Reddit’s UK users must now prove they’re 18 to view adult content
arstechnica.com
Reddit hires company to verify user age with selfie or photo of government ID.
  • iiiEnglish
    52·
    3 days ago

    That’s quite a claim! Can you give concrete examples?

    • Ogmios@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      3 days ago

      Can you give concrete examples?

      Sure! You know those concrete pads with metal boxes on them outside of most buildings? Most of your data probably runs through something like that, which is entirely owned and operated by complete strangers to you, who could very easily be recording a copy of all the data which passes through the physical machines they own and operate.

    • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
      31·
      3 days ago

      That’s quite a claim! Can you give concrete examples?

      First give an example of online use case that you’d think is safe and private, and I’ll list ways that it probably isn’t.

        • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
          1·
          3 days ago

          I don’t know what that is, nor have I used it, but I’m assuming it requires an internet connection, operating system, and browser at the very least. If so, there are multiple ways in which your ISP, browser (and any plug-ins you use in the browser), as well as the method of connecting to the internet (i.e. DNS server, wifi/router, mobile data connection, etc.) that could be used to collect data or metadata to build a profile. The device you are using, or even the screen-size could be useful to an attacker (or marketer).

          That doesn’t mean that the contents of whatever is being transferred to/from “bitmessage” can be read, but “someone” would know that you’re using Bitmessage at the very least, the times you use it, perhaps the location you use it from, the device, OS, what plug-ins you might use. DNS records could build an even clearer picture of your activities. If Bitmessage requires an account or other form of verifying who you are (or how someone can contact you), then those could be collected and used against you.

          That’s not to say you can’t protect yourself from some of the snooping. But apparently, the more you do, the more unique your online fingerprint is, which ironically, makes you more vulnerable.

          Because the internet isn’t truly P2P (there’s always a third-party in the mix, either to deliver the data service or to relay data), you have to assume there are third-parties who can (and probably do) collect data from your activities.

          But… your threat model also influences whether these “risks” are even worth worrying about. If you’re a regular teen on Reddit, you probably don’t give a shit at all. But if you’re a public figure, perhaps one who would be a target for governments or bad actors, then every link in the chain of interactions you have with the internet could expose you.

          • iiiEnglish
            1·
            3 days ago

            It doesn’t use a browser, nor DNS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitmessage.

            It broadcasts all messages, but only the intended recipient can read the message with their private key. So in terms of metadata, they can’t even see who is contacting who. All the third parties know, afaik, is that you use it. They don’t even know when and to or from whom messages are send.

              • iiiEnglish
                1·
                3 days ago

                Tcp/ip yes, p2p like bittorrent. You need the address of one peer, who then sends you a list of peers they know, etc.

    • Sophocles@infosec.pub
      42·
      3 days ago

      Your comment is an example. Without certain measures in place, your comment is now potentially in the hands of:
      Your instance
      Your app/browser
      Your local network
      Your ISP
      Your OS
      Your Government
      These are just examples, but you have to trust that each of these privacy policies or your equivalent of them is telling the truth, or have measures in place to mitigate said data collection

      • iiiEnglish
        6·
        3 days ago

        The original comment stated that everything I do online is (1) both tied to my real identity and (2) that these intermediaries can interpret and share/sell the content.

        I should’ve phrased my question better. Let me try again with a counterexample: who could identify me, or sell the content of my communications, if I send a message using for example bitmessage?

      • Turret3857@infosec.pubEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        Its possible the Gov’t knows who actually owns this account just due to the massive snooping done by alphabet soup agencies. I find it unlikely my ISP is breaking my quantum encrypted VPN just for ads, and I find it unlikely my linux router and linux computer are spying on me.

        • sunzu2@thebrainbin.org
          2·
          3 days ago

          find it unlikely my linux router and linux computer are spying on me.

          Yeah, that would require some serious commitment from the spooks. So really depends if your shit posting is national security concern lol

          TBH, I am pretty sure half of fedi will be sent into Gitmo in the future

        • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
          11·
          3 days ago

          I find it unlikely my ISP is breaking my quantum encrypted VPN just for ads

          They don’t need to break encryption. You have an account to post here, and I’m assuming you are using the same device to access other services you have which also use accounts, right? Now, suppose your IP address doesn’t rotate very often, it would be very easy for a company like Google to relate at least a few accounts to start building a profile.

          Then, since posting here is pretty easy to scrape, even more data can be collected… like the fact that you use a linux router and OS. The profile keeps getting bigger with every new interaction, and at some point, it won’t even matter if your IP changes, because there may be enough static data somewhere that could be linked to a different account (i.e. your phone, phone’s OS, screen size, etc. can be used to isolate you from other users).