Privacy with Google and GoogleVoice

[Bartholomew Diogenes]

I am very close to subscribing based on dz20854's thread, "GoogleVoice Makes MJ Obsolete...", but some members have expressed that Google (and therefore GoogleVoice) is loose about customer data. I am asking your opinion. If I got a number and hooked it into GV for outbound calls only, what info about me based on the methodology described in that thread would be tied to that number and what info could be accessed by someone wishing me ill if they had the phone number? Thank you.

[nailgunner]

Seriously, you need to forget about privacy with damn near any set-up unless you want to spend a lot of time, a lot of money or both. Pretty much anything out there that you just sign up and use will be traceable through your phone number...or your IP address..or some other way.

The answer is not going to change if you are using MagicJack, NetTalk, GoogleVoice or a dozen others. If you are having to continually ask the same type of question, you are in no way shape or form prepared to hide yourself from someone looking for you.

If hackers can bust into major banks, Federal systems and your local church, they can hack into GoogleVoice and print your number and IP address on WikiLeaks.

You need to set up a system where you can't be traced, and not worry about the security of someone else's system.

Doing a Google (yea...ironic) search on hiding yourself on-line would be a good first step.

[crackerjack]

I am very close to subscribing based on dz20854's thread, "GoogleVoice Makes MJ Obsolete...", but some members have expressed that Google (and therefore GoogleVoice) is loose about customer data. I am asking your opinion. If I got a number and hooked it into GV for outbound calls only, what info about me based on the methodology described in that thread would be tied to that number and what info could be accessed by someone wishing me ill if they had the phone number? Thank you.

One thing is for certain, based on your posts here, you are either in the US DOJ Witness Protection Program, or an exiled former African Head of State with a sordid, bloody past, both of which would justify your exaggerated concerns for privacy and manifest paranoia.

Face it, you should cut the cord and go back to paper, pencil and an Enigma coded typewriter and forsake the internet world.

[Bartholomew Diogenes]

nailgunner, thanks. I posted this because of concerns even in the media over privacy with Google, although those didn't relate specifically to phones. The people I'm worried about are not hackers. I merely don't want loopholes. Has crackerjack ever helped (spoon-fed, he would say) anyone on this board? All he's done for me is rekindle my hatred for old "Mad" covers, whose repetitive satire never resonated with me as a youngster who found Alfred E. most ugly. His handle might be clever. In the absence of advice from anyone else, I will be reviewing and moving forward.

[nailgunner]

nailgunner, thanks. I posted this because of concerns even in the media over privacy with Google, although those didn't relate specifically to phones. The people I'm worried about are not hackers. I merely don't want loopholes. Has crackerjack ever helped (spoon-fed, he would say) anyone on this board? All he's done for me is rekindle my hatred for old "Mad" covers, whose repetitive satire never resonated with me as a youngster who found Alfred E. most ugly. His handle might be clever. In the absence of advice from anyone else, I will be reviewing and moving forward.

The problem, as I see it, and I know you didn't ask, is that you are very vague in what your specific concern is. Are you hiding from someone? Are you assuming you will need to hide in the future? Are you going to run for President in 2016? Are you doing something illegal? Lacking a specific threat or concern you are wasting a ton of mental energy over nothing. Either invest in the time and equipment to hide yourself totally, or relax.

In the end Google is no worse than Microsoft/Yahoo/Verizon/TMobile/MagicJack/NetTalk/AT&T/any ISP...and on and on. They are all potential security risks to whatever you are afraid of. Build up a huge firewall at your end and don't rely on any service provider to protect you. I mentioned to you once before, invest $10 in one of the on-line personal data searches and see what anyone else with $10 can find out about you. The cat is long ago out of the bag.

That doesn't mean you should just put your stuff out there for the world to see, but thinking one company is that much different from another is pure folly.

[cell14]

That doesn't mean you should just put your stuff out there for the world to see,

That should be written in bold letters. In the U.S.,it is difficult and expensive to protect your privacy and you have to make the cost/benefit calculation.
On the other hand, the guy who wants to steal your identity or commit fraud or do other nasty things makes the same cost/benefit calculation.
You do not want to make it cheap and easy for him.

[nailgunner]

That doesn't mean you should just put your stuff out there for the world to see,

That should be written in bold letters. In the U.S.,it is difficult and expensive to protect your privacy and you have to make the cost/benefit calculation.
On the other hand, the guy who wants to steal your identity or commit fraud or do other nasty things makes the same cost/benefit calculation.
You do not want to make it cheap and easy for him.

And that was kinda my point. It has to be on his end, not relying on the provider. I quit caring a few years ago, and the worse that's happened is a few ads directed at me because of Google searches I've done. It's not a coincidence that 5 minutes after I do a search about modems that an ad pops up for one on the next site I visit. But I could give a crap if it's an ad for modems or cars, and that's basically what Google is doing with the info they collect.

If you want to be scared, they just reported that Google and the NSA have been working together. But if anyone thinks that the NSA is only working with Google, I will have to check my inventory, but I think I still have some New York bridges left for sale after the holiday rush. I just checked the world population clock and we are almost at 7 billion. All the internet traffic. All the phone calls. They are saving and listening to it all. But if we stay off their bad-guy radar only our mothers (if we are unlucky) give a rats ass about what we are doing on-line.

I am careful with how I buy stuff on-line, always using a CC with a low limit, and never a debit card. But all the numbers are stored on bank and retailer servers anyway so there's a limit to what you can protect. I know someone just 2 weeks ago had their card number ripped off after using it at the local pizza joint, so what you gonna do.

[cell14]

I know someone just 2 weeks ago had their card number ripped off after using it at the local pizza joint, so what you gonna do.

The lesson here is : Never buy pizza!

[nailgunner]

I know someone just 2 weeks ago had their card number ripped off after using it at the local pizza joint, so what you gonna do.

The lesson here is : Never buy pizza!

Oh DAMN, I never should have mentioned that part. Now there will be postings on all the pizza forums about which one is the safest to buy. I apologize in advance.

[asteidl]

Once a person gets internet service, their privacy is pretty much gone. Between giving information to get an email account, replying to emails, joining forums, posting pics online, the NSA spying on you, might as well be naked in Times Square. I like what crackerjack said:

Face it, you should cut the cord and go back to paper, pencil and an Enigma coded typewriter and forsake the internet world.

If a person is concerned about their privacy online, there is no "solution" other than to be careful what you give out.

On that note, doesn't matter which voip you use. Google Voice, privacy-wise, likely to be same as MJ.