You are not being paranoid if government mass surveillance concerns you.
In 2013, an NSA contactor named Edward Snowden leaked thousands of classified reports detailing the bulk data collection practices operated by the United States intelligence community. Among them were two top secret programs operated by the National Security Agency: PRISM and XKeyscore. Although both were supposed to target foreigners, they ended up collecting the personal data of millions of Americans as well.
PRISM was a classified program that allowed the NSA to collect data directly from the data centers of major U.S. tech companies like Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. This included emails, chat messages, video calls, and file transfers. What made PRISM troubling was how quietly and efficiently it worked. Cooperating companies provided direct access, often [without users knowing their data was being provided].
XKeyscore, on the other hand, was a “search engine” used to collect and analyze nearly everything a user does on the internet. It allowed analysts to search through emails, browsing histories, and social media activity in real time. XKeyscore could identify users by their browsing behavior or even past associated usernames, leading to the widespread use of techniques like fingerprinting to identify and track people across the web.
How Does Mass Surveillance Work?
Mass surveillance operates on the collection and analysis of vast amounts of data: both the content of communications and the digital trails people leave behind. Even when content is encrypted, surveillance programs can infer much through indirect means, relying heavily on communications metadata and browser fingerprinting.
To put it shortly, communications metadata refers to information that describes communications between two individuals. Many people mistake end-to-end encryption as foolproof; however, investigators may find the circumstances of a given conservation useful even if they cannot read its content. Examples of this include send time, message size, subject headers, and even the IP addresses associated with a conversation.
Fingerprinting, on the other hand, is used to identify users based on the unique characteristics of their devices and software. Details like screen resolution, time zone, installed fonts, and browser extensions can create a unique profile that allows state actors to track individuals across websites and sessions. XKeyscore and similar tools use these methods to follow users, even if they try to hide behind anonymizing tools.
Why avoid Mass Surveillance?
Mass surveillance can threaten the safety of journalists, activists, whistleblowers, and anyone with dissenting opinions. By minimizing your digital footprint and understanding how data is collected and shared, you protect your rights and make bulk data collection more expensive and less effective.
It thrives on convenience and passive data collection. Breaking that cycle means making intentional choices on how you browse the internet and communicate with other people.
Best Practices
1. Utilize Anonymizing Software
To reduce your exposure to mass surveillance, adopting anonymization software is one of the first steps.
Start by masking your IP address and browsing behavior with tools like Tor Browser, or go even further with Linux distributions such as Tails or Whonix that route all traffic through Tor. For regular internet browsing, virtual private network providers (VPNs) like Mullvad VPN or Proton VPN can help obscure your IP address from your internet service provider and visited websites; however, it does not enhance your anonymity at all. Your browser also matters: Mullvad Browser and Brave offer increased protections against fingerprinting. Installing browser extensions like uBlock Origin can also protect you against malicious advertisements and trackers.
2. Reduce Communications Metadata
Even when your messages are encrypted, the metadata around your communications can still identify your identity and habits. That is why you should use end-to-end encrypted messengers designed with metadata reduction in mind.
Signal, SimpleX, and Briar minimizes the exposure of metadata like who you’re talking to and when. You should also consider removing the metadata associated with the pictures or files you create before sending it online. When you must use email, encrypted email providers such as Proton Mail and Tutanota help protect content data, while features like automatic message deletion and disabling read receipts or typing indicators further reduce metadata leakage.
3. Consider Jurisdiction
Where your data is stored can be just as important as how it’s stored. Jurisdiction affects which laws govern access to your data, so choosing services based in comparably privacy-respecting countries like Switzerland or Iceland can provide stronger protections.
Conversely, avoid companies headquartered in surveillance-heavy countries if your threat model includes this factor. If you do not trust cloud-based services, consider self-hosting your services with Nextcloud, which allows you to maintain greater control over your information. However, its end-to-end encryption implementation is inferior compared to alternatives like Proton Drive or Cryptpad.
Regardless, you should always stay informed about domestic and foreign laws that govern data retention and disclosure obligations.
Last edited by @jonah 2025-05-08T00:33:10Z