TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

True IF you trust your VPN provider and assume the risk of using a VPN provider (which you may not have investigated) is less than the vulnerability of TOR. Moral: know your VPN provider (including country where located) if you feel that TOR is vulnerable and you’re willing to pay for the service and increased complexity.

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

I've got to ask, what is everyone hiding from??

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Having our every communication, personal information and even shopping preferences entered into giant relational databases and subsequently sold to advertisers, scammers, political parties and other companies. Want to see it in action? Go to Amazon and shop for an item (not purchase it, just look at the page) or Google any topic. Then wait to see how long before an ad shows up in your inbox or on this very forum on the page you’re reading.

In this free-for-all “Information Age”, the wonderful access to information on any subject has sadly also resulted in an almost complete lack of privacy if you use those resources. An anonymizer is one small effort to protect what little we have left. This from someone who spent his career helping to create this computer/internet-centric environment. End of rant.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

Not a rant, IMHO.

Dik

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I could go on Dik

Cheers,
Chris

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Everything.
Since Comrade Bush signed in the "Affiliate" Bill, your bank, insurance company, medical doctors, etc may share/ sell each other any/ all information they have about you. Then we got that vile "Citizens United" passed, which nailed down the legality that information about you is not yours. It is verboten for you to know, find out, or even look for the records about you from the DMV, IRS, court and police records, your bank and insurance company. It's their property, not yours. Did you tell your doctor about all your new aches, pains, past injuries and sicknesses- your insurance rates will go up, as well as your loan interest rates. You may not get that promotion. Protect yourself.
Everybody knows something and somebody. Do you know someone, who knows someone who might be suspected as a crook of some sort? You may not get to be a suspect, but you'll be suspected. Face book shares facial recognition software- and it's results. Recent news case here- somebody took a selfie 2 years ago. Somebody in the background was recognized as a relative of a possible suspect. Selfie girl gets picked up, questioned, and released- the next day. Policy.
I was mentioned that I quit smoking by a relative on Facebook. A new doctor suddenly is asking me questions about my smoking habits. "DOC! Yeah, I used to smoke. Maybe a half pack per day, I quit over 35 years ago. I'm not a smoker!" He can't help it- there's a new entry that says I'm a smoker.
Hackers don't have to sell info just to crooks. Store records get hacked- your buying habits are sellable. Especially to employers, insurance and finance corps, and advertisers. Did you sigh with relief that nothing happened to you? Do you still have the same credit card in your same name that you used there? It may be coming, sooner or later. Protect yourself.
I worked on an infant loyalty card program in the late '80s. Did you use your card and buy Tide on a coupon- you won't get Tide coupons sent in your name anymore. Protect yourself- get another loyalty card, in someone else's name, address, phone etc.; someone you don't like is really good. Use THAT card, with cash, to buy your junk food, alcohol, various personal goods, etc. Only buy GOOD stuff with the GOOD card.
Protect yourself.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

I had no idea...

Dik