Privacy Guides Documentation

Tuta is a security-focused email service based in Germany. It provides strong encryption for stored emails, address book contacts, and calendars, where only the user holds the decryption keys.

Key Characteristics:

• Storage: Free accounts include 1 GB of storage.
• Encryption: Does not use OpenPGP. To receive encrypted emails from non-Tuta accounts, users must use a temporary Tuta mailbox.
• Protocol Support: Does not support IMAP or third-party email clients. You cannot add external email accounts to the Tuta app.
• Import/Export: Email import is currently not supported (though planned). Emails can be exported individually or via bulk selection per folder.
• Account Inactivity: Free accounts that are inactive for six months will be deleted. Deactivated free accounts can be reused if a paid plan is purchased.

Cyd is a desktop application designed to help users manage their data on social media platforms, specifically focusing on X (formerly Twitter). It allows users to:

• Delete tweets, likes, and bookmarks.
• Unfollow all accounts.
• Save backups of Direct Messages (DMs).
• Migrate data (e.g., migrating tweets from X to Bluesky using the Bluesky API).

Unlike many tools, Cyd does not rely on official platform APIs for closed platforms like X. Instead, it uses an embedded web browser to automate actions by simulating human interaction (scrolling and clicking) within the platform's web interface.

Self-hosting a DNS solution allows you to provide DNS filtering on controlled platforms (like smart TVs and IoT devices) without requiring client-side software. This protects against service providers and surveillance capitalism.

DNS Sinkholes use DNS filtering to block unwanted web content, such as advertisements. Note that these solutions are typically restricted to your local or home network unless an advanced configuration is implemented.

KeePassXC is a free, open-source, desktop-only password manager. It is a local-first application, meaning it works offline by default and does not automatically sync with remote cloud services. This provides enhanced privacy and security by keeping your credentials on your own device.

Supported Platforms:

• Desktop: Linux, macOS, and Windows.
• Android (Mobile): Use KeePassDX or KeePass2Android.
• iOS (Mobile): Use Strongbox or KeePassium.

EasyOptOuts is a low-cost automated service designed to remove personal information from people-search sites (data brokers).

Key Features:

• Automated Opt-outs: Automatically searches and submits opt-out requests on your behalf.
• Frequency: Performs the initial removal immediately after subscription, then re-runs the process every 4 months to handle new data appearances.
• Pricing: Approximately $19.99/year.
• Limitations: Uses a purely automated system with no human intervention, which results in a smaller number of supported websites compared to more expensive competitors. It does not support all high-priority brokers (e.g., PeopleConnect/Intelius sites may require manual intervention).

The following table summarizes the key features of the recommended VPN providers based on server availability, protocol support, and privacy features:

Privacy Guides is a community project administered by MAGIC Grants, a 501(c)(3) public charity. The project encompasses several distinct domains, each with its own operational context:

• Website: privacyguides.org
• Community Forum: discuss.privacyguides.net
• Source Code: code.privacyguides.dev

Note that certain services use third-party providers with their own privacy policies:

• Donations via MAGIC Grants: Governed by the MAGIC Grants privacy policy.
• Merchandise via shop.privacyguides.org: Provided by Fourthwall, governed by the Fourthwall privacy policy.

The name "Privacy Guides" and the shield logo are trademarks owned by Jonah Aragon, with unlimited usage granted to the Privacy Guides project.

Usage restrictions:

• Do not use trademarks in any manner that implies association with or sponsorship by Privacy Guides.
• If you encounter unauthorized use that causes confusion, contact Jonah Aragon at jonah@privacyguides.org.
• For detailed branding assets and guidelines, visit github.com/privacyguides/brand.

Email aliasing services allow you to generate a unique email address for every website you register for, which then forwards to your primary mailbox. This protects against surveillance capitalism and public exposure by hiding your real email address and provider identity.

Key advantages include:

• Superior to Plus Addressing: Unlike user+tag@example.com, true aliases cannot be easily normalized or stripped by advertisers to track you.
• Superior to Catch-All Aliases: Aliases can be toggled on/off individually, and replies are sent from the alias address, shielding your real identity.
• Superior to Temporary Email Services: Aliases are permanent (useful for password resets), private, and deliver mail to your trusted mailbox rather than a public/temporary one.

Gait recognition identifies individuals by how they walk using several different sensor types:

• Camera-based:
  • Model-based: Uses low-resolution cameras to model the human body as a skeleton (e.g., Microsoft Kinect) and tracks joint angles.
  • Model-free: Uses the motion of human silhouettes, which is more resource-efficient and works regardless of camera quality.
• Accelerometer: Uses sensors (like those in smartphones) to measure 3D acceleration (X, Y, Z) and orientation via gyroscopes. Requires the sensor to be worn on the body.
• Floor Sensors: Measures pressure from footsteps via sensors installed in floors to track movement and usage.
• Radar: Uses continuous wave (CW) radar to measure the micro-Doppler signature (the movement of different body parts) to identify individuals, even through walls.

When running server-side or development software, choose a container runtime based on your isolation requirements:

• Docker: Common but lacks a proper sandbox and typically runs a daemon as root, increasing the kernel attack surface. To improve isolation, consider using the gVisor runtime, which implements an application-level kernel to limit syscalls.
• Podman: Developed by Red Hat. It is daemonless and supports rootless containers, meaning containers do not require root privileges and a single container crash won't affect others. It uses SELinux for isolation.
• Kata Containers: Provides high isolation by running virtual machines that masquerade as containers. Each container has its own Linux kernel isolated from the host.