gopherhole/paranoidsbible/Day-to-Day Invasions of Privacy 2.0.txt

===Day-to-Day Invasions of Privacy 2.0===

Non-profit and free for redistribution
Written on December 11th | 2015
Published on December 11th | 2015
Edited on May 6th | 2017

For entertainment and research purposes only

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===DISCLAIMER===

The Paranoid's Bible and its writers hold no responsibility for the acts of others.

The Paranoid’s Bible is for research and entertainment purposes only.

Please visit our blog for more PDFs and information: https://www.paranoidsbible.tumblr.com/ 

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===Preface===
A loose series of daily invasions of privacy and how to counteract some of them, consider this a cheat sheet on what can leak your information and increase your overall informational footprint that can in turn increase your digital footprint.

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===Day-to-day invasions of privacy===
Every day our lives are being bombarded by CCTV and the interconnectivity of the growing mobile technology that the youngest of us must have, yet many of us are wholly unaware of the simple fact that these obvious invasions of privacy aren’t the most dangerous.

No, you see the most dangerous ones are the ones we take for granted. 

**For example**: A DVD rental or a contest that you’ve entered.

These simple and almost daily used items or rituals and tasks actually put our information into more danger than flashing an elderly woman in front of a CCTV camera located directly in front of the local police station.

And that’s why this testament was mad--to simply show you just how much can actually invade your privacy and put your information into jeopardy.

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===The Daily Invasions of Privacy===

**Accounts**:
Any website that offers registration can and will gather a large variety of information on you, which can include anything given or not given by you, like your name, age, gender, address…etc

**Counteract: ** Besides reading over the TOS, rules and other similar guidelines, it helps to keep your profile as minimalistic and private as possible. There are also some configurations and add-ons you can use to help obscure your information and lessen data gathered. Remember OPSEC and compartmentalization.

**Aircraft Registrations**:
The FAA requires that all aircraft owners file an affidavit of ownership and each aircraft must also pass an airworthiness certification. The FAA also allows users to search aircraft ownership records by name on their website.

On top of this, most aircraft registration record contain the “N-Number” of the aircraft, besides the serial number, manufacturer’s name and model number, airworthiness, prior owners, other registered aircrafts as well as the name of the businesses that the individual owner of said aircraft owns besides their address and possibly more related information.

**Counteract**: You can’t, but possibly creating a trust to have said aircraft reregistered under might work. You must consult with your local law professionals to figure if this is possible.

**Amateur radio licenses**:
The FFC lists license information, which includes name and addresses, publicly for all to see and look up. Like most licenses, you won’t be able to use a P.O. Box.

**Counteract**: Don’t do radio as a hobby.

**Art**:
All artists have tells or quirks that quickly becomes akin to that of a fingerprint or signature. Many artists are unaware of this while most viewers can pick it up.

**Counteract**: Work on the basics and build to your own style before thinking of going toward any real paying job, high-end jobs or commissions. Give a glance at our library (https://paranoidsbible.tumblr.com/library) for guides that may be beneficial to you.

**Bankruptcy records**:
When an individual, businesses, or what have you files for bankruptcy in the Federal courts, a record is kept. These records are available at each state’s NAC. Depending in what state the bankruptcy was filed; there may be one or more locations where these records are house. It’s also possible to order these records through the mail or online in many states.

When businesses or individuals file bankruptcy in Federal courts, a record is kept. These records are available at each states National Archive center. Depending in which state bankruptcy was filed; there may be one or more location where these records are housed. It is also possible to order these records through postal mail or Online in some states.

These records do show the name of the individuals filing bankruptcy, the city, the state, the date of filing, a full list of creditors, total amount discharged, a final decree or Order of Dismissal.

**Counteract**: We can’t, legally, divulge any information or advice as we’re unsure of the laws in each state and how you can go about keeping this from being made public, but one piece of advice we can give is… Don’t file bankruptcy if you can avoid it.

**Boat Registration Records**:
Own a boat? Then your state of residence can disclose your personal information contained in the boat’s registration records.

If you own a boat, your state of residence may disclose your personal information contained in boat registration records. Boat registration records can include a full name of the owner(s), an address of the registered owner(s), value of boat and a history of repairs.

**Counteract**: Look in trusts, again.

**Blogs**:
What else to say?

Yours or someone else’s blog can ultimately divulge a lot of information about you and your private life—avoid making a blog, for obvious reasons. If someone else leaks your information, look toward legal action but only after seeking the owner of the site’s host/servers to see if they can remove the offending post and private information for you.

**Counteract**:  Don’t own a blog, buy a diary or journal. Remember OPSEC and compartmentalization.

**BBS | Bulletins | Message Boards | Image boards | Usenets**:
These groups in which you either have a profile or are allowed to post anonymously can and most likely have recorded your IP, ISP, a garden variety of information from META-data like your OS and time zone. You also have the fact that some of these boards\bulletins are hosted by ISPs that collude with various government bodies and have everything flow through a government owned server that collects and catalogs all information possible.

**Counteract**: Look toward not posting on these places and simply lurking. You can also, to an extent, reduce your data footprint by customizing and modifying your browser and browsing habits.

**Browsers**:
IE, FF, Chrome and many others don’t necessarily send your information to the groups that work on and update said browsers, unless they send error reports, but they do hemorrhage information and META-data left and right.  Besides some simple setting changes, there’s not much you can do beyond modifications and customizations.

**Counteract**: Look for a guide toward modifying and customizing your browser of choice, like our Firefox Testament (or future IceCat guide).

**Business license records | corporations | fictitious business filings**: 
If you’ve ever read the paper, then you’ve obviously glanced at something called “Public filings”. In essence, this section of the paper is so that you and other readers can find the names of individuals or corporations that have filed for a FBN (Fictitious Business Name).

Others names that this can be known as are “Assumed Name, “ “Doing Business as,” or “Trade Name”.  These filings are basically used by the individuals to certify that they’ll be conducting business not as themselves or under their name, but as the name of their business.

FBN\DBA records contain the name of the person that filed the business name, their address, owner name and address, the date, location and file number of said record.

**Counteract**: None (?)

**Consumer feedback sites | Review sites**:
Amazon, Ebay, Yelp… any business that allows you to interact while purchasing goods or services, or websites that offer you the chance to leave reviews and comments about services, goods, purchases or about places like eateries or supermarkets.

Google, among other Search Engines, can crawl and catalog your reviews or comments, leaving caches in their stead even if you delete the comment.

**Counteract**: Don’t interact. Buy and move on, but if you need to check reviews, lurk and don’t interact. Remember OPSEC and compartmentalization.

**Coding\programming**:
Like an artist or a writer, anyone who works with software also has tells, which isn’t always restricted to just one language or project. 

**Counteract**: Besides learning several languages and picking through your own work, it does pay to have a third party to review several examples of your work to see if they can pick up a tell you can’t. Remember OPSEC and compartmentalization.

**Cookies**:
Most, if not all, websites use a form of cookies that basically amount to a form of data that’s stored on your hard drive to collect and store information about you and your internet surfing habits or searches. Cookies allow advertisers to deliver personalized advertisements or gather as much information on you as possible.

Cookies also remember everything from how many times you visit a website to what you’ve purchased or if you’ve used a search engine or typed in the URL itself.

**Counteract**:
Several add-ons and configurations that you can make your browser to counteract this.

**Credit Reports**:
Credit card companies contract consumer credit reporting agencies, among other sometimes not so legal means, to find and discover new potential clients. These companies usually ask for a list of potential clients with a minimum credit score. After receiving this list, credit companies will send out offers and notices of being pre-approved for a credit card.

**Counteract**:  Look toward the master opt-out list. There are several opt-outs to remove direct marketing mail.

**Criminal Records**:
Law enforcement agencies maintain a database that keeps track of criminal records, which also include traffic infractions. This database is usually used to help locate possible suspects in criminal investigations, besides maintaining records of people who’ve broken the law. Personal information is contained within these records, and also include such items as a finger print, aliases, tattoos and\or scars and other identifiable markings, and even various other pieces of information like known hangouts.

Some states and federal agencies also mandate that a DNA profile must be kept on file, too, of certain criminals.

All of the data contained in these criminal records is available to the general public. Though some agencies may only provide the name and date of birth with the listing of criminal offenses for an individual, some agencies also provide addresses.

There are means of expunging criminal records, especially if you’re proven innocent, but as we’re not technically involved in the legal sector… so, we can’t truthfully provide any information on how to go about this. You can, though, contact a lawyer or an attorney and seek legal advice that way on the removal of your records.

**Counteract**: None, save legal action

**DMV and Voter Records**:
The DMV requires a physical address to be on file, while some also give you the option to have a 2nd option to mail your correspondence.

Whenever possible, when it comes to DMV renewals, voter registration, and assessor tax bills…ETC, you can make a central address (depending on state and law) for yourself that is nothing more than a P.O. BOX.

**Counteract**: Some states, though, offer an “OPT-OUT” option to have your information kept within the government, only, and never sold or given out.

**Drivers Records**:
Before becoming a licensed driver, you must obviously take a driver’s test. You usually need to pass a written test and a practical driver’s examination. After a successful completion, you’re issued your license with a unique number that identifies you. Many, who don’t drive, though, will most likely receive a state issued ID card that mostly resembles a driver’s license and also uses a unique number to identify you.

Both the driver’s license and ID cards are issued and regulated by the DMV for each state. Though laws may vary, the type of records maintained and collected are always the same. Also, in addition your driving record, a lot of your personal information is also contained within each state’s database.

This information usually includes your full name, SSN#, birthdate and legal presence, current address and phone numbers as well as information about your medications, vision and\or possible medical conditions including mental status or ailments.

It’s important to note that all of this information collected by the DMV in the US becomes public record. Members of the public, besides many data brokers, may make a copy and examine these records. However, inspection and copying of said records may be limited to the “Use Policy” of your state.

**Counteract**:  Don’t be born, ever, in our time. Joking aside, look over your application for your IDs. Some states allow you to ‘opt-out’ of appearing in certain databases. You also should never put yourself down as someone who’s willing to donate organs or tissues in case of an emergency or death.

**Fax**:
If you have a fax machine or a business that has one then you’re probably aware of the fact that you’ll get advertisements or pranks sent through said fax machine. The  
number belonging to your fax machine can range from name and address to several other items like a registration or patent number depending on what you do, what you use your machine for, and how much you use it.

**Counteract**: Either ditch the fax or look into the master opt-out list.

**Fishing License**:
Simply put a license that most states don’t require any test or course to be passed before being issued. Usually a fisherman must provide name, address and a phone number, and also a small fee to obtain.

These licenses, too, are available for review and list the name, add and phone number of the person who obtained it.

**Counteract**: don’t get one and never fish.

**Free or discounted health offers**:
We’ve all seen them, these offers of a free blood screen or blood pressure test, but what many of us fail to realize that even though they’re discounted or free… our information is the cost. You probably have seen CVS or Walgreens offer similar services and usually you get asked to fill a small survey or form, which in turn asks a plethora of things like allergen info or medical history concerning this or that.

That is where they gather your information from and then use it to opt you into several databases that’ll proceed to bombard you with

**Counteract**: Go to your doctor instead of some third party.

**Hunting Licenses**:
Much like a professional license, many states require hunters undergo a safety course and pass tests in order to hunt wild game legally. Hunter must also renew their licenses on an annual basis.

Records include the name of the hunter, address, and date of application and in some instances a phone number.

**Counteract**: don’t get one and don’t hunt.

** (The) Internet**:
Proliferation of the Internet brought to us free services, items, and samples. These aren’t truly free as they usually cost anywhere from your e-mail address to your name, address, phone and\or other identifiable information.

Your more paranoid and somewhat tech savvy individual will use a disposable e-mail address, a burner cell-phone and a nickname or some other moniker. It’s good practice to start doing the same thing and possibly also using a P.O. Box.

One other thing to realize is that many people are too ignorant of such things and will also provide their cell-number without a single doubt. This is bad as it causes a bit of a social contagion that reinforces this practice into others, thus causing people to doubt those who aren’t so readily transparent. This means that if you try to convey your unwillingness to provide information or simply state the possible issues behind providing it so freely, you’ll have most likely stirred some suspicions.

Simply remind people that you don’t want your information collected by marketers or identity thieves.

**Counteract**: Be aware of what you’re giving away when looking toward freebies or making an account. Always use disposable e-mails for freebies and look toward a burner phone and a P.O. Box when you need to give your address out to any sites. Remember OPSEC and compartmentalization.

**Internet Service Provider (ISP) **:
Your ISP has not only your click-stream but also your IP. They can sell a sanitized version of not only your click-stream but also your IP’s history. Ranging from sites you’ve visited to downloads and even if you connected to any specific ports or chat programs.

Not all ISPs keep track of this information or are willing to give it away or even sell it. Some will outright ignore it and not bother keeping track besides what legally is required of them.

**Counteract**: Don’t do illegal activity online, or be smart enough to try and cover your tracks or do your research and see what ISP in your area is the best choice for you and your planned activities. A reminder, though, that most IP addresses are now dynamic instead of static, ergo you won’t have to worry much about being tracking through an IP address alone. However, remember that you still can be tracked and that an IP address offers minor data, at best, that includes the location of the ISP’s hardware.

**Judgments**:
Judgments are the final decision of any court at the conclusion of a lawsuit. The result of the judgment can include terms for financial compensation for the plaintiffs or sentencing of an individual deemed guilty in a criminal case.

Records can contain names of both parties involved, judgment amount, and the nature of the conviction if it was a court case, case number, name of the convicted and date of conviction.

**Counteract**: Don’t break the law, and look into getting legal counseling.

**Mobile Phones/Smart Phones**:
A modern marvel that’s more akin to a tracking device than an actual phone due to the smorgasbord of features (both hidden and open to the user). Texting, chatting, taking pictures and phones call all in one device may seem like the smart thing to do to help streamline and further lessen the stresses of life, however through software prebuilt into the phone, many companies and service providers can track, listen-in and monitor what you say and do. The same applies to applications and 3rd party peripherals that can be installed on the phone, too.

**Counteract**: Look into jail breaking and modifying you phone, at the very least, or look into purchasing a simple burner phone without all the bells and whistles. If you do get a burner cell, look into changing it twice a year and only using it for calls and nothing else. When it isn’t in use, you should look into disabling it by removing the sim card and battery. It’s also good practice to put tape over the speakers, microphones and camera when not in use either. Outside of that, be careful what you install on your phone and what peripherals you use. Always double-check everything!

**No Child Left Behind**:
When the ‘No Child Left behind’ act was created there was a (rarely discussed) provision inserted—school district superintendents across the US must hand over records for all high school students. These records contain anything from full names to addresses to medical records and even things like after school activities or even fields of study they excel in.

The information within these files are not only highly valuable, but can also be used to mark children as potential threats to the nation.

**Counteract**: Check the Leave My Child Alone website (https://themmob.org/lmca/) and the Underground Action Alliance’s website for more information. Some information provided by these websites is somewhat sketchy, at best, but it does provide you some insight and possible actions that you can take.

**Online communities**:
Any group comprised of people who communicate and interact over the Internet rather than reality. There are multitudes of ways to interact online. Some of the most common are social networks like Facebook.

Accounts for most any community usually display, besides a username, various other pieces of information from signup to various other optional fields you may fill in if it so pleases you.

**Counteract**: Read the TOS carefully, and go over what privacy settings are granted to you. Obviously don’t sign up for Facebook or other social networking accounts.

**Opt-in databases**:
When you register for any product or file its warranty, or even get a subscription, you usually are opted into some database or agree for the company to sell your information. Nothing is life is free, and free registrations or warranties rely on the profit brought in from the sale of your information.

Most if not all companies and groups put in a clause or contract within their privacy policy or TOS, in general, that gives them permission to sell, share or use your data in collaboration with other companies once you submit online or offline.

These forms can include addresses, names, phone numbers, misc personal information, or even credit or tax information.

**Counteract**: Obviously read everything very carefully before agreeing to anything. You can also write, within the free space of a card or form, or even in the “Comments” section, that you don’t give them permission to sell your information.

**Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks**:
Kazaa, Icewire, Limewire and similar programs are very popular for downloading games, movies and music. These programs rely and focus on connections between computers on the network rather than servers.

These programs, very similar to torrents, rely on users, who’re downloading, to let other users to download parts of a file or files thus forcing the user to upload as they download.

This is especially troublesome as some ignorant users can end up being charged with varying degrees of lawsuits for piracy, espionage, among other things.

**Counteract**: Avoid P2P and torrents, only direct download.

**Phone Company and listings**:
You most likely have a landline phone, if not, a cell phone that you “rent” to an extent from your provider. Your provider obviously offers you a plethora of options ranging from an unlisted number to various items like   basic caller ID to blocking numbers of your choosing.

Even though you may pay for an unlisted number, it’s still possible for individuals and companies to get the information associated with your numbers.

Counteract: If possible, always have your number unlisted. Be wary of who you give your phone number to and who your provide it to. Using a burner cell for subscriptions, freebies, warranties and strangers is a good route and practice to take up.

**Professional License Records**:
Each state maintains a record of individuals and companies that are licensed to perform certain tasks or duties. Usually individuals must complete some form of training or education and pass a state exam before becoming certified. The best example would be medical doctors. In addition to completing medical school, each doctor must pass state certified board examinations before he/she can be licensed and practice medicine in that particular state. It is possible for people to be certified professionals in more than one state.

If you are a licensed professional, your personal information is publicly available. Many states are even making this information available Online and free of charge.

Professional license information will vary by state and may contain, first and last name, type of license and license number, zip or address of residence or practice, license status and record of infractions, date of issue and school attended.

**Counteract**: None (?)

**Property/assessors records**:
Anyone with an Internet connection and simple knowledge of using Google can figure out the exact value and worth of your house, when it was last sold, what it sold for and the date of purchase. But every county within the US has an office of the County Assessor which maintains the records of all properties and land in that county.

The CA keeps track and assesses the property values as a means to provide that information to the county treasurer. In turn, the treasurer uses this information for property tax billing purposes.

Information readily available in the CA’s records contain name and address of the property owner, names of previous owners, dates of the property when sold, how much property tax was assessed, and what parcel is was or currently is used as.

**Counteract**: Nothing as of yet besides using a trust.

**Raffles and Sweepstakes**:
A lot of sweepstakes, contests and raffles offer the chance to change your life or give you something for nothing based upon the slim chances that you’ll win, but, ultimately, they’re nothing more than centralized data mining operations. Instead of fishing for information or trying to confuse the target into giving away their information, these chances to win prizes simply state: Fill out and win!

Name, address, birth date, phone number… the information varies and hardly, if ever, truly limited. This can be sold and given away to anyone, truly, depending on who runs the contest.

**Counteract**: Don’t fall for these scams, avoid them.

**Rating and review sites**: 
Digg, Reddit and sites like Rateitall depend on their community to provide content and discussion. Joining these sites may seem like a good idea, but to those who’re aware of your accounts, or if you’re loose with your information, can use your activity to build up a dossier of sorts.

**Counteract**: Avoid these sites. Don’t join any similar sites.

**Registration Cards and forms: **
Many products come with registration cards beside warranties. These cards allow you activate or simply state you bought the product. But many of these forms try to entice you to fill them out through claims or rebates or sweepstakes or even a credit off your next purchase.

Every one of these registries ultimately does very little for the consumer. They ultimately just catalogue your information and help build a profile or dossier on you, as a consumer, which is then sold and given to various third parties.

**Counteract**: Unless needed to activate your warranty, double check the fine print and see if you can avoid filing the card or form. If you can’t avoid it, look toward applying, somewhere in a blank space, the statement of ‘I don’t give permission to sell or use my information’.

**Rewards Cards**:
Reward cards seem like a good idea to the thrifty and frugal shopper—gain points or cash backs on certain items, save some percentage on your purchases or even get put into several sweepstakes for simply buying a candy bar--the issue is that your information is not only gathered but a profile is made based around your shopping habits and what purchases you’ve made.

This means your e-mail can be flooded with advertisements, your phone number or cell number can be sold or given to various groups and organizations, and you can even end up with physical mail offering you things or demanding your attention.

**Counteract**: Always add one or two items, at random, to your purchases. A magazine or two, some vitamins or supplements, some sort of baby or item for a child… anything, really. You can always simply drop off the extra at a donation box or shelter. You also can create an e-mail address specifically for your rewards cards and use a P.O. Box, if possible, to help obscure your information.

**Search Engines**:
Google, Yahoo, Bind and other search engines use bots and various other means to categorize and record as much as technologically and humanely possible of all content within the Internet.

Most search engines are, in all simplicity, a company that keeps mostly non-identifiable records of keywords and similar items used by their users. There’s a huge industry built up around companies to analyze keywords to use for products and informational searches.

**Counteract**: There are some add-ons and configurations that can be done to several commonly used browsers to help obscure your search history and information provided to search engines.

**Search Engine + email account**:
A large amount of search engines now provide e-mail account services. If you’re signed in while you’re using the same companies search engine, you’re willingly, to them, providing information not only from your searches but also information within your e-mail, too, thus giving them a connection between both the searches and your account.

They’ll also most likely have your click-stream information from when you were signed in.

**Counteract**: Never sign into your e-mail while using a search engine. Once you sign in, you must sign out, delete and clean your browser’s cache and restart your browser.  The same applies to signing into sites like Amazon or EBay while using a search engine.



**Sex Offender listings**:
All US states require that individuals convicted of sex or sex related crimes against victims that are classed as a minor or a sexually violent offense register with their state of residence.

Though the sex offender registration laws and statues vary throughout the US, it isn’t uncommon for the registered offenders to keep the state appraised of their current address, to notify the neighborhood of their status, not to reside within a mandate distance of schools and to also be subject to random inspections of their residence by law enforcement.

Most states now provide an online database with public access to a listing of sex offenders. Sex offender information available on these sites includes photos of the offenders, list of tattoos, scars, address where the offender resides and the crime or crimes that they were convicted for committing.

In addition to many of the databases, large quantities of companies have cropped up that also provide databases on sexual offenders. These companies will let you search usually by zip or address or even a simple click and search map.

**Counteract**: Don’t break the law.

**Social Networking**: 
MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin or even Tumblr are just a sampling of social networking sites. These sites ask you to provide anything from personally identifiable information like a name or place of education that you visited to owned websites or even a phone address.

**Counteract**: Stay away from Social Networks.

**Tax Liens**:
If a business or individual owes back taxes to the IRS a lien might be placed upon property or assets owned by the business or individuals to secure payments of the debt.

These liens might be imposed for taxes owned on real property, personal property or even as a result of not paying income tax.

Tax lien information records include name of the tax payer or business, information on property owned by the taxpayer or business, overdue tax balance, address, telephone numbers and income of the taxpayer.

**Counteract**: Pay your taxes.

**Vehicle Registration**:
Any vehicle at any given time, be it driven, parked, moved, left on the side of a road or place into a parking facility must be not only registered but also up to date in your state of residence other legalities you must ensure are taken.

Any vehicle you own and register will have your personal information attached to it and the registration. This information is gathered and used as a means to identify and maintain ownership records. If you fail to provide personal and identifiable information, require by your state, you most likely will not be able to register your vehicle and be the target of heavy surveillance to make sure you’re not using said vehicle.

Similar to a driver’s records, all information is collected by the DMV in each state and becomes public record. The public can and will make copies, examine these records and sometimes even gather information to sell to third parties. Sometimes these records can be used, like any records, to asses and estimate your income and overall value during lawsuits or paternity claims.

**Counteract**: Some newer forms offer you to “Opt-out” of having your information sold or displayed. But, usually, you can, depending on laws within your state, hide behind a trust or obscure some information due to business or not having a permanent place of residency. Please consult your local laws and seek legal counsel before acting upon anything that needs to be registered (like a vehicle…etc).

**Voter records**:
It’s your right as a citizen of the U.S.A. to vote and take part in the political process but that information, that you supplied on your ballot, becomes public record.  
This means your name, address, among several other pieces of information, end up becoming readily available to the public and the Internet.

Anyone can simply call or mail the Board of Elections for the county you registered in to obtain your information.

Several companies, too, purchase and organize this information to sell to politicians, political parties, watchdog groups and several other organizations or individuals. Some will use it as a means to supplement their online people search engines or to help various “Private Investigation” agencies to create a profile or dossier on someone.

To be specific, the information usually includes voting history, income level, addresses, age, gender, election district and state of residence--all of which is public knowledge and easily discovered online.

**Counteract**: Don’t vote, which risks you losing your voice.

**Voting Lists**:
When election time rolls around you’ll usually end up with knocks at your door, your phone ringing off the hook, and several adverts on your door or in your mailbox.  
These candidates though aren’t after your vote, personally, they’re renting or purchasing the services of several groups and businesses that have gathered your information from public records or several other sources.

**Counteract**: Look toward the master opt-out list. The more opt-outs you do, the higher your chance that you’ll remove yourself from one or more sources that sell your information.

**Warranties**:
Warranties are those little contracts and guarantees supplied with most anything in this day and age that promises you that your recently purchased item will last or be up to a specific quality standard, and if it isn’t it’ll be replaced ASAP once you provide them with various information like a proof of purchase or identifiable information like your name, address, phone number and several other items.

Some warranties won’t work or be considered active unless you register your product within a certain period of purchasing it.

Most warranties, albeit listed as free, actually end up selling your information which is then circulated online or to various third parties.

**Counteract**: Read each warranty carefully. See what the fine print and TOS say, as sometimes you can simply get away with a “Don’t sell my information, I don’t give permission to use it” on the card itself.

**Wikis**:
Wikis are largely a collaborative form of an online community gathering and organizing information on a large variety of topics. The most famous Wiki is Wikipedia. Most  
Wikis show the IP and username of the editor, when the edits were made and sometimes even pieces of meta-data are shown like OS, if JavaScript was enabled or what the browser used was. Though, like most websites, all Wikis, if not created VIA means of a third party services, can see not only your IP but a plethora of data and meta-data.

**Counteract**: Lurk and read, never create an account and participate.

**Websites**:
A Website is a website.

Websites can see a visitor’s IP, ISP, read cookies (sometimes), gather meta-data like your browser’s footprint, some other information like what fonts are on your computer, what add-ons or plug-ins are used or even gather other information from cookies placed by other websites.

**Counteract**:  Several add-ons and configurations can be done to your browser of choice to lessen your footprint and data given or gathered.

**Writing\typing**:
Whether you’re a writer or a casual typist, or even just texting, we all have tells that acts like our signature when writing something out.

**Counteract**: Write everything in a word processor and double check spelling and grammar. 

The above is only but a sampling of the ways our privacy is invaded in our day-to-day lives. There are several means of covering our tracks, displacing certain tells, and even obscuring the profiles or dossiers being built on us, but they’re just bandages instead of a cure for this sickness.

The age of anonymity is dying and it’s dying fast.

Some things you can do, though, range from making a trust or a LCC or even corporation. You can also work to disappear from public records to simply ending certain habits or trends. Ultimately, though it’s a fact of our day and age that we must accept—we’re being monitored.

__References__:
https://www.privacyalerts.org/index.php
https://www.optout.com/ebook/default.aspx
https://www.worldprivacyforum.org/
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===Afterword==

In the end, you can never fully prevent your information from hemorrhaging. There’s no such thing as being 100% anonymous. This is why you must take the proper precautions and work toward privacy that fits your lifestyle.

Also, pay your taxes.