New tool for dealing with privacy issues online...

[mrerick]

I recently discovered a newer "plugin" for the Firefox and Chrome web browsers called "Disconnect".

https://disconnect.me/

This is an add-on extension to the browsers that filters invisible calls that websites make in the background as you load them. It's easy to add to your browser, and starts protecting you immediately without interference to your normal Internet activities.

There is quite a bit of activity driving tracking, data acquisition and advertising that you normally cannot see. All this takes time as the browser runs Javascript programs in the background, and looks up addresses, then runs more Javascript programs over and over again.

All of this slows down browsing and takes additional connection bandwidth. The statistics being created by Disconnect on my machine show about 9% faster Internet responsiveness and about a 6% savings of bandwidth.

Some of these background activities end up collecting data about what you are doing that gets aggregated and sold. The fact that you like guns is well known in these databases. The aggregated and individual data is then sold commercially. Government is a regular buyer of this information. It is in this way that privacy is being compromised in a big way in today's online world.

Marc

[Edward Tinker]

Just this morning I downloaded a 'free' (hate free stuff like this) on audio editing. Program worked fine, but then it had some background programs, Rocket, some driver download, etc. I deleted all of them but it changed my start pages in IE and Firefox.

I was not very happy. Could care less if the company is wonderful, they won't get biz from me!

[mrerick]

There are a number of things that can manipulate your workstation, and they are getting quite a bit more aggressive.

Things like the "Disconnect" browser add-on and "NoScript" (which is a more drastic approach to this) will help stop things from the Internet from doing this within your browser.

When you run someone's full software installer, anything goes. You effectively give the installer full access to your computer, and they sometimes modify things and install new things with abandon. "Disconnect" is open source, and based upon a donation model for support.

I didn't encounter any wierd stuff when I installed it, except that it will keep prompting you to donate until you tell it that you have.

Marc

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by mrerick

I recently discovered a newer "plugin" for the Firefox and Chrome web browsers called "Disconnect".

https://disconnect.me/

I use SeaMonkey [formerly 'Mozilla', before that 'Netscape'] and most Moz add-ons work for me. Anything that will speed up my connections is a welcome addition. I'll make a HDD backup and try it.

This forum is one of the slowest I connect with. Individual threads load quite slowly...Like the time it takes to walk to the fridge, look around, get a pop, and come back. I've found that if I hit 'Stop' and then 'Reload', it loads much quicker.

Just an observation...I don't need any helpful suggestions...

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

...I don't need any helpful suggestions...

Shucks, and I had a dandy ready to go.

[Edward Tinker]

Rich is still on 'dial' up or DSL, I forget ...

I complain when it takes 10 seconds for a 35 megabyte file to download

[John Sabato]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

Rich is still on 'dial' up or DSL, I forget ...

It's dialup... and the squirrels in the cage he has running his battery charger generator aren't getting any younger either!

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Ron Wood

Shucks, and I had a dandy ready to go.

Fire when ready, Gridley!

If you want to do something to protect your PC, check out the Shields UP! site and plug all those open ports that Microsoft so thoughtfully leaves wide open...

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 Gibson Research Corp.

I took the various tests years ago, shut off needless services, changed/deleted NetBIOS, plugged open ports, and have been a 'Black Hole' ever since...

(Go ahead Ron - It's a freebie!)

[rolandtg]

Adblock Plus, Ghostery, noscript, betterprivacy. Very handy add-ons for FireFox.

Ghostery is especially enlightening. You won't believe the amount of crap that most sites load up in the background.

[CAP Black]

rolandtg:

Those are fine but you don't tell us how to apply them.
thanks
Jack

[Ron Wood]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

(Go ahead Ron - It's a freebie!)

Dang, I've already forgotten what it was.

[rolandtg]

Originally Posted by CAP Black

rolandtg:

Those are fine but you don't tell us how to apply them.
thanks
Jack

With Firefox select Tools>Add-ons.

Then select "Get add-ons" and search for the add-ons by name where it says "search all add-ons" in the upper right.

You have to be careful with No-script, some legitimate sites need to run scripts to work properly.

Ghostery will add a pop-up window to the left when you load a page.
From there you can block trackers, cookies, etc, but also beware site require the trackers to work properly.
If you have any trouble with any sites you use regularly and know are safe you can "whitelist" them or temporarily disable the add-on.

Adblock hardly ever causes any problems, ads just disappear! But some sites might complain.
And of course you can "whitelist" any sites you support so the ads will still be displayed so the site can get the revenue from the ads.

Hope this helps.

[CAP Black]

I went to the Tools; Ad-ons and found lots of ad-ons with dates but no way to delete them.
????????
Thanks
Jack

[CAP Black]

I did the disconnect.me thing and now I have pop-ups everywhere.
Jack

[John Sabato]

Originally Posted by CAP Black

I did the disconnect.me thing and now I have pop-ups everywhere.
Jack

That doesn't sound good Jack. What operating system version are you running?... and what browser version ?