Feedback on Privacy setup

Questions
1

Hoping for feedback to improve.

I want to make sure I’m not ignoring any important guidance. (I read but not sure I completely comprehend everything).

Risk profile: Boring. Bland use of internet for reading news, email, Privacy Guides. Banking and making purchases (Amazon mainly)

Setup configuration: SecureBlue linux, Mullvad VPN, Trivalent browser. Router: Asus-Merlin. VM-Fedora with ProtonVPN and Brave for websites that aren’t accessible with “Setup” configuration.

iPhone, iWatch, AppleTV
Am I fooling myself that Apple is Privacy protective enough and not selling information to Data brokers?

Auto is 25 year old, non-tech. Just start and drive….

Paying for Optery and EasyOptOuts to help data removal mistakes from the past and present.

I recently discovered that I can’t make purchases through Amazon or Walmart without providing PII tracking. This is all kinds of wrong.

Paying bills/credit cards.

1 Like
2

Your “Setup configuration” for your “Boring” threat model is way overkill btw. You can get away with Fedora or even Mint + hardened FF + Mullvad.

This is unnecessary. But alright. I recommend simplifying your set up. You don’t need to unnecessarily inconvenience yourself.

Apple doesn’t sell info but they will use it themselves. But with increasing ads in their apps (in Maps coming soon), I’m sure they’ll begin sharing some info about you “anonymized”.

Well, you technically can. Buy Amazon gift cards from Walmart or other retailers with cash. Top up your account you can make with an email alias, order your items to a local Amazon delivery box location for you to pick up. Of course, not every item can be shipped here and not all items will be convenient to be delivered and picked up here but is an option.

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3

I don’t know the extent of @dddd dddd’s threat model and technical expertise, but regarding the Fedora VM with brave and Proton VPN, it is possible they could install Brave and ProtonVPN directly in SecureBlue to reduce potential friction (preferably as a layered RPM, though flatpaks are also available).

Of course I would only recommend this if @dddd is comfortable with sacrificing that layer of isolation provided by the VM in favor of some convenience.

4

Thank you for the response and the new approach.

Never even thought of Amazon gift cards. I do use an email alias with them already. This type of advice is what I’m looking for.

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5

That was my thinking, that the VM isolates my exposure to just the VM.

As far as threat model, really no risk except the Data collection world that snuck up on us. Th e thought was that the longer I reduce my exposure, my older data ages and becomes less valuable.

I rarely get ads now, except from businesses I utilize and agree with.

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6

I had an Amazon account with an email alias - they froze the account and advised that to unlock it I would need to scan and them send my drivers licence, the credit card used for purchases and a bank statement with my address.

That was never going to happen.

7

That is what I am trying to accomplish, establish an Amazon account with an alias, as well as limited other online vendors that require accounts.

Wow, we are tracked, data collected and consolidated to such an incredible level now-a-days.

There are some products that simply are not in physical stores, so online is the only option.

Has anyone found a method to retain any level of privacy with big-online sellers?

8

Shopping less. You’d be surprised how much less we can buy and still get away with it. We shop way too much given the convenience.

3 Likes
9

Can’t argue with your approach.

This instance was attempting to purchase a specific model of a privacy router (gl-inet).

10

Would you just create a new Amazon account with a new Alias and change your temporary/SMS receiving number through an online service? Then just reenter the payment method such as an Amazon gift card or Visa Gift card to utilize the remainder?

I really am trying to find ways to get back Privacy.

11

There has to be somewhere else you can buy things from. You shouldn’t be supporting Amazon at all.

12

If you are in the Apple ecosystem … do you use iCloud? If so, do you have “Apple Advanced Data Protection“ enabled?

1 Like
13

I am NOW…
Didn’t know about it.

Thank you!