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
I’m an advocate of digital privacy rights. I blog about regulatory and technical solutions to improve people’s online 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
Promote your Onion site with the Onion-Location HTTP header
A new HTTP header enables websites to redirect their visitors using the Tor Browser to their more secure Onion site.
How to block web browser-based localhost port-scans
Websites are port-scanning your localhost. Here’s how to stop random websites from knowing what services are running on your device.
First impressions of the Scroll news subscription service
Scroll wants to be your one-stop subscription service for news published all over the web. How does it work? and can one subscription save journalism?
Bluetooth privacy and the FreeStyle Libre 2 glucose monitoring system
The FreeStyle Libre 2 can push critical glucose level alerts to your phone. Great for managing diabetes, but it also makes you trackable out in the world.