Oddly enough, the WSJ web page for the above article states, as of this writing: 404 ## Page Not Found, so I also include the following cite:
All large multinationals share information with their governments. Snowden’s case was proof of this. The media only report those facts, true or false, that benefit the government’s narrative.
A responsible user should not trust his privacy to be safe while using proprietary systems and proprietary software. This does not mean that such systems are inherently bad, but they can be used to abuse users when there are big companies and interests behind them. Centralized social networks present risks for everyone.
Regards.
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For anyone willing to take the plunge, try installing, and using Little Snitch (LS) for insight on who gathers what.
For those who care to know and take the plunge, the information overload can be exhausting, intimidating and overwhelming, and can take some time to get a handle on.
The depth and breath of what is blithely being shared w/o our knowledge, much less our permission(s), is simply beyond astounding. And, even LS cannot provide any information on the third-party data sharing market that allow searches for baby products to then have emails appearing from companies who sell those products.
One option I’ve found helpful is the ability Subscribe to blocklists feature, with the ability to literally block hundreds to thousands of prying eyes with lists that appear to be updated somewhat regularly.
And yet, I’ve recently become aware of LS’s limitations regarding eavesdropping of communications by/with some notable entities (who will remain anonymous) that are able to circumvent even LS’s capabilities. I’m sure there are many others who will always remain anonymous.
Unfortunately, LS is only ‘Designed for macOS’. However, the information revealed as a result of using one’s MacOS can be helpful when selecting destinations on other platforms (though perhaps still a bit unsettling). The Wikipedia - Little Snitch site has a useful summary (See External links) of Firewall software for other platforms.
scrive
P.S. Other than as a purchaser, I have NO interest in, nor connection to, Objective Development Software GmbH.
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A recent NY Times article cites an interesting episode in one of Apple’s attempts to tackle the proliferation of inappropriate images on the internet …
A surge of regulatory legislative efforts/proposals could dwarf such an attempt, by making companies “liable for everything on their networks even if they can’t see it”.
scrive