 miles out 

Regards Jeff

[risk_reversal]

Interesting to hear the responses to the comments I posted.

I think we all try to practice safe surfing ie I always try to check any unknown sites on MyWot & Site Advisor prior and will never click on a domain name ending in .ru, etc.

The one thing I would mention (again) and which relates to Mozilla based browsers (that I am aware of) is the NoScript extension / addon.

Apart from the fact that it does stop a lot of useless (and sometimes dangerous) script from running, the added advantage that I noted was that web pages open faster simply because needless {advertising} script is prevented from running in the first place (I did not know there were quite so many at times.........).

Indeed previously and on certain sites, my browser would become unresponsive for quite a few seconds after which the browser would display a 'No Script' message asking me to either retry the script or stop it.

Let me ask you a final question. Do any of you using Windows based systems use amended HOSTS files (probably excludes you roseway as you are on Linux. PS Although still a newb I love to use Puppy Linux)

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

To see contents of amended HOSTS file scroll down to where it says 'To view the HOSTS file in plain text form' next to the yellow folder.

Cheers

[BritBrat]

I lie

When my daughter wanted to add me to her facebook she was not sure it was me, wrong DOB.

I also block a lot of Google and other cookies and I use a host file that is very large (2.36 MB) I added a new entry yesterday using hosts manager.

And I use a lot of macros so even if I had a key stroke virus most of any important data would be useless, and I also use passwords over 16 Chars long, partly the reason I use macro's.

I have been on the internet over 10 years and in that time had three viruses but they were my fault, my computer backs up M,W and Friday and a full on the first of the month so I can restore it back to at least a few days ago if I get hit with anything.

[oldfogy]

I signed up to facebook last week, for the first few times apart from trying to figure out how to find anyone, each time I went into the profile or other settings I was amazed at what "was" activated by default for almost anybody to see:-

Address
Mobile Phone Number
Land Line Phone Number
Loads of other personal information such as school/college or work etc.

Needless to say as far as I know it all got disabled.

[AdrianH]

Interesting to hear the responses to the comments I posted.

I think we all try to practice safe surfing ie I always try to check any unknown sites on MyWot & Site Advisor prior and will never click on a domain name ending in .ru, etc.

The one thing I would mention (again) and which relates to Mozilla based browsers (that I am aware of) is the NoScript extension / addon.

Apart from the fact that it does stop a lot of useless (and sometimes dangerous) script from running, the added advantage that I noted was that web pages open faster simply because needless {advertising} script is prevented from running in the first place (I did not know there were quite so many at times.........).

Indeed previously and on certain sites, my browser would become unresponsive for quite a few seconds after which the browser would display a 'No Script' message asking me to either retry the script or stop it.

Let me ask you a final question. Do any of you using Windows based systems use amended HOSTS files (probably excludes you roseway as you are on Linux. PS Although still a newb I love to use Puppy Linux)

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

To see contents of amended HOSTS file scroll down to where it says 'To view the HOSTS file in plain text form' next to the yellow folder.

Cheers

Mywot/siteadvisor .......... wouldn't waste bandwidth on them, they are very subjective and prone to extremely innacurate and stupid/childish reviews of content . Avast webshield stops connections to proven dangerous sites, unlike the "review" sites which all too often have wrong info , which saves me the bother. Hosts files ....... not any more, I use to run them way back in early XP time with SpyBotS+D but never found them that useful.

Win7 is so good at rolling back / restoring should there be an issue I simply do not bother with anything other than a decent AV suite . I have had zero malware on my machines for sveral years now and my son (the holy terror who was always infecting his machines several times a week) has seen nothing since Win7 and Avast was installed.

Firefox , no, simply do not like anything about that browser particularly not the constant need for updates for holes ............... Opera/IE9 in Windows, Opera / and distro browser in Linux.

Google advises of dodgy sites from their search system, Opera has an excellent inbuilt system that warns of dangerous / fraudulent sites and you have the choice of allowing scripts or not in the standard settings without having to find extra add ons , I see no need whatever of adding anything else.