Practical privacy and simple cybersecurity.
TheNewOil.org
What does it take to truly opt out of invasive online tracking, creepy or unwelcome targeted ads, and data collection that you never meaningfully agreed to? In recent years apps and services have been advertising their alleged privacy features but – no surprise – it turns out that many of these features may be woefully inadequate.
Today is Computer Security Day. While not a high profile holiday, I of course can’t miss the opportunity to bring it up because in our increasingly digital world, cybersecurity likewise becomes increasingly important. Nearly everything in our lives are now basically repurposed computers: phones, TVs, even cars, washing machines, and more. Many a privacy enthusiast has decried the growing difficulty of finding a “dumb” product that isn’t internet connected from TVs to light bulbs and even toys. For better or worse, it seems that we are moving into a world where everything is internet-connected, and we may soon have no choice but to focus on harm reduction rather than avoidance. As such it’s important we take a moment to go back to the basics and talk about the best ways to secure our computers of all kinds.
Black Friday is quickly bearing down upon us. For those not in the know, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving in the US, and traditionally marks the official start of Christmas shopping season, and as such, many vendors, retailers, and manufacturers offer steep discounts on their products and services.
This year, I’d like to start what I hope to make an annual tradition. In this blog post, I’d like to make a list of all known privacy- and security-related Black Friday deals. If you’re reading this closer to a future Black Friday after 2024, check out thenewoil.org/black-friday to be taken to the latest version of this blog. If you spot a deal that isn’t listed here, please send it to me so I can add it. I will try to update as often as I can.
It’s the gift-giving season, and the last time I wrote a blog post like this was four years go. My, how time flies. Anyways, I thought it might be nice to revisit this topic. As I said last time I did this, your mileage may vary. Not everyone will appreciate these or have the tech savvy to use them. It’s up to you to know what gifts are right for what person and what would actually make a good gift. But below are some items that I personally have dealt with or have my eye on that might also make good gifts for yourself, your home, or a tech-loving loved one around you. These gifts are not listed in any specific order.
For many, this month is when gift-giving season officially begins in the United States (and several other places, I presume) thanks to Black Friday, which is quickly consuming most of November in many cases. As a result, even though online shopping is something most of us engage in year-round, now it’s particularly important to discuss how to safely shop online. Below is my now-annual updated online shopping tips, reflecting techniques and strategies I've picked up in the last year. (Note: some of the services I suggest offer affiliate programs, which The New Oil has signed up for. You can see a list of our affiliates here and see our affiliate link policy here.)
Disclosure: we have an affiliate link with Proton VPN that gives us a small financial payout if you sign up for a paid plan using it. You can see our policy regarding affiliate links here.
If you found this page via a web search, there’s a possibility you’re not entirely sure what a VPN is or does. You may know that they help you bypass georestricted content – like sports or Netflix – or that they can protect you from cybercriminals (more on that in a moment), but you may not know how. The short, non-technical answer is that a VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device (computer, phone, TV, router, etc) and the VPN Provider’s server. This has the effect of making it look like your device is wherever the server is located (usually another state/country, hence bypassing georestrictions) and as well as protecting your traffic from any local snoops (such as malicious public routers or nosy Internet Service Providers – or ISPs).
If you’re here because you think a VPN will make you hacker-proof or anonymous, the answer is no. A VPN – contrary to much of the false marketing out there – will not do either of those things. VPNs can help mitigate these risks slightly. For example, the VPN providers I recommend do block some trackers, and changing your IP address will remove one way you can be identified and tracked online. However, modern internet tracking is far more complex than just blocking cookies and changing your IP address, so while a VPN can help, it’s not 100% effective. There’s a lot more that goes into online anonymity.
I am a firm believer that there are many privacy techniques you should focus on before encrypted messaging because they will offer you much more “bang for your buck,” things like good passwords, two-factor authentication, and even encrypted email. That said, I still believe that encrypted messaging is a critical part of a well-rounded privacy and security strategy. While the vast majority of our day-to-day conversations may be benign, it can still offer a lot of insight into who we are as people – our routines, likes, and personal thoughts. This information – mundane or not – is worth protecting.
Fortunately encrypted messaging has become nearly ubiquitous today due to the rise of services likes WhatsApp or – here in America – due to the large marketshare of iPhones and the resulting use of iMessage. However, I still think that we should always strive to do better when there’s room for improvement and in this case there is a lot of room to improve easily with very little cost. The only challenges facing users in this case would be the time to switch and the effort of convincing others. For those interested in taking on the challenge, here are the best options we currently have for encrypted messaging in 2024.
There are many ways to describe Voice-over-IP, or VoIP. I've seen it called an anonymous, internet, alias, or throwaway phone number (and more). Regardless of the name, I personally consider VoIP to be a healthy part of a good privacy and security strategy. The advantages are endless. For one, VoIP is harder to SIM Swap compared to a normal SIM phone number. VoIP can also help provide you privacy since most SIM numbers can easily be Googled or looked up on any number of the hundreds of people search sites and return information about the carrier and who the number is registered to. On the day-to-day, VoIP – combined with other strategies I recommend on The New Oil – can help reduce spam calls/texts, prevent would-be stalkers, create healthy work/life balances, control what information people (like prospective employers) can find about you, and help compartmentalize or reduce tracking by big corporations. Sadly, VoIP is a tool that's not widely available in many countries, but for those with access to it, VoIP can provide numerous benefits and should at very least be considered. So this week let's explore some of the best VoIP options currently available for consumers.
As some of you may have noticed, TNO hasn't really been updated in a hot minute. I was working on a major overhaul, one that deserves a blog post. Let's talk about it.
In recent weeks, I’ve noticed a rise in censorship regarding SMS communication that’s not being discussed. At all. I’m concerned that it may become a slippery slope that eventually effects us all. I don’t have any dramatic, prose-ridden introduction this week. Just some news, facts, and observations I wanted to share. So this week, follow me down the rabbit hole as I explore an existing but rising threat to our free speech and what we can do about it.