Currently learning tech stuff to improve digital privacy. Not to a totally anonymous level, but better than completely oblivious. Attempting not to annoy my family with digital security info dumps. Finally found time to install Linux on an old laptop to mess around with. Also trying to find online communities via decentralised platforms because I deleted everything Meta. Neurodivergent safe spaces are the one thing I miss, so if anyone has any suggestions to check out please let me know.
I’m still hyper focused on reading, this is a life long thing.
This month my intense fixation is learning about GrapheneOS and looking at Pixel phones so I can mess around with that. Then I had to dive into researching Garmin watches because I rely on my Apple Watch a lot to keep daily life functioning (hello time blindness 😂).
I am in this rabbit hole too! I recently discovered that 3/5 of my external drives are still using inferior LUKS1 encryption instead of LUKS2 so I have to figure that out. Also I just got a yubikey and set it up with challenge-response so now my laptop needs the yubikey inserted, and a password and you have to press the button on the yubikey to unlock it.
All of this is very unnecessary because I have no data that is of any use to anyone else, it’s just become a fun project to see how locked-down I can make my laptop.
Edit: also posting this from my phone running GrapheneOS lol
Unnecessary but fun, same here. Literally no one would gain anything interesting by hacking into my laptop. Maybe they’ll learn that I’m autistic af then run away scared from the evidence of adhd hyper fixations that have been loved, then abandoned? Yubikey is on my list to explore. Then there’s the whole self hosting rabbit hole. So much to see, so little time.
How are you liking your GrapheneOS phone? Which one did you get? I’m eyeing a pixel 10 pro.
I have a pixel 8 pro currently, but I was running it on a 4a before that. It’s a bit of a trade-off, you get more privacy obviously and some more manual control over stuff, but also you lose some convenience. I’m kind of used to it now though.
It also depends on how deep you want to go with de-googling and stuff too. Currently I’m trying to avoid Google as much as possible (which sounds weird to say when using a Google Pixel lol) so I’m using things like Aurora Store and Obtainium as app stores.
I’ve already degoogled, I’m on an iPhone 15 pro and have mostly deappled as well. Only iCloud remaining, because I can’t decide which alternative to go with. Ente probably, I mainly use it for photos. I just keep reading all the threads I can find on Pixel/GOS. I think the only hesitation I have left is the camera quality. I read mixed opinions. At first I was horrified at having to buy a Google phone in order to degoogle, but I’ve come round to finding it kinda funny that it can be done!
We are the same person. I recently discovered Michael Bazzell’s book Extreme Privacy back in February and going through all 600 pages methodically has been my personality for the past few months. That book is an incredible feat.
I have the book! I am currently waiting on my new prescription reading glasses so I can bloody well read it 😡. I lost my reading glasses in December. Wanting to read this book finally moved me from denial into making an eye test appointment 🙄🤦♀️
Currently learning tech stuff to improve digital privacy. Not to a totally anonymous level, but better than completely oblivious. Attempting not to annoy my family with digital security info dumps. Finally found time to install Linux on an old laptop to mess around with. Also trying to find online communities via decentralised platforms because I deleted everything Meta. Neurodivergent safe spaces are the one thing I miss, so if anyone has any suggestions to check out please let me know.
I’m still hyper focused on reading, this is a life long thing.
This month my intense fixation is learning about GrapheneOS and looking at Pixel phones so I can mess around with that. Then I had to dive into researching Garmin watches because I rely on my Apple Watch a lot to keep daily life functioning (hello time blindness 😂).
I am in this rabbit hole too! I recently discovered that 3/5 of my external drives are still using inferior LUKS1 encryption instead of LUKS2 so I have to figure that out. Also I just got a yubikey and set it up with challenge-response so now my laptop needs the yubikey inserted, and a password and you have to press the button on the yubikey to unlock it.
All of this is very unnecessary because I have no data that is of any use to anyone else, it’s just become a fun project to see how locked-down I can make my laptop.
Edit: also posting this from my phone running GrapheneOS lol
Unnecessary but fun, same here. Literally no one would gain anything interesting by hacking into my laptop. Maybe they’ll learn that I’m autistic af then run away scared from the evidence of adhd hyper fixations that have been loved, then abandoned? Yubikey is on my list to explore. Then there’s the whole self hosting rabbit hole. So much to see, so little time.
How are you liking your GrapheneOS phone? Which one did you get? I’m eyeing a pixel 10 pro.
I have a pixel 8 pro currently, but I was running it on a 4a before that. It’s a bit of a trade-off, you get more privacy obviously and some more manual control over stuff, but also you lose some convenience. I’m kind of used to it now though.
It also depends on how deep you want to go with de-googling and stuff too. Currently I’m trying to avoid Google as much as possible (which sounds weird to say when using a Google Pixel lol) so I’m using things like Aurora Store and Obtainium as app stores.
I’ve already degoogled, I’m on an iPhone 15 pro and have mostly deappled as well. Only iCloud remaining, because I can’t decide which alternative to go with. Ente probably, I mainly use it for photos. I just keep reading all the threads I can find on Pixel/GOS. I think the only hesitation I have left is the camera quality. I read mixed opinions. At first I was horrified at having to buy a Google phone in order to degoogle, but I’ve come round to finding it kinda funny that it can be done!
I also got mine refurbished, so that way Google presumably doesn’t get any money from me, at least not directly.
We are the same person. I recently discovered Michael Bazzell’s book Extreme Privacy back in February and going through all 600 pages methodically has been my personality for the past few months. That book is an incredible feat.
I have the book! I am currently waiting on my new prescription reading glasses so I can bloody well read it 😡. I lost my reading glasses in December. Wanting to read this book finally moved me from denial into making an eye test appointment 🙄🤦♀️