[eks391]

What you described is aliasing, not compartmentalization. To effectively compartmentalize requires a different email, phone, and CC for every service. By only having one alias of each, the ad networks that are sharing information about you with partners have no obstacles tying together your habits when they see the same proton email, etc across several vendors, even if you have a different name on your alternate products. After these have been matched enough times, there enough of a profile on you to effectively know who you are, even if it is just probable instead of proven. You mention proton, which allows several emails on a paid account, and there are several competitors offering a similar service with varying success, so this should be no problem to implement. There are also companies that offer anonymous CCs, although they are slowly not working. Privacy and Ironvest are two that used to work but I'm not sure if they still do. I'd be interested if you know of CC companies that still work most of the time at vendors. Regarding phones, there are several sources for this as well, depending on whether you want long term or just one time use numbers, but these likewise have been failing as security measures increase.

[-warren]

Valid points! I do create a separate email (proton has an alias generator and allows unlimited if you pay), credit card, and phone number for each service. Adds about 90 seconds to each sign up, which is a great chance to ask myself if I really need that service .

X1 (and I bet there are others) have a button called "free trial" cc that generated a real, valid anonymous (j doe) cc that cannot be used for an actual charge. When I pay for things (I do), I creat a separate virtual card for each service. Side benefit is when I want to cancel, I don't have to find the dark-pattern account cancel button. I cancel the cc and the email. No more subscription; no nagging.

[eks391]

Awesome, just wanted to make sure you weren't fooling yourself with a security posture that was less than what it seemed you were going for. I misread x1 as only having one alternate.

What is the URL for x1? I tried to check it out but am finding lots of unrelated things.

Also do you have a recommendation for unique numbers? Quackr.io has bulk public ones on rotation which is okay for some needs, and private ones for a fee. Ironvest similarly has private ones, but with any private ones, there is friction with getting new ones. I suppose that may just be the cost of privacy, but I'm interested in comparing.

[-warren]

I think Robinhood bought x1, so I think the Robinhood gold card is the same thing (citation needed). I pay something like $100/yr and the app generated numbers on demand.

I made the choice that my privacy was worth something so I pay for proton , my x1 and burner.

[eks391]

Yup this is it, and it is incredibly cool! Thanks much