It feels like I am too overwhelmed about my online privacy when I know that it is entirely not in my control. I am trying to completely block GAFAM+other privacy violators. But after some hours/days, I re-enabled it. Because most of the time I can’t avoid them, maybe it is essential to use some privacy tools too.
For example, Using NoGoogle in Adguard, then when signing up on Matrix, the Google Captcha got blocked. Blocking cloudflare and Amazon blocks also signal connections. Blocking entire Google made it hard to install/update apps and watch or download YouTube videos.
I don’t know what to do, but this is what is happening in my life as a loop. Unable to take a decision and stand still on that decision.
This also affects my feeling like too much worry and fear about online privacy.
Also, my screen time gets extremely increased by always being online to find a perfect solution for online privacy. Almost Everyday. Then I lose my beautiful life events and the time to get some relaxation and enjoy nature.
Any solution for this at all? Do you guys ever face an issue like this?
let me ask this: what is your threat model? Don’t tell me, ask yourself that and work through it if you haven’t already.
Going full 100% and trying to become a shadow overnight if a great recipe for burning yourself out and not trying. Instead look at your specific threat model and work on the biggest things one step at a time. Make it a journey and only take a new step once you’re comfortable with the last.
You need to step back and review your threat model, then figure out the balance point between privacy and convenience/QoL. There is no such thing as complete privacy unless you go completely offline and live like a hermit. So something has to give, and your threat model will help you identify that. Figure out first what exactly you’re protecting, and from who. Then you can assess which ones you will deem non-negotiable when it comes to privacy, some where you can relax a bit in exchange for covenience (and this has levels as well), and lastly the ones where you have no choice because blocking something will make it cease to function. Having this threat model will also help you figure out what extent you would want to expose yourself depending on the service. Don’t put everything into the same tier because that will be impossible. Good luck.
Privacy is a spectrum, not dichotomy. It is enough, imo, to reduce the amount of usage of google/amazon services significantly instead of blocking it.
I see a lot of my old habits in this post. What helped me was to create a threat model for myself, what do I really want to protect and what can I do to protect it with a reasonable cost and time effort.
I found that my most effective controls were using a VPN, using an email relay service and using Linux as an OS (I use ubuntu and fedora because I value my time and compatibility, I used Arch years ago and it was a part-time job to keep it going)
For example, if you are using a VPN, you don’t need to be blocking google and cloudflare.
You are seeking a perfection you will never achieve, so find your comfortable and do that.
Last piece of advice, nobody is judging you. Most people on this lemmy community are doing more than 99% do on a daily basis, but its not a competition.
Every blocked ad and cookie is a small victory. They hate you for it. Be proud of that.
