Thanks, I always VPN :). VPN and adblockers seem like basic online hygiene to me, but I only understand how they work abstractly and enough to use the apps (uBlock and Proton [I know, I know; I already had a student plan with them and next it’ll be Tuta])

That’s the most insightful and chilling comment I’ve read in a while. I especially like the “it’s not age verification; it’s identity verification” part. (That messaging needs to be more commonplace.) The key(s) for organizing data about individuals online will shift from email addresses only to enough stable identifiers to impersonate someone or maybe even steal their identity. Data leaks and fraud will probably increase dramatically given the value-add of these data.

With the level of quashing dissent these days - eg UK police arresting hundreds of nonviolent people with placards denouncing genocide; military deployments in LA and DC - no wonder certain states/ governments support online identity verification laws.

“No Kings” protests are already a non-story in mainstream news today. Tomorrow, they can be prevented from happening in the first place! /s c/aboringdystopia

In 2013, Facebook bought an Israeli company called Onavo for about $120 million. At the time, the app was marketed as a helpful VPN, a tool to protect your data, reduce mobile usage, and keep your online life secure.

What most users didn’t know: installing Onavo gave Facebook complete visibility into your phone. It allowed the company to monitor every app you opened, how long you used it, every website you visited, and even when you did it. Over 33 million people downloaded the app, believing they were protecting their privacy, when they were actually opening the door to corporate surveillance.

According to publicly available court documents and regulatory findings, Facebook used Onavo to identify trends and detect rising competition. The company monitored usage of popular apps like Houseparty, YouTube, Amazon, and Snapchat, collecting detailed behavioural data to assess which ones were becoming threats.

Snapchat was the biggest target

By 2016, Snapchat’s popularity was exploding, but its traffic was encrypted, so Facebook couldn’t see exactly how users were engaging with it. That led to the creation of “Project Ghostbusters”, a covert effort to bypass Snapchat’s encryption and get a closer look at what users were doing on the app.