Thereās a fine line between being cautious and going full McAfee. The problem is, the world keeps moving that line.
What used to be āparanoidā now reads like common sense. Covering your webcam? Routine. Running a deGoogled phone? Sensible. Using encrypted chat? Basic hygiene.
So whereās the actual line?
https://untraceabledigitaldissident.com/paranoia-vs-preparedness-wheres-the-line/
Itās just such a shame that these *basics* donāt seem to stick throughout the generations.
Roughly every decade we have to re-teach those fundamentals to a new cohort.
The most difficult threat is rather that one is exposed by naĆÆve people around, like wider family & friends, even when youāve got pretty good privacy setup yourself. š„
Going full McAfee š š«”
Self-assessment for paranoia doesn't work. If you're really paranoid, you'll have a counter-argument for each of the items on the first list and if you're in the "nothing to hide" camp, you probably won't care about cloud photos and your home address on your Facebook profile. You will never know before the fact if you've been "paranoid enough" and after the fact it's too late.
a small piece of black electrical tape seems to work well as a camera cover on devices
I use a fun sticker or cut the wire depending on the device
Be careful with the sort of tape you use if you ever plan on using the camera again. Certain types of tape will wreck the lens. I use the "blocked" stickers.
probably true, though just using it only on front facing cameras though, behind a screen. might make residue easier to wipe off I imagine
we need more McAfee's in this world!
Paranoia is a Jesuit-induced state. Granted, we let it happen to us, and it's much harder to stop if one has PDA like I show signs of.
The line is where one begins to not be able to function without making sure everything is in check. If you have to take 20 minutes to prepare you phone to go get groceries, and you are not a covert operative, you have successfully crossed the line
