Privacy
Phone Link relays your personal data through Microsoft servers
The Phone Link app doesn’t transfer data directly between your devices over the local network. Instead, it allows Microsoft to peak at your personal data.
Privacy
Privacy
Don’t record your social life on an append-only social network
The tech behind peer-to-peer (P2P) social networks such as Secure Scuttlebutt enforces permanency. Absolute permanency isn’t what you want in a social network.
Privacy
Stop using DICT dictionary apps (such as GNOME/MATE Dictionary)
MATE Desktop installs a Dictionary app (a fork of the retired GNOME Dictionary app). The apps don’t protect your pricacy, and you might want to stop using them.
Fonts
TeamViewer installs suspicious font only useful for web fingerprinting
A weird almost unreadable font file bundled with TeamViewer for Windows software lets website detect if you’ve installed the software. Raises privacy concerns.
Privacy
Some discouraging anecdotes on how services handle account deletions
I asked 124 services to delete my user account. The results were mixed. 21 never responded, and 16 responded by created even more accounts. Some outright lied.
Advertisement Technology
The web is overrun by pop-ups and blockers haven’t worked in years
You can now expect every website to inundate you with pop-ups for email lists, promotions, and privacy theater. (No, the GDPR isn’t to blame.) Enough is enough.
IPFS
How a Hypercore P2P innovation could bring more privacy to IPFS
IPFS want’s to replace HTTPS as the web’s content delivery protocol. However, it can’t do that without improving on user privacy. Hypercore has the solution.
Open Standards
Should you fix errors and contribute to Google Maps for free?
Google Maps is incredibly detailed and useful. But Google uses it for tracking and deliver ads. Should you contribute for free to build its monopoly?
Privacy
How to limit Samsung Customization Service data collection
Android Customization Service provides some extra features in exchange for your personal information. However, you can minimize the data it shares with Samsung.
P2P
A privacy review of Tribler, the onion-routed BitTorrent app
An in-depth privacy and security review of Tribler, a more private BitTorrent client backed by an onion/layered encryption proxy relay network. Is it anonymous?
Media Center
Jellyfin and metadata privacy
The Jellyfin media server can enrich your media collection with metadata from online sources. The price may be free, but the cost is metadata for metadata.
Web Browsers
How to get Microsoft Edge back into your Windows Timeline
The new Microsoft Edge doesn’t currently support Windows Timeline. Here’s an extension that reintegrates the browser with Windows Timeline/Task View.