What software choices do you recommend for your 'average' computer / internet user to help maintain their privacy?

Posted by Rambler in Privacy

Say you have a friend or family member who doesn't realize, or care, that a lot of what they see online is a manipulation catered to them to sell them junk?

Aside from the obvious: Ad blockers, what would you suggest?

I'm talking about the Windows users using stock IE, Google everything, Facebook hours a day, probably the same password for everything type of person. Is there anything that can help make them safer online without being too much of an inconvenience for someone who doesn't mind the cost of convenience being total lack of privacy?

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notaspook wrote

In browser ad-blocking is a start unless you want to go the network route and setup a Raspberry Pi running pi-hole on it. Though the browser addons / plugins are less likely to need tuning, something it sounds like they're not equipped to do.

Once they get used to seeing the internet without ads all over the place, they'll freak out when they get on a computer or device that allows them. That will be a good starting point.

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Styromaniac wrote

Probably not the answer you want, but ZeroNet.

ZeroNet is passwordless.

Currently though, TOR browser broke the ability to work with ZeroNet, so some privacy might potentially be sacrificed if browsing the wrong site.

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GnomeChumpsky wrote

I installed Brave on all of their devices, deleted Chrome and hid Safari.

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Rambler OP wrote

Replying to (#6)

I love ZeroNet.

The passwordless feature is neat but I have more than one device and I've not used ZeroNet enough to know how (or if possible) to sync the data between, say, a laptop and a desktop if I want the same ID. I'm sure it's just a stored key file or something, just haven't looked into it.

I'm not sure how to initiate ZeroNet on anything other than a Linux machine, and I can't see someone like most my relatives or friends doing that. Probably a desktop shortcut or app on Windows, I'd imagine?

I'm thinking of ways that just your normal person can experience the internet in a way that isn't too off putting to them, as an end user, but also in a way that values their privacy.

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burnerben wrote

Replying to (#7)

don't use brave they track your data thats how you earn crypto if you dont wanna use tor or I2P use firefox. firefox gives you the best privacy setting as far as clear net browsers

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Loxbey wrote

I recommend switching to a more secure browser (brave, firefox,...). Also i would recommend installing pihole on your network if you have a raspberry pi laying around. (Raspberry Pi 0 is about 5 dollars each + its really easy to set up).

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RamblingGamblingMan wrote

I think setting up a pihole for them is a safe bet since they don't have to do anything. Other than that maybe a password manager with an add-on would be also low on convenience reduction. Or changing their browser to SecBrowser might be a good idea.

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Asterix wrote

just the common sense stuff adblock,password manager and a open source os or applications.

thats the way. also always think twice and give a small research time before joining any service. You can probably also benefit of a digital Detox.

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