Hi fellow Aussies! Ever feel like someone's lookin' over your shoulder online? Turns out, it might not just be your nosy neighbour. In today's digital world, our personal privacy faces more risks than ever before. Let's have a yarn about what's at stake and what you can do to protect yourselves.
Mass Surveillance: It's Not Just for the Yanks
You might think that surveillance programs like PRISM, Tempora, and XKeyscore are just problems for people in other countries, but think again.
- PRISM allows agencies like the NSA to collect internet communications from big companies like Google and Apple.
- Tempora, used by the UK's GCHQ, intercepts a huge amount of internet data from fibre-optic cables.
- XKeyscore is a system the NSA uses to search and analyse global internet data in real-time. Edward Snowden said XKeyscore enables analysts to "read anyone's email in the world".
The "Five Eyes" alliance, which includes Australia, means that these countries share intelligence. According to University of Otago information science Associate Professor Hank Wolfe, the Five Eyes countries (US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand) use each other to circumvent domestic spying laws, so that they have their partners do the spying for them, and then share the info. That's why it's important to know your rights and take action!
Social Media: Oversharing is Caring (for Data Miners)
It's not just governments (like the USA, Trump/Musk?) you need to worry about. Social media platforms are data-collection machines. They track your posts, likes, shares, and even your location to build a detailed profile of you. This info is then used for targeted advertising, but it could also be accessed by third parties.
What Can You Do? Become a Privacy Warrior!
Right, so how do we fight back? Here are some tips to boost your personal security and minimise your data exposure:
- Use strong encryption:
- Choose messaging apps with end-to-end encryption, like Signal or WhatsApp.
- Use encrypted email services such as ProtonMail or Tutanota.
- Employ a Virtual Private Network (VPN): A good VPN encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address, making it harder to track you.
- Privacy-focused browsers and search engines:
- Use browsers like Brave or Firefox with privacy settings tweaked to block trackers.
- Opt for search engines like DuckDuckGo or Startpage that don't track your data.
- Limit data sharing:
- Review and adjust your privacy settings on social media.
- Be careful about sharing personal information online.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.
- Keep your software updated: Regular updates protect you from security vulnerabilities.
- Use strong, unique passwords, and consider using a password manager.
- Be careful on public Wi-Fi: Avoid sensitive transactions on public networks.
- Anonymising Tools: Consider using the Tor browser to anonymize your internet traffic.
Get Involved!
Protecting your privacy isn't just an individual effort. Contact your local MP and let them know you care about digital privacy. Support organisations that fight for stronger privacy laws .
Don't be a galah – take control of your online privacy today!
My favourites.
ENCRYPTED MESSAGING, VOICE CALLS, VIDEO CALLS
Signal (IOS, Android, and Windows) https://signal.org/download/
CLOUD STORAGE
Proton Drive https://proton.me/drive
VPN
Proton VPN https://protonvpn.com/
BROWSER
Brave https://brave.com/download
Similiar to Twitter/ X: Bluesky https://bsky.social/about
Similiar to Instagram: Pixelfed https://pixelfed.au/
- Organic Maps (Open-source, EU-based developers) – Offline maps with privacy focus. https://organicmaps.app/
- OsmAnd (Netherlands) – Uses OpenStreetMap data, privacy-friendly. https://osmand.net/
