Tech Tip from Dave
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Tech Tip from Dave
Dave Plummer is a retired Microsoft engineer who has a techie YouTube channel about all sorts of computer stuff. This recent post of his tackled issues of online privacy and what methods help you protect your anonymity and which ones don’t.
He starts off with an explanation of what happens when you surf the internet, and—to cut to the bottom line—how your ISP at first can see what specific points on the internet you’re pointing your computer at. This initial step is akin to yelling out for a person by name into a crowd: everyone can hear or see what you’re after. Most of the rest of the computerized stuff is, he says, pretty secure and hidden nowadays. But there’s always a weak link.
He describes fairly simple steps to take in order to cover over some of the weak spots. None of the techniques are perfect, of course, since data about users and what they’re interested in is how the online world is monetized. If there weren’t a way for companies to mine user data in some way, presumably more bits of the system would cost money or cost more of it.
Anyway, the tips were practical and useful, if the issues of privacy and companies or governments mining data about your behavior are bothersome to you. The information contained is extensive for a video of this length.
Good morning, everyone. Happy Thor's Day! D and I are working at the food warehouse this morning, my favorite thing. Maybe I'll have time after that to pick up more mulch for the front flowerbeds, which were devastated by the construction.
A friend of my younger son took a job at PayPal. We were all at a soccer match and I asked him if I should just give him my Amex card number and other information. He smiled and said, "No need. We already have it." We laughed and laughed...🙁