Hey everyone We’ll be going live 2024-11-29T18:00:00Z to answer some of your questions!
As always, a few logistics:
Techlorians & Patrons will have the highest priority, you can link your Patreon account to the forum so we can spot you You can also leave a question on the Patreon post directly!
XMR Chat Questions are second priority. Send us questions by tipping Monero!
Forum regulars next
If we have additional time we will tackle some extra questions too from the community at large! Feel free to leave your questions and we’ll do our best.
Regarding questions, feel free to ask about really anything as long as it’s appropriate. We definitely reserve the right to pass any questions
So, y’all know the joke about using the $5 wrench to bypass encryption and digital security. Expanding on that thought process, do y’all have any advice or resources for physical security around the house? I know the threat model of a home invasion or anything is a bit extreme but some people do have it.
What do you think of Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 Warp pseudo VPN service?
Wondering if it is an ‘ok’ free alternative to a VPN service like Mullvad or Proton.
I would/will get Mullvad in a heartbeat when I can afford it (and I know that it is better) but right now I need/am looking for free options and wondering what you guys think of 1.1.1.1 Warp in general and vs Proton VPN’s free version.
Low threat model. Do not need geo hopping. Just mainly want to hide my traffic from my ISP, and maybe my IP address from websites I visit.
First of all, a BIG shout out to everyone on the forum, its a wonderful resource for information, generously shared by all those in the Techlore community, and really well behaved on your website, which is a testament to you and the team.
Question:I’m wondering if you can talk a little about ransomware and protecting oneself (PC where it is still a serious risk - a friend’s business got caught out by it) since surveys show that most software solutions are ineffective and they scan all your files (i.e. privacy concerns). Obviously backup is important, as is staying away from pirated software. My main strategy I’m considering is doing my email in a VM to limit any possible contagion since it would be the main way I’d get it. Any other ideas or input are welcomed.
Hello Yet Again Techlore What’s your work flow going forward go incognito even since you have been working on it for 5 years now especially when there’s so much potential for it’s release
I’ve noticed normal people like to automatically assume the worst is happening with their privacy such as phones are tapping in on our in person conversations without sufficent evidence but telling them a simple step that has little if any negative impact such as a content blocker or password manager people are heavily reluctant. I think given the option people want simple privacy but they just dont want to sit and change a bunch of settings and reconfigure a workflow (and I get it tbh) How do you approach these people?
Secondly have you ever been made fun of or accussed of being paranoid by a normal person? (I’ve been told I act like I’m hiding nuclear secrets)
So when I shop online at the moment I’m just using my debit/credit card online as standard as most places don’t take cash/crypto, and vouchers aren’t available on many of the sites I use.
I know shopping online more often than not is not going to be private from your bank just due to KYC and other banking legislation (unless you can use cash/crypto/vouchers), but i’d like to increase my privacy/security from my details being stolen in attacks/leaks, or maybe even preventing a site tieing one account to another. It would be nice to prevent the bank seeing too, but as far as I know that isn’t possible without the previously mentioned methods.
Being in europe privacy.com is annoyingly out of the question, the closest to that I’m aware of is Revolut, PayPal, google pay (not apple pay as I am not in that ecosystem) or just a secondary bank account that I add funds to as and when I need to pay for things (you can’t steal what isn’t there). Paypal and google being so generally data hungry I feel it would be better to try and avoid?
Of all these options (and any others you are aware of) what are the pros and cons to these options for privacy and security? To be clear I’m not asking what service i should pick as you probablyndont fully know my threat model, but I don’t have enough knowledge to make an informed decision.
I must admit when so many people online try to act like an expert (or falsely claim to be) and there is so much (mis)information out there, I find it hard to know what is true or false. It is one of the things i appreciate about you guys, that if you aren’t sure on something that you’ll at least admit that before trying to help.
Also the data collected by your bank, I know they know how much you spent, where and when, and if you swiped, used contactless or chip & pin, but can they find out exactly what you bought, or do they just have to determine baised on the meta data?
I wanted to get your thoughts on the new EU Product Liability Directive and its implications:
Liability for Software Vendors: The directive makes software vendors responsible for defective software, including security flaws that can lead to data breaches. Do you think this will encourage companies to focus more on user privacy as well as security?
Open-Source Software: While open-source software is exempt from direct liability, companies that use it can still be held accountable. Could this lead to more businesses investing in improving open-source tools?
Impact on AI Systems: The directive also applies to AI systems, meaning providers could be liable if their systems cause harm, like spreading false information. How do you think this will affect AI safety and transparency?
Global Influence: Since the directive applies to any company selling in the EU, including those from Asia and the US, do you think it could impact global markets or encourage other regions to adopt similar regulations?
Note: EU member states will have 24 months to transpose the directive into their national laws, so we can expect these new regulations to be applicable by the end of 2026.
While the new EU PLD states “This Directive does not apply to free and open-source software that is developed or supplied outside the course of a commercial activity.”, I’m unsure how this will affect software that is Open-source but has a paid version or accepts donations. Hopefully, when EU countries ratify this law, it will be clearer and won’t harm software that depends on donations.
With Donald Trump now reelected, what do you think the immediate implications will be for privacy, security, the ongoing Google antitrust case and the new FTC Microsoft and uber investigations?
Notably, some prominent figures in his administration, such as Senator Ted Cruz, have voiced skepticism regarding privacy laws like the American Privacy Rights Act.
Given Trump’s statements during his campaign and his previous tenure in office, do you believe he will intensify surveillance efforts aimed at dissenters, political opponents, and media outlets that have criticized him?
There are significant concerns that these surveillance tools could be wielded more aggressively against marginalized communities and political rivals, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities in online privacy protections.
What are your thoughts on this situation?
I know Henry hasn’t been too happy about the recent Brave controversy, but I’d like to hear more about your thoughts on the matter and whether it has affected the way you view Brave as a company or raised new concerns about recommending it.
Lots of discussion goes on regarding audits of software and hardware for security and privacy. Do you have some key metrics you use (frequency, something that indicates thoroughness, key words, etc) to evaluate the effectiveness of published audits?
Are there specific organizations that conduct tech audits that you do or do not have high trust in?
We’ll be going live 2024-11-29T18:00:00Z to answer some of your questions!
You can also leave a question on the Patreon post directly!
