UK government to impose Orwellian-style surveillance

[sam_uk]

Most major ISPs have to add an email divert box to allow MI5 to receive, read, check and release your emails.

Unlikely, but even if it were true, how would that help if the contents of the email were encrypted? Sure, they'd know the sender and the recipient, but that's not particularly helpful on its own.

I entirely disagree, it is extremely interesting to be able to map networks of dissidents.

What do you think facebook is for? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpLNlSKugHw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_net ... k_analysis

[biffvernon]

Where do I sign up to be a member of the dissident network?

[Mean Mr Mustard]

Where do I sign up to be a member of the dissident network?

Louth Police Station, or if that's closed, you'll have to take the bus to Sleaford Nick.

[biffvernon]

Oh I thought the whole point was that we do it on-line nowadays.

[JohnB]

Oh I thought the whole point was that we do it on-line nowadays.

Just carry on with what you're doing. I'm sure Big Brother will have you on their database if they're interested .

[sam_uk]

Two straightforward things you can do to improve your privacy online

1) Use a non-corporate email address https://user.riseup.net/forms/new_user/first

2) Use Scroogle (anonymous google)
In Chrome go: Preferences > manage search > add add this Url > https://ssl.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbwssl.cgi?Gw=%s
Then make it pretty by going here http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/23529 and clicking 'install'

[Vortex]

I'm not sure what the aim is here.

Do you want to hide from commercial interests? If so, why? Would you prefer random spam or spam directed at your personal interests?

Do you want to hide from the State? If so, don't expect to succeed. If they are REALLY interested in you then they will crack your emails ... or more reliably they will simply chat to your neighbours and workmates.

Taking web security measures for no real reason is more likely to taint your security record than anything else. You might need a govt job one day, so why give them a reason to hire someone else?

However if you REALLY REALLY want to hide all traces of your web activity for a concrete reason then maybe you aren't somebody I would like to meet ...

[sam_uk]

I'm not sure what the aim is here.

Do you want to hide from commercial interests? If so, why?

http://www.scroogle.org/doctorow.html

You are asking the wrong question. It is not; 'Why do you want to opt out of corporate spying?' but rather; 'Why would anyone want to opt in?'

If you are interested in this stuff this is well worth a look; Freedom In the Cloud: Software Freedom, Privacy, and Security for Web 2.0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOEMv0S8AcA

[caspian]

Do you want to hide from the State? If so, don't expect to succeed. If they are REALLY interested in you then they will crack your emails

And how would they do that if your emails are encrypted? Don't just say "ah, well they have their ways," because the onus is on you to prove that they can do this. I repeat: strong encryption cannot, at present, be broken in any sensible timeframe. Why do you think the Govt added Part III of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act?

[sam_uk]

Do you want to hide from the State? If so, don't expect to succeed. If they are REALLY interested in you then they will crack your emails

And how would they do that if your emails are encrypted?

Well if you are running windows software probably the easiest way is to find your IP address then install some malware keylogger, if you use Linux then; Rootkit first, then keylogger..

Edit; Just to add to this; Even if you know your machine is 100% clean, can you guarantee the same for the recipient of your encrypted mail?

[Vortex]

And how would they do that if your emails are encrypted?

They (probably) can't. So they can speak to your email RECIPIENT (if in the UK) and wave a RIPA document. You would never know.

Anyway, I think that you are missing the point.

Data about the recipient's address is just as valuable as the content.

Your network of friends, THEIR networks of friends will tell a lot about YOU.

Maybe not that you are about to raid a beagle lab at 13:07 on the 17th ... but that you an an animal rights associate.

When 50 homes are raided your's will be too.

Ever hear about Murder Inc in the USA?

Phone call records (not taps) were used to build up a picture of the two gangs concerned.

One key suspect turned out to be ... an innocent pizza house used by many of the gangsters!

Nevertheless many previously unknown West Coast Mafia members and the New York contract killers they used were identified.

If that can be done with called number records, just think of what can be found when you merge landline call records, mobile phone call records, credit card data, direct debit data, credit check data, email records, website visit records, car number plate recognition records, medical records, insurance records ... oh, yes .... and forum post data.

Privacy is a thing of the past.

[sam_uk]

Privacy is a thing of the past.

For you maybe, if you have just totally rolled over, that is probably true.

Privacy is a question of degree, no one has ever had 100% privacy. You can have more or less of it, depending largely on how much you protect it.

Which is why I suggested two very straightforward things people can do to _help_ protect their privacy.

Using Scroogle is almost identical to using Google, reading email on Riseup is not that much more inconvenient that reading Gmail. Why not do these things?

[emordnilap]

OK, Scroogle now in use. Thanks sam_uk.

[Vortex]

Why not do these things?

1. Because you are advertising that you (may) have something to hide.
2. Because it would take a whole lifestyle change to avoid surveillance, not just use of a couple of software tools.
3. Because some of these so-called protective tools can contain taps placed by criminals or security services.
4. Because some of these tools can 'leak' data such as your IP address.
5. Because these tools can give you a false sense of security leading to your sending/writing material which you would never dare to send via ordinary insecure channels.
6. Because these tools can give you a false sense of security leading to your sending/writing/viewing/accessing material which leads to your true identify.
7. Because RIPA can get you whatever happens.

Why try to be different? There's safety in numbers.

[RenewableCandy]

The "Renewable" principle:

Would you shout it out into a room full of strangers?
Yes?...fine
No?...then don't put it on t'net. It was never meant to be secure.