📝 Correction | Update the 'More Privacy Resources' Section

[freddy-m]

Description

Removing and replacing outdated links from the 'More Privacy Resources' section:

To be removed:

• privacy.net (misleading title providing no real help)
• r/privacytoolsIO Wiki (doesn't contain much more info than the site itself)
• Terms of Service; Didn't Read (already in the extensions section)
• ipleak.net (included in the browser section)

Suggestions to be added:

• ThinkPrivacy.ch (~seeing as Dan is a team member~, and that the site joined PTio it makes sense to link to them )
• Watch your hack (more about security, though still a valuable resource for beginners)
• degoogle (privacy respecting alternatives to google products (some of which aren't on PTio))
• ethical.net (ethical alternatives to main stream products (some fairly whacky recommendations however))
• switching.software (Ethical, easy-to-use and privacy-conscious alternatives to well-known software)
• GNU Free Software Directory
• Casually Private Wiki

Why I am making the suggestion

Currently, linked at the bottom of the site are some 'More Privacy Resources'. While these links contain a lot of valuable information, the problem is that some of them are outdated and could be replaced with better alternatives. I am happy to submit a PR if needed.

My connection with these resources

I have contributed to degoogle, though I make no money from doing so whatsoever.

• [x] I will keep the issue up-to-date if something I have said changes or I remember a connection with the software.

[jackmchou]

Does this still need to be updated? I'd be happy to help!

[nitrohorse]

Good idea!

[freddy-m]

Equally, under the VPN section we could add: Drew DeVault: Choosing a VPN service is a serious decision.

[jackmchou]

Equally, under the VPN section we could add: Drew DeVault: Choosing a VPN service is a serious decision.

Updated in #1984

[freddy-m]

Just remebered #1449 could fit here...

[jackmchou]

Just remebered #1449 could fit here...

Updated in #1984 !

[ph00lt0]

switching.software ethical.net and Casually Private Wiki all recommend quite some services that we should not be recommending such as Brave, Keybase and Zoho. Therefor it might not be wise to add these to the public website and rather use them to watch ourselves for new software.

[jonaharagon]

I do agree with @ph00lt0, that we may want to shy away from linking to extremely similar-in-purpose websites as "resources" to follow. If we think a tool they recommend is worth recommending, we should just add it ourselves. Rather than worry about endorsing-by-proxy something strange in the future, seeing as we have no editorial control over these sites.

[jackmchou]

I do agree with @ph00lt0, that we may want to shy away from linking to extremely similar-in-purpose websites as "resources" to follow. If we think a tool they recommend is worth recommending, we should just add it ourselves. Rather than worry about endorsing-by-proxy something strange in the future, seeing as we have no editorial control over these sites.

I can take out switching.software, ethical.net and Casually Private Wiki. How about degoogle and GNU Free Software Directory(given the both of those are also basically directories of various software)?

Also, could I add another section in the contribution guidelines for additional resources/links to clarify for future contributors?

Thanks in advance!

[ph00lt0]

Just a few more then: Degoogle also recommends Zoho. Watchyourhack recommends LastPass, Chromebook and generally is not about privacy

GNU packages mostly are not for average user people in need of them find it either way but that is my point of view.

[jonaharagon]

@jackmchou thank you very much.

How about degoogle[...]

Yes - What is listed on Degoogle that is worth users knowing about out of curiosity? (I haven't looked at all so I actually do not know)

[...]and GNU Free Software Directory

This I feel is different in scope (i.e. all free software not necessarily designed with a particular 'threat model' in mind) and we could keep. We could maybe include a note about that to this regard, but I'm not sure what it should say.

Also, could I add another section in the contribution guidelines[...]

Yes please :)

[jackmchou]

What is listed on Degoogle that is worth users knowing about out of curiosity?

It just provides a bunch of links to various services/software that's an alternative to google's suite of services, many of which privacytools.io already recommends. I think this one can be excluded as well as we have no editorial control, and if there's a tool that fits our criteria we could add it later, like you said.

This I feel is different in scope (i.e. all free software not necessarily designed with a particular 'threat model' in mind) and we could keep. We could maybe include a note about that to this regard, but I'm not sure what it should say.

Maybe something along the lines of use with caution as free software is not necessarily secure software ?

Yes please :)

Will do!

[jackmchou]

Watchyourhack recommends LastPass, Chromebook and generally is not about privacy

I think watchyourhack is still a valuable resource for people who are not technically inclined. I agree, the software it recommends are definitely more user friendly vs private/secure. It's a solid starting point for people who are interested in protecting their digital lives though, in my ignorant opinion.

[freddy-m]

So could we say that out of all of the options to be added, the only ones that are potentially possible are ThinkPrivacy.ch and the GNU Free Software Directory, or are these not a good fit either?

[jackmchou]

So could we say that out of all of the options to be added, the only ones that are potentially possible are ThinkPrivacy.ch and the GNU Free Software Directory, or are these not a good fit either?

It seems like it, I think in the spirit of #977 this would be helpful for us in the long run. Let me know what I should do and I shall update #1984!

[freddy-m]

1757 - this section may end up being moved to the wiki, though it is undecided as of now what the wiki should be used for...

[freddy-m]

Having thought about this for a while, surely only listing things that share our recommendations defeats the point. PrivacyTools.io should be the primary resource, and these other sites should be for categories that we don't cover. We could make a rule that the site couldn't have affiliates etc...

[jackmchou]

This is a tough one. While I think the wiki would be beneficial to keeping the main site clear of clutter, I also think it might be a lot more work to maintain another site and have the wiki be a kind of information dump. I think keeping with the principle of quality over quantity would still be best over the long term.

[freddy-m]

@privacytools/editorial thoughts on this?