We all know Signal, Matrix, Telegram, SimpleX, etc... But if you can't access the internet you can't communicate. Pretty logic. But would it be possible, at least theoretically, to create an app that permits to message people even if the internet goes down?

It might be a dumb question I really have no idea to be honest.

Are there any phone screening apps for Android that don't rely on a 3rd party service, something that functions more along the lines of ublock or similar?

Hey everyone, I hope you are well.

I recently purchased a TP-Link Archer C7 from a thrift store for 4 dollars and converted it into a pineapple router using a firmware build that someone made based on Open-WRT for testing and educational purposes, and it it has raised a few other thoughts and interests.

I have two questions.

1. Is anyone aware of a software available through F-Droid or otherwise which can be used to turn a phone into a temporary access point serving FTP for file sharing purposes? I think it would be handy to be able to share files to several people in proximity and I would imagine turning a phone into a mobile FTP AP would be something that has been done. If anyone is aware of any such project, I would be highly interested.

2. For running such a thing whether it be through a phone or a router, is anyone aware of a mobile power source which can fit in a backpack easily and power a 12 volt 1.5 amp router for ~10 hours?

I would love to be able to have the ability to basically have a backpack that acts as a mobile NAS that serves FTP/SFTP.

Thanks.

I feel like this exists but I forgot to bookmark it and I'm having a hell of a time finding it if it does exist (largely due to broken SearXNG instances argh!) In my experience each one I save into Fennec via search string only lasts a few months before it breaks intermittently or entirely. I'd rather use a link that picks one at random and is thus more likely to just return results without too much fiddling.

Yes ideally I'd host my own... it's on my miles long to-do list...

I am desperately looking for a small phone compatible with a privacy friendly OS, best would be if the phone is not too old, lets say Less than 3 years.

I had a pixel 5 with graphene. Its Brocken and to be honest it was already too big for my small hands.

Usually phones with a width less than 70mm are considered easy to use with one Hand -even with small hands. I dont need a big screen at all since i have good eyes and use small fonts.

E.g. the unihertz jelly max seems perfect but i didnt find an easy way to put a privacy friendly OS.

On the other Hand looking at the supported devices oft graphene/ callyx and e/OS not a single one seems to offer ONE small phone.

Are there people here with the same Problem? Whats your solution?

I See 2 options for me: either i get a cheap (second Hand) big phone and hope that there will be smaller phones again in the near future. or i give up on using phones with one Hand and get a fairphone or pixel (second hand) again... What do you think is better? The Option to compromise in privacy is not an Option for me.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/1834743

The Italian regulator, known as the Garante, said on Tuesday it wanted to know what personal data is collected, from which sources, for what purposes, on what legal basis and whether it is stored in China. It gave DeepSeek and its affiliated companies 20 days to respond.

I am an EU citizen and I have heard about privacy.com for virtual cards. As I understand it is only for those US bank accounts and Credit Union accounts. Are similar services available for EU citizens where we can get disposable virtual cards?

After arriving a while ago at the conclusion that the best option for reading comics/manga is a full-sized tablet instead of e-ink based devices, got an 8' Samsung tablet for not much. It serves the purpose but even with Blokada in it blocking everything it can, and every "privacy" option tuned to as closed as possible, i suspect it's still leaking TONS of data, and would like to root it if there's good choices for it. Do we have at least decent choices for Android tablets now in 2025? I search for this and people focus on phones with little to no attention to tablets

I've been a book reader for a long time, but never got into eBooks. I want to try it out next, but don't want to use any privacy vilotating devices or software. So, those "10 best" lists I found while searching are out, all of the Amazon crap is out.

What's left? What's a good device to buy so I can self-host my own eBook library and get into eReading. I would prefer suggestions for devices which just read books and comics and such. I don't need access to the app stores on it, I think.

Thanks for any ideas.

ETA: I have a Linux PC and an Android phone, if those things matter.

ETA2: Thank you all for these replies. You've given me a lot to think about and I appreciate the help!

LAST EDIT: Getting a Kobo Clara Color, 6" eInk dealie-bob! Thanks y'all. Don't let this stop you from posting your suggestions still. Posts like these help many over time. Y'all rock!

Hi everyone, I am looking for an encrypted messaging service to start using and recommending to my friends and family, I really want to get this right the first time. At the moment I'm looking at using matrix I really like it's bridges and federated nature, Although I'm not 100% sure about it's ux.

What I want to ask is what messaging service do you use and do you have any regrets with it? What encrypted messaging service would you recommended?

Edit: I just had another question are any of the bridges in matrix end to end encrypted? If person A used matrix and person B used signal could person A use a bridge to talk to person B securely?

Edit 2: thanks for all the responses guys it looks like signal seams like the best option since it has really good security like many other messaging apps but it's also easy to use.

After the news that Google maps will rename the gulf of Mexico to the gulf of America I finally decided to change maps app(not confirmed).

What recommendations do you have? What to look out for?

A couple years ago when I was first interested in privacy I stumbled across a privacy website that I found very cool. I regret not saving it, but I'm certain it's not lost. I only remember this about the website:

• It had this song as its background music
• The website was for educating about privacy, and you would "unlock" new knowledge as you went
• Some of that knowledge was in a "cave" where some dark stories and articles surfaced
• One of the interactive segments was about "What do you think step counter data could reveal about you?" and the answer was things like religion (if your step count increased on certain days such as Sunday or Tuesday which correlates with some religions), rough location (based on which times you walked), etc.

That's all I remember. Thank you so much to anyone who can help me find it!

Is anyone actually surprised by this?

Basically what the title says. Someone I know is building a house and they want all sorts of security and privacy added benefits one could have with no hold backs.

This post basically serves as a place for everyone to come contribute ideas, hardware, and software, even self hosting is possible to increase the safety, security, and privacy of the home. So feel free to contribute thoughts and ideas but please include how to implement your concept if you can!

Plug and play is preferred but a little reasonable amount of self hosting could be done, with a preference on mechanical hardware where possible but not a hard set requirement.

While money isn't an major issue within reason, be realistic and preferably eco friendly. Thanks everyone ahead of time!

I wanted to ask if it was possible, in any way, to have the convenience of just having to sync a single passwords file, while also having the security of putting more sensitive login credentials behind a different or additional passwords?

On my computer, I usually have KeePassXC unlocked for the entirety of being logged in. So if my computer were to be compromised, the attacker would not only get access to relatively unimportant accounts, like this Lemmy account, but also highly important ones, like my email or bank login credentials. So I'd like to split my passwords file into multiple "files", where the unimportant logins are permanently unlocked for convenience, while the more sensitive login credentials remain encrypted until I actually need them.

However, I also am fucking lazy and I know that I won't be able to keep up with the hassle of keeping multiple passwords files synced. So I wanted to ask if it is possible to keep the convenience of having just a single file that you need to sync, while also making use of the security that splitting up the passwords file brings.

Currently I use KeePassXC on my desktop and KeePass2Android on my phone, but I'd be willing to switch to other software, if the benefits are there.

Hi guys! I'm trying to check Molly-Foss as alternative to Signal. I installed it from its F-Droid repo. When I tap to turn on database encryption, I am prompted for the passphrase. After I set it...it just closes/crashes. Opening the app again, i'm back to the option to turn it on and set a password. What should I do?

Updated article: https://electronicintifada.net/content/switzerland-deports-eis-ali-abunimah/50337

I'm looking to get a custom ROM that has good compatibility with my device. Would you recommend /e/? I couldn't find a tutorial on how to install it with Linux but I don't think it should be that hard to figure out.

I want to share a deeply concerning story that highlights the critical importance of online privacy, especially for activists and those who speak out against authority. The death of John Lang, a well-known figure in the Fresno activist community, raises serious questions about surveillance, privacy, and the potential consequences of being targeted by law enforcement.

John was found stabbed inside a burning home, and what’s particularly alarming is that just days before his death, he expressed fears that Fresno law enforcement was stalking him and might end his life. He had been vocal about his experiences with police harassment, including a disturbing pattern of unethical practices by Fresno law enforcement, such as scanning license plates in retail parking lots to generate revenue.

In his efforts to protest these injustices, John posted his thoughts on the Fresno Bee, believing he was doing so anonymously. However, it later came to light that an employee at the Fresno Bee was sharing identifiable information (IP addresses) with law enforcement, leading to John being targeted. This tragic situation serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities we face when we do not take proper precautions to protect our online privacy.

John’s case illustrates the dangers of not using tools like VPNs or Tor for online activism. Had he utilized these privacy measures, he might have been able to shield his identity from those who sought to silence him.

This tragic story serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of online exposure for activists. We must learn from John’s experience and recognize the importance of safeguarding our privacy in an increasingly surveilled world.

I recently got a fairphone and I want to move my pictures, contacts, messages, etc. from my old android phone to the new one. My initial search found some apps that do this but they look like absolute privacy nightmares. What is a good way to accomplish this without handing my phone contents out like candy to whichever malevolent spyware developer?

Few days ago I found odysee. I saw it on grayjay.
I'm trying to use YouTube as less as possible. I found some of creators I follow from yt here. How do you rate it for privacy.

I use PayPal to be the middle man to protect my credit card information when I purchase items online.

Of course I have grown less fond of PayPal and their scammy behavior (plus the password limit is 20, wtf?)

My question; is there an alternative to paypal to buy things online (without crypto as not all stores take such things), such as privacy.com (but for Europe).

Correct mw if im wrong, but I believe privacy.com is for US, Canada region.

My bank doesn't offer virtual credit cards sadly.

I know Smart TV privacy concerns are a big conversation here, largely because there’s practically no good way to jailbreak a Smart TV, but I wanted to ask about a specific use case.

How much better is it to disable all network connectivity on a smart tv (running Roku as its core OS) and hook an Apple TV box up to it?

More or less, I suppose what I’m asking is whether or not using an Apple TV is as private as it can get with easy-to-use streaming devices?

Greetings! Recently, i have found out that i had an unused Raspberry Pi Pico that i did not do anything with ever since i bought it.

A random idea struck in my mind, i wanted to turn it into a security key!(https://www.picokeys.com/pico-fido/) Security keys (like the yubikey) are so goddamn expensive in my country. While i got a Raspberry Pi Pico for cheap. However, this brings me to the question: How secure can it be? Can anyone crack/clone the security keys off of it?

Thanks in advance.