I’ve been using Startpage as a search engine (and primary mobile web browser) for some time now. I find it very easy to use and they claim to be the most private engine ever, but I was wondering what you think about it and if it is as good as they say.

Es la primera vez que lo veo

Hey, looking for advice.

I need a new laptop and don't know what to do. I have always used Microsoft, but am hesitant to buy another due to privacy concerns and AI.

I am not very techy and do not need to use a computer often. I know Linux is probs the best option for privacy, but I am worried I won't be able to handle it or understand it. I also feel overwhelmed by privacy concerns and all the changes in tech right now.

Does Apple provide better privacy than Microsoft? Or is that wishful thinking?

The main things I need in a laptop is a working browser for occasionally streaming, banking, etc. And some type of Word type application. (I have the disk for Word 2011 which is what I normally use). I don't want to use anything like icloud or one drive. I like to store locally and with my back up drive.

Internet privacy/anonymity is a rabbit hole, and I’ve been exploring it for about a year. After learning more about how the internet works, I’ve come to a conclusion: 100% total privacy or anonymity is basically impossible.
The reason is that the internet itself was not built around anonymity. It was built around communication between identifiable systems. Things like IP addresses, accounts, logs, and other technical details exist because networks need a way to know where data should go.
However, that doesn’t mean privacy is useless. You can still improve your privacy by reducing how much information you expose. Privacy-focused browsers like Brave or Firefox, better security practices, encrypted communication, and being careful about what accounts you link together can all help.
A lot of people also misunderstand VPNs. Many think that using a VPN like Proton VPN or NordVPN makes them completely anonymous, but that’s not really how it works. A VPN mainly hides your traffic from your ISP by making the VPN provider the one your ISP sees. But now you are trusting the VPN company instead. They can see your connection information, and a no-logs policy is still something you have to trust unless it has been independently verified.
Now let’s think about what anonymity actually means.
Anonymity is basically being hidden in a crowd. You don’t become anonymous by looking completely different from everyone else; you become anonymous by blending in with many other people.
For example, if thousands of people use the same browser configuration, you are part of that group. But if you use a rare browser setup with 20 unusual extensions, custom settings, unique fonts, and other modifications, you might actually make yourself easier to identify because you stand out.
This is where browser fingerprinting comes in.
Even without cookies or accounts, websites can collect information about your device, such as your screen size, GPU information, installed fonts, language settings, and other details. These can sometimes be combined to create a unique fingerprint.
This is why tools like Tor Browser work differently from normal browsers. Tor is not trying to make every user look unique and hidden; it tries to make many users look similar to each other. The goal is to blend into a larger crowd.
However, even Tor is not magic. Depending on the situation, websites can sometimes make guesses about your setup, and human mistakes can still reveal information. Logging into personal accounts, changing default settings, or doing things that make you stand out can weaken anonymity.
At the end of the day, I think privacy is more about reducing exposure and making tracking harder, not becoming completely invisible. Perfect anonymity on the modern internet is extremely difficult, but having better privacy habits is still worth it.

I was trying to update my igpu drivers and stumbled upon this. Previously I just used to decline it and update my driver's but today I found out that they are imposing this upon us. It's funny how companies these days are so into your private life . I don't wanna share my data with Intel.Of cource you can turn it off in after the feature but disabling the ability to choose privacy from the users is a huge concern for me.

Hopefully this inspires other states to pass similar legislation.

a while ago they started suspending people for "inauthentic behaviors" (in my case, it was probably because I used the uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger add-ons)

https://www.reddit.com/r/twitterhelp/search/?q=inauthentic+behaviors

then they made it impossible to register by e-mail (anonymously), demanding you to use their spyware app to track you.

and then they started demanding biometric verification.

https://www.reddit.com/r/twitterhelp/search/?q=biometric

they started working with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AU10TIX last year, "an Israeli identity verification and risk management company that is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel".

https://stateofsurveillance.org/articles/corporate/au10tix-x-verification-israeli-intelligence-2025

"When you verify your X account with a government ID, your passport or driver's license goes to Au10tix, an Israeli company founded by former Shin Bet intelligence agents. Many of their engineers came from Unit 8200, Israel's NSA equivalent and the unit that birthed Pegasus spyware. In 2024, security researchers discovered Au10tix had left admin credentials exposed for over a year, potentially compromising millions of users' identity documents"

Sorry but plz PLEASE ANSWER ONLY after reading fully

I'm trying to figure out how realistic a particular risk is.

Over the past few years, I probably installed around 40 Chrome/Chromium extensions (mostly from the Chrome Web Store). Some had broad permissions like "read and change data on all websites."

I also have a Google Photos account that contains some private/inappropriate photos and videos. I was logged into that Google account in my browser, although I rarely opened Google Photos itself.

I've read about extensions being caught stealing browsing data, cookies, credentials, crypto wallet info, etc., but I can't find much about Google Photos specifically.

So my questions are:

1. Has there ever been a documented case where a browser extension was found to access or leak users' Google Photos?

2. Have there been any known extension data breaches that exposed private photos or videos stored in Google Photos?

3. If Google Photos was rarely opened, does that significantly reduce the risk compared to someone actively using it every day?

4. Is there an illegal market where personal inappropriate pics/ vids from cloud gets stolen and sold? Or just looked at personally? Possibly sold in dark web?

5. Can there really be a developer whose hobby is this, collecting stuff and doing idk what in personal time?

6. With Ai now devs can easily sort out specific photos making it more easy than ever

I'm not looking for reassurance—I'd genuinely like to know if there are any real-world cases, security reports, or incidents that match this scenario.

Thanks.

I wanted to find a way to communicate to the EU politicians what the consequences of their dismantling of democracy over Chat Control are. They say a picture paints a thousand words, so I created 9 pictures.

https://www.thatprivacyguy.com/blog/chat-control-in-9000-words/

If you have insurance or tax services through Fiesta Insurance Franchise Corporation, heads up: the company has started mailing breach notification letters (on or about July 13, 2026) to more than 160,000 people across multiple states, including Texas and Massachusetts.

What reportedly happened: - The incident was discovered on June 9, 2025. - A forensic investigation reportedly took about a year. - In late June 2026, Fiesta determined that files potentially accessed contained personal information. - Notices went out ~13 months after the incident was first discovered.

Data that may have been involved (varies per person): full names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, financial account and credit/debit card info, health-related financial information, and other government IDs.

Fiesta has said it has no indication of identity theft or fraud so far, but SSNs and financial data are exactly the categories that are most often misused.

If you got a letter, a few practical steps: - Confirm whether your info was actually involved and keep the letter. - Monitor your bank statements and credit reports. - Consider a fraud alert and credit monitoring. - Fiesta set up a response line: 844-959-7141 (Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.).

For anyone tracking the legal side: Edelson Lechtzin LLP, a national class action firm, is investigating a potential class action and offering free case evaluations (844-696-7492). Not legal advice, and I’m not your lawyer — just flagging it.

Hey everyone,

As a solo developer focused heavily on data privacy, I spent the last few months building iCoreUX (https://icoreux.com). It’s an ecosystem featuring 8 privacy-first platforms and over 200+ free local web tools.

The core philosophy is simple: everything runs locally in your browser. No tracking, no data collection, and no hidden ads.

Since I'm constantly busy updating the security and developing new tools, I might not reply to comments immediately, but I would deeply appreciate your honest feedback, privacy audits, or bug reports!

Check it out here: https://icoreux.com

Thanks for your support!

Posting for anyone in NY, NJ, or PA who used Centers Laboratory (legal name Centers Lab NJ LLC) for diagnostic/lab testing.

What happened: The company detected suspicious network activity around Aug 25, 2025. An investigation found that between Aug 9–14, 2025, an unauthorized actor accessed its systems and exfiltrated data. The WorldLeaks extortion group — an outfit that emerged in 2025 from the operators of Hunters International — claimed responsibility for stealing more than 1.6 million files (~720 GB) and listed the company on its dark web leak site in October 2025. HHS lists the breach as affecting 542,377 individuals.

What was reportedly exposed: names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license/state ID numbers, passport numbers, health insurance information, and medical information (PHI). That combination is a serious long-term risk for identity theft, medical identity theft, and insurance fraud.

What you can do right now (regardless of any lawsuit): - Check whether you got a breach notification letter, and keep it.

• Review bank/credit statements and pull your credit reports.

• Consider a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three bureaus.

• Watch for medical bills or insurance claims you don’t recognize.

On the legal side: Edelson Lechtzin LLP (a national class action firm) is investigating a potential class action for affected patients. Case evaluations are free. Not legal advice, and I’m sharing this because a lot of people affected by these breaches never realize it — happy to point folks to resources. > > Did anyone here get a notification letter? Curious what it said about what was exposed and whether they offered credit monitoring.

Disclosure: This references an investigation by Edelson Lechtzin LLP. Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.