Take Control

Overview

Ubiquity is not equivelant to acceptability. The pervasive spying on our activities and conversations as a society may be prevelent, but that doesn't make it something we need to accept. The government sponsored spying is in principle a bad thing, but all signs we have seen are that it use is still innoccuous to every day citizens, though the potential for harm should not be ignored. Of greater concern is the commercial enterprise spying that is being dressed up as an acceptable, even necessary, practice. The impacts of these practices are already having widespread impacts not only in our American society, but around the world.
The first step in correcting the invasive abuses on our collective society is much like that of protecting your family on a failing aircraft, protect yourself first. In this case we need to take steps to protect our own households first, and then, if so inclined, make the contributions necessary to correct these social wrongs in our society as a whole. In the the end though, if enough people take care of themselves in this case, it will go a long way to correcting the problem as a whole.
On this page we present strategies for taking full control of your information management. The key focus is bringing shared information out of the public repositories and into storage devices of the person who owns the information.

Solutions List

• Personal Data Center
• Personal Cloud
• Social Network
• Chatting
• EmailServer

Approach

The end goal is to bring your data storage back into your circle of trust. For many people that circle doesn't go beyond their property line, or possibly not even beyond the boundaries of their home. This page works with a circle of trust that extends to paid services for which assurances of trustworthiness have been put into writing or have been endorsed by a knowledgeable third party. In simple terms, we are taking the aproach of either storing information within a device on your property or with a trusted hosting company. There is an appendix providing an overview of special considerations for each approach at the bottom of this page.
We first provide descriptions for all in one devices we call "Personal Data Centers" (PDC's) to have a comprehensive solution right up front. We then list individual solutions for those who do not wish to spend the money for a PDC, or are wanting to augment their PDC with more in depth capabilities.

Define Your Goals

The first step to acting with intention is to have a clear view of what those intentions are. There are a vast number of ways to communicate on the Internet once one breaks from the corrals herding the populace to the central repositories. We at the advocacy don't pretend to know what's right for you, but instead ask the question, what do you want to do? The rest of this page strives to give you the tools to support those information storing and sharing goals in a way that only those you intend ever see the information.
Because defining one's information mangement goals can be as daunting as standing in an open field with no compass and only horizon in everydirction, we have developed a starting point template.

• Planning Template
• Template Instructions
• Template Examples

Select Your Solutions

After having set your goals the next step is to identify the products that meet them best. This section is not intended to be a comprehensive list. The intention is to provide insights as to the many types of products that are out there to satisfy information management needs without making privacy a casualty of the computer age

Personal Data Center

What we call a "Personal Data Center" or "PDC" is a fairly recent development. It is essentially the next evolution of a network storage device that used to simply make a collection of storage disks available on a network. Today these devices are being equipped with the basic inner-workings of computers and being installed with software to both protect the information they store and securely share it to a restricted audience. These devices can be considered all in one computers that store all the information you have and manage it in ways that covers many of the other solutions listed further down. They can be expensive however, so installing individual lower priced solutions listed below on existing computers may be the better choice depending on needs and resources.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	$500	2	2	1	DE

The Synology PDC is a very capable and full featured unit that supports file sharing using communications native to Apple, Windows and Linux and on-line backups of household or small business computers. Online photo sharing, weBLogging and web site support are provided. The core feature set is very rich and suitable for securely sharing information both within and outside the household from virtually anywhere.

Additional Considerations:

Direct Access

When looking for a PDC avoid dependencies on a third party service to gain access. (TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed. E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.)

Social Network

Ensure social network spyware can be be fully eliminated from view and activity. (why?There are companies that treat your purchased device as if it were their own website scattering "Share This," Like," and other buttons that allow your content to be posted other places on the net by those viewing your information. These features should be able to be hidden at the very least, and optimally would be optional installations. Anything less defeats the point of your time and effort to isolate your information to only those you intend.)

• Rejected Solutions
  
• Pending Review

Personal Cloud

The definition of the word "cloud" in today's world of technology is just as nebulous as the great puffs of white overhead. The confusion caused by this term is as real as the fog the cloud becomes when it settles to earth and into our daily lives. Careless use of cloud technology is as dangerous to our data as driving fast in the fog is to our bodies.

The technology called "Cloud" in the common market place today is actually just a new name for using a file server. The two common forms of remote storage are a "simple share," which can be achieved using about any basic computer installation with reasonable storage, and synchronized storage, which usually requires additional software. This table lists some versions of software that synchronizes files across computers.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	OSOpen Source	2	2	1	DE

ownCloud is Open Source software that is downloaded and installed to your own computer. Being a community supported Open Source product it is available at no cost. The ownCloud software provides the ability to synchronize files calendars and address books across many devices including mobile devices, desktops and laptops.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	$300	2	2	1	D

The D-Link share center is a capable device with a good feature set supporting family access to data from anywhere and backups. The device is more windows focused, but does have Apple support.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	$400	2	2	1	D

The Drobo cloud solution is is a purchaseable device complete with storage that can be used to synchronize files across mobile and other devices and and backup household computer.

Additional Considerations:

Direct Access

When looking for a personal "cloud" solution avoid dependencies on a third party service to gain access. (why?There are companies that treat your purchased device as if it were their own website and scatter "Share This," Like," and other buttons that allow your content to be posted other places on the net by those viewing your information. These features should be able to be hidden at the very least, and optimally be optional installations. Anything less defeats the point of your time and effort to isolate your information to only those you intend.)

Social Network

Ensure social network spyware can be be fully eliminated from view and activity. (why?There are companies that treat your purchased device as if it were an extansion of their own systems. There can be benefits to a purchased device interacting with the vendor from which it was bought if that vendor is trusted. In no case however should this be a a requirement of using the device, or even an opt-out feature. Thecustomer should always have the option of complete data autonomy, anything less defeats the point of your time and effort to isolate your information to only those you intend.)

• Rejected Solutions
  
• Pending Review

Social Network

The phrase "Social Network" is a term invented by the corporate, media and marketing establishments that essentially means "communicate with your friends and loved one's in a way that we can listen in." This phrase is actually more accurately stated as the "Public Social Network." The only information that should be put to the current "Public Social Network" is what you might have published in a newspaper, or a magazine, in the past. This medium is best as an avenue for communication intended to influence a wide audience, not personal communication. No form of personal one-on-one communication should be put to the "Public Social Network" paradigms like facebook, Twitter, pInterst or a list of others.

The software listed in this section supports creating a "Private Social Network" suitable for casual communication between friends and loved ones.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	OS	2	2	1	E

Tiki is a robust server based application that provides a vast array of functionality in a single solution. Wiki technology lay at the center of the package with weBLog, Forum, Article, Newsletter, Gallery and many other features available in the download. Tiki does install with interfaces to centrallized repositories available. While the advocacy would prefer to see these features be downloadable options, the "off by default" strategy of the Tiki product is acceptable. The Tiki team shows every indication of defaulting to a fully isolated strategy for storing shared information being the default, with options to extend being made available to those who need them commercially.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
RetroShare	OS	1	2	1	E

RetroShare is an Open Source product base on encrypted peer to peer communication. That in other terms means that it is community developed and provides for direct communication between two or more points without passing the information through an intermediary like facebook, Google or Twitter. The data passed is protected from eavesdropping by encryption. Being a peer-to-peer configuration, there is no server required, though that configuration is being developed as an option.

Product	Cost	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	OS	2	2	1	D

Elgg is a web based server platform that acts as a central communication hub. The data is stored at one location and shared amongst all site members. Look and feel is very much like other public social networks like facebook, but the data is stored locally.

Additional Considerations:

Third Party Support

Watch for the incorporation of "convenience" and security features, like "facebook Connect," "reCaptcha" and maps that reach outside the installed site and report site activity to third parties.(why?Use of these, and other services provides the vendor with in depth inteligance on your site when combined with other details. The greater the proliferation of these services across the internet the deeper the intelligence gathered on visitors of those sites. Any such functionality should be optional and not inherent to the site.)

Over Sharing

Ensure the chosen social network software does not default to giving site visitors the option of sharing content with public repositories.(why?The objective of installing a persoal social network is normally to keep information within one's own control and share it only with those they trust. Providing a means to pass information forward is like giving permission to do so. It is possible to use other means to take information from a site, but doing so would be considered a trust violation no different than gossiping in the real world.)

• Rejected Solutions
  
• Pending Review

Chatting

This section lumps the interactive rapid exchange style chatting that can sometimes involve more than one person in with the short message SMS style exchange into a single category of "chatting". We do not include some of the common alternatives that have been around like, "IRC," due to what could be considered conceptually difficult to understand requirements in their use. Because each person having their server for managing their chat sessions could create a cumbersome environment of continuous account changing to communicate with different server installations, we are including services we consider trustworthy after having examined the company privacy policy, business model and income sources.

Product	Cost	OS's	Install	Configure	Use	TypeReview Type:This column defines the type of review made for the product listed.;E:Experience - Personal experience with the product wa considered when making the review;D:Documentation - Review is based on available documentation only. Product was not actually installed by the reviewer.;DE:Documentation/Experience - Experience with the product or service was augmented with additional research of related documentation for purposes of the review.
	free	All	1	1	1	E

Wire is a messaging service with end-to-end message encryption. It is a well featured program that allows for the sending of files and pictures, supports drawing into messages and also supports voice communication. Wire runs on all major OS's to include Linux, WIndows, OS X and iOS. Wire is currently accepting payment from businesses. The business model they are working towards is that of selling business services and remaining free for individual members.

Rejected Solutions

Additional Considerations

Storing the information you wish to share with others, or just make more accessible to yourself, can be achieved without subjecting it to the prying eyes of public central repositories. There are some common considerations to be made when embarking on claiming your information.

Firewall

Firewalls are the software that block unwanted communication to a Local Area Network. In short, they block hackers from unauthorized computer access. Be certain to take firewalls into consideration to ensure they aren't blocking welcome traffic when setting up access to local information, but don't blatantly shut down the firewall as this will create unrestrained access to all stored information.

Ports

Firewall by nature block all network by default and only specifically authorized traffic is allowed through. This is accomplished by opening numbered ports. Web browsers communicate to web servers on port 80 for unencrypted conversations. Some software will require specific ports to be opened on the firewall to work properly. In cases where the software in question is not running on the same device as the firewall the firewall will need to be instructed to forward information received on the referenced port to another device. This is called simply, "Port Forwarding."

Email Server

Port 25 used by email servers to pass the mail from one to another is often blocked by Internet Service Providers as a means of controlling spam traffic. Unfortunately this also prevents the transmission of legitimately hosted emails at residences. It's best to ensure port 25 is not blocked before embarking on installing an email server.

Email Client

Many people read email through browsers rather than using an email client running on the local device. There are advantages to each. Internet Service Providers often block traffic using port 25 to control the proliferation of spam. This can also block the ability of local client software to send email (they can still receive). Many email hosts allow for communication on an alternate port, usually 26. Check your providers documentation for this information if the email client in use cannot send email.