11-18-2015, 07:51 PM
Let me play devil's advocate... Do people draw more attention to themselves by using certain strong security measures?
PGP has been around for (20?) years and I remember the argument that email was like an open postcard, but if everyone sent messages in envelopes (encrypted) it would be normal and not attract attention. The point was that otherwise anything encrypted would be suspect by default. However, certain phones and computers now have full disk encryption as a normal option, so there is some change.
BTW This isn't an argument for abandoning VPNs, TOR, or whatever people prefer to use. Security through obscurity is pretty weak. But just wondered if some heavy security measures put you in "bad company" (for lack of a better phrase - think the media's representation of the "dark net"). The counterargument is that is what "they" want us to believe (eg TOR is for dodgy porn, terrorists, etc) and so do it all openly.
PGP has been around for (20?) years and I remember the argument that email was like an open postcard, but if everyone sent messages in envelopes (encrypted) it would be normal and not attract attention. The point was that otherwise anything encrypted would be suspect by default. However, certain phones and computers now have full disk encryption as a normal option, so there is some change.
BTW This isn't an argument for abandoning VPNs, TOR, or whatever people prefer to use. Security through obscurity is pretty weak. But just wondered if some heavy security measures put you in "bad company" (for lack of a better phrase - think the media's representation of the "dark net"). The counterargument is that is what "they" want us to believe (eg TOR is for dodgy porn, terrorists, etc) and so do it all openly.