Privacy Guides

17478 readers
51 users here now

In the digital age, protecting your personal information might seem like an impossible task. We’re here to help.

This is a community for sharing news about privacy, posting information about cool privacy tools and services, and getting advice about your privacy journey.


You can subscribe to this community from any Kbin or Lemmy instance:

Learn more...


Check out our website at privacyguides.org before asking your questions here. We've tried answering the common questions and recommendations there!

Want to get involved? The website is open-source on GitHub, and your help would be appreciated!


This community is the "official" Privacy Guides community on Lemmy, which can be verified here. Other "Privacy Guides" communities on other Lemmy servers are not moderated by this team or associated with the website.


Moderation Rules:

  1. We prefer posting about open-source software whenever possible.
  2. This is not the place for self-promotion if you are not listed on privacyguides.org. If you want to be listed, make a suggestion on our forum first.
  3. No soliciting engagement: Don't ask for upvotes, follows, etc.
  4. Surveys, Fundraising, and Petitions must be pre-approved by the mod team.
  5. Be civil, no violence, hate speech. Assume people here are posting in good faith.
  6. Don't repost topics which have already been covered here.
  7. News posts must be related to privacy and security, and your post title must match the article headline exactly. Do not editorialize titles, you can post your opinions in the post body or a comment.
  8. Memes/images/video posts that could be summarized as text explanations should not be posted. Infographics and conference talks from reputable sources are acceptable.
  9. No help vampires: This is not a tech support subreddit, don't abuse our community's willingness to help. Questions related to privacy, security or privacy/security related software and their configurations are acceptable.
  10. No misinformation: Extraordinary claims must be matched with evidence.
  11. Do not post about VPNs or cryptocurrencies which are not listed on privacyguides.org. See Rule 2 for info on adding new recommendations to the website.
  12. General guides or software lists are not permitted. Original sources and research about specific topics are allowed as long as they are high quality and factual. We are not providing a platform for poorly-vetted, out-of-date or conflicting recommendations.

Additional Resources:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
1
 
 

We didn't like the VPN videos out there on the internet - so we made our own! Its now available to watch on PeerTube at the link above!

2
 
 

With Reddit's encroaching IPO and their poorly planned API changes, we need a place to keep up with privacy topics that isn't tied to an anti-privacy, centralized ~~sinking ship~~ site.

Our forum running Discourse has been a great place to discuss website changes and answer questions, but it doesn't quite provide the same experience as Reddit does for things like sharing news, so we're trying something new:

!privacyguides@lemmy.one is our new ActivityPub-enabled community for sharing links and other information from the privacy and security realm. Welcome!

We're going to be trying out posting to this community for a few months to decide if we want this to replace or coexist with the r/privacyguides subreddit, so we'll see how it goes. If you want this to succeed, stay active! Our mission is to become the most inviting and friendly place to discuss privacy and security on the fediverse 😎

How do I join the Privacy Guides community on Lemmy?

You can join a few different ways:

  • On Kbin.social, a Lemmy alternative with a more Reddit-like UI and instant registrations. I didn't like Kbin from a hosting perspective because of some missing features, but for just browsing communities and joining ours it's a great option: https://kbin.social/m/privacyguides@lemmy.one
  • On Lemmy.one, this is the server which hosts the Privacy Guides community on Lemmy, and also the server that I admin myself. You are welcome to create an account, but it might take up to 24 hours for your account to be approved.
  • On another Lemmy instance: You can join the community by entering [!privacyguides@lemmy.one](/c/privacyguides@lemmy.one) in the search box on your instance. There are plenty of servers you could join, or you could host your own relatively easily if you're familiar with self-hosting.
  • On another ActivityPub instance: You can also probably join by entering @privacyguides@lemmy.one or https://lemmy.one/c/privacyguides in the search box of the ActivityPub software you use, although Mastodon does not seem to pull in posts from Lemmy communities properly in my limited testing, so YMMV.

Verification post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PrivacyGuides/comments/13x7oe3/who_wants_to_try_out_lemmy_privacyguideslemmyone/

3
4
5
6
 
 

Does anyone know a nice iOS mail client app? Preferably open-source.

I don't really care about E2EE, PGP.., and it should have notifications. Best thing would be that I can self-host the notifications server OR have a notifications server running that's open-source (so Canary Mail it out of the question)

I want another client that isn't Apple Mail also

So far I found Preside but sadly it isn't open-source

7
8
9
10
11
 
 

Whatsapp is privacy invasive, and we likely know that even when using E2EE, this is possible due to metadata tracking.

An easy way to avoid one creepy thing, contact scanning and the creation of "who knows whom" social nets, is to not grant apps permission to your contacts!

But this is not easy, as apps often enforce this, just as they do with

  • embedded cameras instead of using the system camera
  • embedded galleries instead of the 2 available portals (but Google will soon forbid that)
  • asking for unneeded permissions

Only GrapheneOS also allows blocking these permissions

  • sensors
  • internet
  • loading code from memory i.e. from the internet (why would they do that? Is there something they want to hide?)
  • debugging their own code to spy on the system behavior

But this app can help everyone on any Android to at least fix this :)

12
 
 

TLDR: He does not recommend CalyxOS and gave it a score of 3/10

13
 
 

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/36880616

Help Combat Internet Censorship by Running a Snowflake Proxy (Browser or Android)

Internet censorship remains a critical threat to free expression and access to information worldwide. In regions like Iran, Russia, and Belarus, journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens face severe restrictions when trying to communicate or access uncensored news. You can support their efforts by operating a Snowflake proxy—a simple, low-impact way to contribute to a freer internet. No technical expertise is required. Here’s how it works:


What Is Snowflake?

Snowflake is a privacy tool integrated with the Tor network. By running a Snowflake proxy, you temporarily route internet traffic for users in censored regions, allowing them to bypass government or institutional blocks. Unlike traditional Tor relays, Snowflake requires minimal bandwidth, no configuration, and no ongoing maintenance. Your device acts as a temporary bridge, not a permanent node, ensuring both safety and ease of use.


Is This Safe for Me?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: pobably. Here is why:

  • Your IP address is not exposed to the websites they access. So, you don't have to worry about what they are doing either. You are not an exit node.
  • No activity logs. Snowflake cannot monitor or record what users do through your connection. The only stored information is how many people have connected to your bridge. Check docs for further info on this.
  • Low resource usage. The data consumed is comparable to background app activity—far less than streaming video or music.
  • No direct access to your system
  • No storage of sensitive data. Snowflake proxies do not store any sensitive data, such as IP addresses or browsing history, on your system.
  • Encrypted communication. All communication between the Snowflake proxy and the Tor network is encrypted, making it difficult for attackers to intercept or manipulate data.

You are not hosting a VPN or a full Tor relay. Your role is limited to facilitating encrypted connections, similar to relaying a sealed envelope.

Your IP address is exposed to the user (in a P2P-like connection). Be mindful that your ISP could also potentially see the WebRTC traffic and the connections being made to it (but not the contents), so be mindful of your threat model.

For most users, it is generally safe to run Snowflake proxies. Theoretically, your ISP will be able to know that there are connections being made there, but to them it will look like you're calling someone on, say, Zoom.

Historically, as far as we know, there haven't been any cases of people getting in legal trouble for running entry relays, middle relays, or bridges. There have a been a few cases of people running exit nodes and getting in trouble with law enforcement agencies, but none of them have been arrested or prosecuted as far as I know it. If you are aware of any cases, let me know so I can update this post.

Do not hesitate to check Snowflake's official documentation for further reference and to make informed decisions.


How to Set Up a Snowflake Proxy

Option 1: Browser Extension (Brave, Firefox, or Chrome)

  1. Install the Snowflake extension.
  2. Click the Snowflake icon in your browser toolbar and toggle "Enable Snowflake."
  3. Keep the browser open. That’s all.

Note: Brave users can enable Snowflake directly in settings. Navigate to brave://settings/privacy and activate the option under "Privacy and security."


Option 2: Android Devices via Orbot

  1. Download Orbot (Tor’s official Android app).
  2. Open the app’s menu, select "Snowflake Proxy," and toggle it on.
  3. For continuous operation, keep your device charged and connected to Wi-Fi.

Your device will now contribute as a proxy whenever the app is active.


Addressing Common Concerns

  • Battery drain: Negligible. Snowflake consumes fewer resources than typical social media or messaging apps.
  • Data usage: Most users report under 1 GB per month. Adjust data limits in Orbot’s settings or restrict operation to Wi-Fi if necessary.

Why Your Participation Matters

Censorship mechanisms grow more sophisticated every year, but tools like Snowflake empower ordinary users to counteract them. Each proxy strengthens the Tor network’s resilience, making it harder for authoritarian regimes to isolate their populations. By donating a small amount of bandwidth, you provide someone with a critical connection to uncensored information, education, and global dialogue.

Recent surges in demand—particularly in Russia—highlight the urgent need for more proxies. Your contribution, however small, has an impact.

By participating, you become part of a global effort to defend digital rights and counter censorship. Please, also be mindful of your threat mode and understand the potential risks (though very little for most people). Check Snowflake's official documentation for further reference and don't make any decisions based on this post before taking your time to read through it.

Please share this post to raise awareness. The more proxies, the stronger the network.

– llama

14
 
 

I'm looking for a tool that can help me keep track of what subscriptions I'm paying for. I don't really need extra functionality, I'm happy to cancel them manually. As someone who listens to podcasts, I've heard about Rocket Money, and it seems like it would get the job done. The question is: can I trust them with all of that data? Are there more privacy-respecting alternatives I should be considering?

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
 
 

Signal has announced new functionality in its upcoming beta releases, allowing users to transfer messages and media when linking their primary Signal device to a new desktop or iPad. This feature offers the choice to carry over chats and the last 45 days of media, or to start fresh with only new messages.

The transfer process is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring privacy. It involves creating a compressed, encrypted archive of your Signal data, which is then sent to the new device via Signal's servers. Despite handling the transfer, the servers cannot access the message content due to the encryption.

With the introduction of a cross-platform archive format, Signal is also exploring additional tools for message transfer to new devices or restoration in case of device loss or damage. Users can begin testing this feature soon, with a wider rollout expected in the coming weeks.

22
 
 

Bitwarden users who store their email account credentials within their Bitwarden vaults would have trouble accessing the sent codes if they are unable to log in to their email.

To prevent getting locked out of your vault, be sure you can access the email associated with your Bitwarden account so you can access the emailed codes, or turn on any form of two-step login to not be subject to this process altogether.

23
24
25
view more: next ›