How closely are we being watched?

[oldred]

My SIL and I were discussing repair for Leatherman multi-tools and to show him the excellent service Leatherman has for their tools I opened a saved message in my Email that has been there over 6 years. That's all I did, picked up my laptop, opened my Email and brought up the old message from Leatherman that had been tucked away in my Email for all those years and then what happened? Less than an hour later I first go to the Fox news website and there in "sponsored stories of interest" lo and behold was info on new Leatherman tools! Suddenly I am seeing ads for Leatherman multi-tools from companies I have never even heard of much less bought from in the past. I opened an old Email, didn't send it to anyone or do anything at all except turn my laptop around for him to read it and now only an hour later I am being bombarded with here-to-fore unknown merchants all trying to sell me a new Leatherman!


That was the last straw, it's time to just go all out on security and anonymity and put up with the slight slow-down that comes with it. That same SIL happens to be an IT and is well versed on internet security and while I have nothing to hide and normally don't care if my ISP, etc watches what I do this new incident is just the last straw.

[CastingFool]

Sometimes the security measures can be frustrating, too. I signed up for a VPN so you can browse in private. That is cool, until I want to go on Craigslist. Get a 401 or 404 code every time. There is no problem if I turn the VPN off.

[Tom W.]

I looked at a belt.... now on my tablet the ad pops up everywhere....

[GhostHawk]

Annoying, and I am afraid very much a part of this modern life we are living.

[lightman]

Yes, very annoying. Just leave me alone!!!

[tomme boy]

Ad blocker plus. I never see any of that stuff

[MaryB]

If using Firefox install Ad Block Plus and U-Block Origin. What ads?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

In the long winter days of Minnesota, I will surf the web for a few tree/plant nursery websites. Then I get a day or so, of ads with summer photos of trees and flowers. Winning !

[Johnch]

Ad blocker plus. I never see any of that stuff

LOL I installed that about 10 min before I looked at this post
Because I looked at chairs last night
This morning I had 20+ emails with adds for chairs

Hope it works

John

[David2011]

Ad blocker plus. I never see any of that stuff

That only blocks the ads; not the data mining/snooping.

[GoodOlBoy]

cookies, even emails have them. You open something, you search something it puts a cookie in the browser for ads to help "tailor" them to you. That's absolutely all there is to it. The current cookie(s) has a deadline timer and a replacement timer based on when the next cookie from browsing or searching is received. It is a completely automated system, nobody is "watching". I think if I remember correctly the limit on active cookies in a browser is by default like 250 (or used to be when I was in IT). Which is why the more frequently you search for, or look at something the more a "related" item is advertised to you.

As for spam email, never ever ever "unsubscribe" to an email. It verifies the email address (yours) is valid and active and they sell it (again automatically) to a list of companies who then also send you spam email. On average "unsubscribing" from a single spam email will get you about 35-50 more spam emails. They multiply like rabbits if you unsub to them.

God Bless, and One Love.

GoodOlBoy

[Thin Man]

I would tap those vendor sites with my "spam blocker" key and smile.

[GhostHawk]

I am running Firefox with Ublock Origin and Privacy Badger. No adds, no reminders that they are always looking to get into my pocket.

[elk hunter]

I often wonder who may be watching us here because of the content of this site. My spot here has been visited over 12,000 times and the visitors user names seldom change so I'm getting a lot of anonymous visits from people not registered here. I can't really understand why, other than the site content, as I don't consider myself that interesting.

[Mal Paso]

A friend of mine gave me a couple women's clothing sites to visit so I'll get pictures of nice looking women along with the weather.

[shdwlkr]

In this day and age there is not such thing as privacy everything you do is monitored either by government, business or data miners. I have been dealing with this for over 40 years get used to it. Things will never go backwards as long as we have means available to track us.

[DerekP Houston]

If using Firefox install Ad Block Plus and U-Block Origin. What ads?

Some of them still sneak through, and more annoying is sites that require you to run off ABP if you want to read the article. If you are tech savvy try using "pi-hole" on your network as well to redirect ad traffic. I'm quite spoiled, I hate seeing ads.

[Traffer]

Sometimes the security measures can be frustrating, too. I signed up for a VPN so you can browse in private. That is cool, until I want to go on Craigslist. Get a 401 or 404 code every time. There is no problem if I turn the VPN off.

The 404 or 401 codes can be the result of the server that your VPN is using. Try using a server much closer to your home. Regions are filtered for different things.

[Traffer]

My SIL and I were discussing repair for Leatherman multi-tools and to show him the excellent service Leatherman has for their tools I opened a saved message in my Email that has been there over 6 years. That's all I did, picked up my laptop, opened my Email and brought up the old message from Leatherman that had been tucked away in my Email for all those years and then what happened? Less than an hour later I first go to the Fox news website and there in "sponsored stories of interest" lo and behold was info on new Leatherman tools! Suddenly I am seeing ads for Leatherman multi-tools from companies I have never even heard of much less bought from in the past. I opened an old Email, didn't send it to anyone or do anything at all except turn my laptop around for him to read it and now only an hour later I am being bombarded with here-to-fore unknown merchants all trying to sell me a new Leatherman!


That was the last straw, it's time to just go all out on security and anonymity and put up with the slight slow-down that comes with it. That same SIL happens to be an IT and is well versed on internet security and while I have nothing to hide and normally don't care if my ISP, etc watches what I do this new incident is just the last straw.

This indicates that your ad preferences are being affected by something that is NOT browser related. I suspect it is coming from Windows 10. Is that your operating system? It also could be coming from your email provider. I would suspect Outlook before gmail but I an not an expert in that area.
If you folks are wanting a secure email check out proton mail. Even the CIA can't crack it's encryption. Unfortunately it only works well if both users are sending messages with it.

[Traffer]

I often wonder who may be watching us here because of the content of this site. My spot here has been visited over 12,000 times and the visitors user names seldom change so I'm getting a lot of anonymous visits from people not registered here. I can't really understand why, other than the site content, as I don't consider myself that interesting.

I have NO DOUBT that this site is a very highly investigated place. By the national security guys, foreign security, and probably MOSTLY by ammunition and arms manufacturers. I have chatted with members here who work for ammunition manufacturers. Where else would they get their new ideas and correct historical information. hah.

[ikarus1]

I have been doing some painting, and other home improvements. To my knowledge I haven't searched for anything on my phone related to Home Depot or Lowes. The entire time I was listening to Pandora Radio while painting my home, every other ad was for Home Depot.......

We have almost arrived at the Minority Report stage....

[marek313]

You have to remember that everything these days is targeting you for adds in one way shape or form. Online marketing is a huge industry these days revolving around pay-per view and pay-per click. Many websites check your cookies and display adds based on that. Nobody here is watching you (any more or less) just because you got those adds. its all automatic and everyone is trying to make a buck off you just browsing internet. Again people get sensitive but that is not a sign that anyone is watching you.

If you are being watched you wouldnt know anything about it anyway.

Also while VPN could be used to hide your internet activity for the most part it just slows you down and leaves traces or logs in the hands of the VPN owner. If you think for one second that they dont track your activity your wrong too. Disk space is so inexpensive these days that everyone logs everything to a file to store for a long time just in case uncle Sam decides to ask questions.

From my understanding these days uncle Sam wants access to your logs (think facebook, google, apple etc) no matter who you are. There were many cases of companies refusing this and bottom line is usually the same ..... company closed. :violin:

[reddog81]

marek313 is right. Online marketing is a gigantic industry and every website you visit is trying to sell you stuff using any method possible. No one is sitting back watching you, it's all done automatically and is happening to 100,000's of other individuals at any given second. I'd guess they probably pay more attention to those actively trying to hide their identity...

[Smoke4320]

Look at a company called Private internet Access.. Highly rated and fairly cheap VPN …They say they keep NO logs which is very important
combined with firefox, Ad blocker plus and U Block you will eliminate a lot of snooping

[Shopdog]

Yeah maybe,but then why ain't I getting any good popup ads for dialing in CB loads or trad bow building supplies? Or,if they were watching they'd realize we prolly have more equipment than ____ ( insert manufacturer)?

When wifey got one of those Google music thingys,me and several motorcycle buds were drinking Scotch at 2:am at the kitchen table.Talkin stooopid ****,then there's this pause or air in the conversation and the little music thing,which was off at the time but plugged in goes....... "say what"? In a slang style homeboy vernacular. We all looked at each other and busted out laughin,then unplugged it.We were discussing getting rid of dead bodies with a backhoe and other how to get rich schemes, haha.

[Traffer]

Yeah maybe,but then why ain't I getting any good popup ads for dialing in CB loads or trad bow building supplies? Or,if they were watching they'd realize we prolly have more equipment than ____ ( insert manufacturer)?

When wifey got one of those Google music thingys,me and several motorcycle buds were drinking Scotch at 2:am at the kitchen table.Talkin stooopid ****,then there's this pause or air in the conversation and the little music thing,which was off at the time but plugged in goes....... "say what"? In a slang style homeboy vernacular. We all looked at each other and busted out laughin,then unplugged it.We were discussing getting rid of dead bodies with a backhoe and other how to get rich schemes, haha.

Are you writing this from prison? hah

[Shopdog]

No but I hear banjos right often? Which is another thing..... we were hunting one night and.....

[gwpercle]

My office manager showed me a feature called an "incognito window" I'm not sure exactly what it is but I can go looking at stuff like light fixtures , holsters or anything and the ads don't follow me around for the next 6 months. Check out the incognito window or going incognito...it's pretty cool tool !
Gary

[RED BEAR]

You don't have to search just buy something with a credit card all major companies track your purchases. And this has been going on for a long time back in 90s right after state started i stand background check i bought a mini 30 in a week a catalogue came only thing in it was accessory for mini 14 and 30. Just a coinsodince ? Store swore they had nothing to do with it. Can't remember the company but thought it was odd. I believe every key stroke phone call and purchase is being recorded.

[JBinMN]

I believe every key stroke phone call and purchase is being recorded.

It is. And stored. At least the NSA does.
;)

[RED BEAR]

Well they are not building that facility out west that has enough storage to collect everything for decades to come for nothing. And anyone that doesn't think that they capture everything how did they know what the Boston bombers wife said on a phone call made before they knew who they were. Saw one gov official admit that they recorded everything but that they would need a warrant to listen to calls. I believe that they can listen to what they want and only get a warrant if they find something and want to use it in court.

[Handloader109]

If you use google anywhere it is definitely watching you. Cookies are the minimum. Search results are the worst. How do you think these guys make billions? Selling ads.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Hickory]

I wouldn't say that we are 'watched' per se.
I would think that all of our electronic and digital movements are recorded and stored away for later retrieval and use.

[Traffer]

I wouldn't say that we are 'watched' per se.
I would think that all of our electronic and digital movements are recorded and stored away for later retrieval and use.

Bingo. That is a very concise accurate summary of what is going on. The relevance of it is that algorithms are developed that can search through a staggering amount of data to pull up some pretty amazing things. With the archival of the data and the tools to search through it for very precise indicators they can tell you when you do your daily visit (or more) to the toilet. Along with all of your likes, dislikes, who you will vote for, who you are friends with and on and on. Microsoft Windows 10 was specifically designed to collect this data in a way as to organize it for just that purpose. And Microsoft hasn't even been outed yet. Wait till that one hits the fan.

[Texas by God]

Every day I give the sky a one finger salute with both hands just in case. God knows it's not for Him.[emoji16]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[marek313]

Look at a company called Private internet Access.. Highly rated and fairly cheap VPN …They say they keep NO logs which is very important
combined with firefox, Ad blocker plus and U Block you will eliminate a lot of snooping

If its a US based company I dont believe that uncle Sam doesnt have access to their servers and logs. Every company that refuses wont be in business. I remember secure email company not too long ago that tried that and they refused to provide information on their users and .... they are no longer in business as they were basically forced out for doing so. Justification was that secure email would be used by terrorists for only bad things bla bla shut down. Done

From my understanding isis and other terrorists organizations even started to use Playstation chat to get around these kinds of things.

We are all being watched in this day and age.

[MaryB]

A friend and myself exchange an email a day that is 256 bit encrypted. A random page from a bible or online article LOL NSA needs something to do!

[MUSTANG]

The NSA decoded that exchange in about .0001 seconds:

224814

[fiberoptik]

Google is even worse than Microshaft. Use Duck Duck Go for searching. They don’t keep track. Run Linux! Fire bill gates and his spyware!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fiberoptik]

You want to talk about being spied on? Flat screen tvs & cell phones can transmit unless unplugged/battery out.

My buddy from Marines just loved to call me from Taiwan and say stuff like,”Haven’t seen your name on the FBI top ten most wanted; haven’t you been blowing up govt buildings lately?” Next 6 months my phone is tapped, all first class mail and packages [emoji403] opened. You name it. He does it deliberately!


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[shdwlkr]

Mustang
I drive by that place once in a while you should see the cooling towers and the amount of water it takes daily to keep that facility from getting too warm. servers generate huge amounts of heat and it must be cooled think in the 60 degrees range so they keep on working.

[mold maker]

Having to sit for a shift to moitor my keystrokes, would be the boringest job in the world.
think I'll visit some porn to make his job exciting.