for those concerned about privacy

[redandguilty]

Well I'm not saying that was not a good idea, but probably like fixing the barn door after the horses have gotten out.

I think there's privacy value to it. It probably takes a year to kick in, but cutting off or reducing the data you create about yourself probably will make a difference. I have a friend who got serious about this a few years back and that deleted facebook and installed a version of linux of his computer designed for privacy. Every time he opens a browser, the operating system runs a new virtual machine. You could figure out stuff at the ISP level, but as far as websites go, it's a completely new computer every time. I have another friend (that probably influenced the other one) who saw the writing on the wall really early on and refused to get one of those grocery store discount accounts...the little keychain barcode thing you swipe to get the store coupons.

If you were really serious about privacy, the 1st thing to do would be to quit using credit cards.

 

[Thumb]

If you were really serious about privacy, the 1st thing to do would be to quit using credit cards.

Or stop linking everything to a persons social security number. I mean how did people not see that linking everything financial about a person through 9 digits would likely become an epic disaster.

 

[turok]

Or stop linking everything to a persons social security number. I mean how did people not see that linking everything financial about a person through 9 digits would likely become an epic disaster.

b/c not everyone had drivers licenses in the 40s, much less own a vehicle, and a SS # was/is required for income tax purposes. There are no other forms of ID that were are being used. No one could have foreseen the evolution of digital records, much less paper. Perhaps the government should allow US citizens to create an alpha-numeric+symbol alternative code for their SS# that is 12-16 digits in length.

Trouble is that would very likely be too confusing for the average luddite US citizen who can't even create a decently strong password for their private financial accounts being accessed online, b/c they are too hard to memorize and too much trouble to write down & store on 3x5 cards arranged in alphabetical order and/or make an encrypted file w/encrypted backups of all of them, like I have.