Ask HN: Know of an automated way to pollute the date big tech has on me?

[ra00l]

There are people that try to avoid as much as possible sending data to Google / Facebook / other. Using custom built Android, not using the google store or using it on dedicated phones (I know a guy who has a special phone just for the school's whatsapp group), etc.

I am not one of those people. However, I was thinking that instead of not sending data at all maybe I can send them some fake information about that will dilute the profile they have on me.

With Facebook, things seem easy, to like / visit some pages that are not in my interest.

With google / gmail / analytics however, this becomes pretty hard.

Thoughts?

[wyxuan]

On google, you can add completely random interests for your ad targeting in the privacy settings, which seems like what you want.

Honestly I think that just minimization by using other services is probably the best tactic since meaningfully polluting the data probably is more trouble than it's worth.

Sidenote: It took a lot of will power not to make a witty remark about the misspelling in the title haha

[ra00l]

Minimization though comes with a mental price; it's the best solution, I agree, but I am looking for a good enough solution.

PS: appreciate you not picking on my grammar (though spell-checkers say it's correct)

[asymptosis]

One tactic to consider is fragment your identity into multiple profiles representing different facets of your life.

Your "work self", with your company's email address has one google account. When you leave the company, discard the account and create a new one for your new job.

Your "social self" who keeps in touch with friends and family has a separate browser profile just for facebook. There may or may not be an extra google account to go with your personal email address.

Your "privacy-nerd self" uses a completely separate email address unknown to either colleagues, friends or family, and a separate browser profile again which is only used over a VPN.

With network namespaces, you can even simultaneously run multiple VPN sessions, one per browser profile ...

And since your identity is fragmented, it doesn't matter too much if you have to burn one. The risk of losing data is distributed over multiple accounts.

[ra00l]

that's a nice path. But what if you misstep and forget to enable the right vpn? You work and your social selves will get merged.

[asymptosis]

That could happen. So don't forget. Or don't worry so much.

A little personal responsibility and stoicism is called for; when you mess up, learn from the mistake and move on with your life.

[volderette]

For ad profiles: There is Ad Nauseam, which tries to click every single ad that is shown to you in order to pollute your profile. https://adnauseam.io/

[el-salvador]

Perhaps Track.This from Mozilla.

https://trackthis.link

[danielheath]

I’d urge caution; google flags unusual accounts for a ban.

[simplecto]

Thats interesting. I wonder if anyone with a "cancelled with no recourse experience" can comment if they engaged in any automated behaviors.