Start Google Chrome in Incognito Mode by Default

I tend to use different browsers for different tasks, and that makes my life a lot easier when it comes to managing all the different things I have to do. From my point of view, the Google Chrome web browser is the ideal browser for its incognito mode when accessing known safe websites. 

In order to speed things up, I tend to start it in incognito mode by default. Not many people know this, but it is really easy to start Chrome in incognito mode by default. 

If you already have Chrome already installed, locate the executable on  your system. You can R-Click on your existing shortcut (i.e. on the Start menu) and choose, "Open file location". 

Tim Cook's letter..

Tim Cook's letter about a recent demand made to Apple by the US government. (February 16, 2016)

A Message to Our Customers

The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step

which threatens the security of our customers. We oppose this order, which has

implications far beyond the legal case at hand. This moment calls for public

discussion, and we want our customers and people around the country to

understand what is at stake.

The Need for Encryption

Smartphones, led by iPhone, have become an essential part of our lives. People

use them to store an incredible amount of personal information, from our private

conversations to our photos, our music, our notes, our calendars and contacts,

our financial information and health data, even where we have been and where we

are going. All that information needs to be protected from hackers and criminals

who want to access it, steal it, and use it without our knowledge or permission.

Customers expect Apple and other technology companies to do everything in our

power to protect their personal information, and at Apple we are deeply

committed to safeguarding their data. Compromising the security of our personal

information can ultimately put our personal safety at risk. That is why

encryption has become so important to all of us. For many years, we have used

encryption to protect our customers’ personal data because we believe it’s the

only way to keep their information safe. We have even put that data out of our

own reach, because we believe the contents of your iPhone are none of our

business.

Temporary and Disposable Email: Anonymity, Privacy or Security?

There are several websites available that offer temporary and disposable email addresses, which have become quite popular among Internet users today, as they provide a quick alternative to anyone who wishes for their email address to remain private when sending and receiving emails. 

Some of these temporary and disposable email addresses are available only for a few minutes, while others remain publicly available for anyone to access once they have been created. The same goes for websites that offer access to publicly available mobile numbers for receiving text messages (SMS). There is a wide range of numbers available, from different countries.

Effectively, a user can register to an online service by using a publicly available mobile number and receive any verification texts online.

Some may argue that these temporary and disposable email addresses and SMS services provide some sort of privacy. That might be true, especially under specific circumstances, but do not confuse anonymity with privacy, and security.

Entering fake details while using a disposable email allows users to subscribe avoiding any future incoming communications from that particular website to their email or phone, but at what cost?