Online Anonymity/Privacy Reference Book (will update over time)
List of things to stay Anon
This is not a beginners guide you will have to learn about these tools and applications on your own. Remember online privacy is a pyramid and if the layers below aren’t secure you’re not doing too well.
Assuming your hardware is not compromised, the layers are something like:
Operating system settings tuned for privacy, best case is using open source privacy oriented operating systems
VPN
Browsers
Online Services
Identity and Money
Never use your real name unless absolutely necessary (use your brain).
If using an alias don’t use a payment method that’s attached to your real name or might as well had signed up with your real name. You have to get creative here, crypto with privacy like Monero etc.. are your friend. You can buy BTC → Swap to XMR …
Decentralized exchanges like https://unstoppableswap.net/ (at your own risk).
Or get BTC OTC etc etc etc…
Create corporation to receive payment if you just want to hide from the general public
I’m not an expert on the money thing, so suggestions here are appreciated.
Operating Systems
Some operating systems are specifically built for privacy. You can either run them as a virtual machine or make them your main OS but I don’t recommend for beginners... Make Linux mint or Ubuntu your main OS.
Whonix -VM style
Tails - Runs from a live USB
VPNs
There are 3 levels to the VPN game
Don’t use Free VPNs
Use a VPN that doesn’t keep logs
Having your own personal VPN
Use Tor when necessary
Browsers
Even if you use a VPN your online activity can still be tracked by websites, some browsers have the ability to block these trackers.
Get your browser settings right: Privacy For Dummies by BowtiedFren
Email
Encrypted email
Messaging…. A hassle to get your friends to use them but worth
End to End encrypted messengers
Anyway thanks for looking through this, if you have any suggestions hit me up on Twitter and ill update this as I see fit but for now this is what I have.