Considering the current intrusive cyber climate, what are the best ways to preserve privacy?

For example, I have been exclusively using a VPN connection network-wide at home setup on OpenWrt, which in turn has a PiHole as its DNS, with the PiHole using Unbound and NextDNS (redundant I know, but I use it to encrypt my requests more than anything else).

I also have Wireguard setup so I can VPN all my devices to my network while I am on the road (also have a NextDNS profile installed. Yes I know, it’s redundant).

I also basically have all my “smart” devices (TV, lightbulbs, air purifier, etc…) at home cutoff from the internet using OpenWrt’s firewall to prevent them from calling home.

I rotate web browsers frequently to try and attempt avoiding getting fingerprinted, not sure how useful that is.

I switched email providers to mailbox.org because f*** Google and Microsoft.

I also am hosting my own cloud drive on Nextcloud to avoid using services like GDrive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc…

I own Apple devices which aren’t the best for privacy but migrating from a whole ecosystem that I have been embedded in for MANY years is easier said than done. Hopefully in the future that’s my next move.

I feel like there is a lot more I can do but I am not sure what else. I would appreciate any and all suggestions ya’ll might have.

EDIT: I’m not being too extreme with my caution as some comments are making it sound to be. I am a very average person who is privacy conscious yet realize being cut off from the internet and society is not realistic. I guess my threat model is your basic “day-to-day it’s non of your business who am I online or what I do, please don’t profile/fingerprint me, I am just a passerby” kinda threat model.

  • Zerush@lemmy.ml
    11·
    3 months ago

    Don’t use localization or weather apps, don’t use soft or services from big (US) corporations, don’t use discount or banking apps in your mobile, use a good VPN/SPN or Snowflake, use Pi-Hole or better Portmaster on desktop, InVizible Pro on Mobile, don’t store sensible data on your Mobile…the most important, use your common sense, PEBCAK

      • Zerush@lemmy.ml
        5·
        3 months ago

        All weather apps need your location, well from your GPS data or entering it manually and this is always an security hole, even if the app don’t share it. If you want to use it, is preferable an FOSS app from F-Droid than one from Google Play, but the best apps are from the official meterologic agency of your country (in Spain AEMET), these are the most accurate and reliables and not driven by commercial interests, other apps anyway use their info from these agencies.

  • Rodneyck@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    112·
    3 months ago

    You are still exposed by using Apple products. Use linux for PC’s with encryption, vpn. For a phone, switch to device, such as a Google Pixel, or several other manufacturers that can use a privacy android rom. I use CalyxOS, private, secure and de-googled.

    Lets not forget…operation PRISM which was exposed by Snowden.

    • moe93@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
      3·
      3 months ago

      Aside from iOS, I am already there. Soon enough, I hope, I will migrate from Apple’s ecosystem. Already have my Linux box setup and functional recently. One step at a time.

      • Broken@lemmy.ml
        3·
        3 months ago

        The clarify, they said to get rid of all that stuff from OTHER peoples devices. The point being that you’re not the weakest link in this chain.

        To illustrate, I have a phone number for less than a year that maybe 20 people have. All friends and family. I still had a sales call on it who was targeted and addressed me by name.

      • Jason2357@lemmy.ca
        21·
        3 months ago

        There’s a lot you can do to lock down iOS using official features. Go through all the app privileges, especially location, get rid of widgets, lock down your iCloud authentication and enable e2e, disabling web access to iCloud, etc.

  • pound_heap@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    5·
    3 months ago

    You have taken a lot of useful steps. May I suggest email aliases? Using same email address on many services is too easy to track

  • relic4322@lemmy.ml
    4·
    3 months ago

    There is a lot, and there are a lot of levels. I am working on this now as well. Escalating from where I was, its a learning process. Too much to type in a single comment/response.

    If you would like more info on removing your info from the internet, reducing the amount of spyware on your android phone, de-googling yourself, or limiting how much info you spill while you browse, we can connect and I can share what I have been doing. Ive got plenty I still need to do beyond this, but I am happy to share my lessons learned as it were.