Privacy

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

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Posting a link to a website containing tracking isn't great, if contents of the website are behind a paywall maybe copy them into the post
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If you have a question, please try searching for previous discussions, maybe it has already been answered
Reposts are fine, but should have at least a couple of weeks in between so that the post can reach a new audience
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If it ask for your phone number its not private. (lemmy.ml)

submitted 2 days ago by lunatique@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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Nowadays, a majority of apps require you to sign up with your email or even worse your phone number. If you have a phone number attached to your name, meaning you went to a cell service/phone provider, and you gave them your ID, then no matter what app you use, no matter how private it says it is, it is not private. There is NO exception to this. Your identity is instantly tied to that account.

Signal is not private. I recommend Simplex or another peer to peer onion messaging app. They don't require email or phone number. So as long as you protect your IP you are anonymous

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[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 1 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

2FA is an important security layer, if the service, after sending you the activating SMS with the code, delete your number (normal in serious services), it's also not an privacy problem. In big us corporations on the other hand, it is, eg.Google store tour number and also probably share it, there 2FA is not an option. Instead a number, some services also admit alternatively a second e-mail account to receive the activation code, there, if you have doubt, you can use an disposable mail, so there isn't any privacy problem.

[–] lunatique@lemmy.ml 4 points 22 hours ago

2FA helps with security concerns, not privacy concerns. They still would have your number. Also about Google, they have one of the widest spread and utilized 2FA authentication applications out there.

[–] HotChickenFeet@sopuli.xyz 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

2FA is important, but if you use your phone number for anything, you have no idea how long they retain it, how they directly use it, if they sell it, etc. A real phone number can be mapped back to you trivially.

It should be standard to offer TOTP codes that can be used via an authenticator app, hardware key, etc. Aome places do, many do not.

But at the end of the day, they typically don't ask for your phone number because they want to give you security, but rather as a proxy to ensure you have a unique identity. Most people will have only one phone number, and it will be more difficult / costly to get additional ones than burner emails, etc.

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 1 points 20 hours ago

Yes, iy's always to use with a grain of salt. As said, it ads a security layer, but can be an privacy hole, despte that mail directions are easier to track as phone numbers, at least in the EU, you can't be mapped back to an user, this is only possible in crime investigations by the police with an court order. Mail adresses on the other hand are unique identifiers which are way easier th track, except you use an disposable mail or alias. Anyway, eg.in Vivaldi 2FA is safe and apart optional, as also the account itself, only needed when you want to use sync or the use of Vivaldimail, blog and other services it offers. In much other services it's also only an option.