I came across this video: They Asked For My Name. I Said No.
She had to do a purchase online and used a :
- Private mail box
- Privacy.com to create a virtual card just for that purchase
- SimpleLogin to create an email alias
- Cloaked to get a virtual phone number
This all seemed a bit excessive to me, but I wonder in general how do privacy enthusiasts purchase things online from: a) Sites that they can “trust” b) Sites that they can’t “trust”
And what about offline? Do you guys use things like Google / Apple Wallet? Do you carry physical cards? Or do you not use cards at all and just pay by cash?
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I used to use Google Wallet, but I have switched to GrapheneOS so that no longer works, I need to substitute it to curve pay but I’m kinda considering maybe I don’t need it at all? Perhaps just carry the card with me, instead of adding yet another company that sees all of my purchases accepting all the downsides that this will give me. Or just use cash.
As far as online purchases go, honestly I don’t do anything special other than creating a disposable virtual card just for that purchase, which made me think maybe I’m exposing myself too much, especially on smaller sites that I can’t trust. That being said, I don’t really know what I would do to change that.
Thoughts?
Most “privacy guides” like that literally just shift trust from one party to another.
Banks are starting to have temporary credit card numbers themselves for a purchase. It depends if you want “privacy” or “anonymity” as it seems like the person in the video wants the second.
Nowadays there are precious few actually private or anonymous email providers themselves. Maybe Posteo or Tuta? But I don’t know their audit history with leaking metadata or handing over logs and information when asked.
Honestly I have accepted that if I have to buy online, there is always a paper trail. Buy in-store in cash when possible, use second hand websites in your area. It is better for the environment too. Anything digital will have a paper trail that can always be de-anonymized with enough effort.
All my electronics hobby stuff I have to buy online and I just do this with my normal credit card, especially since they have export controls in many distributors and if you get caught using fake credentials they will likely blanket blacklist you as someone trying to bypass export controls and use medical/consumer sensors and devices for weapons, against the companies’ restrictions.