Articles
Articles on privacy, financial privacy, and related tools.
ArticlesGetting StartedEssential privacy foundations: start here if you are new.2 articles
- 01What Is KYC?KYC identity checks: the data exchanges collect, the legal basis, and available alternatives.~7 min read
- 02How to Vet Any Privacy Tool Before You Trust ItA practical checklist for assessing a privacy tool: threat model, architecture, release integrity, ownership, policies, audits, and testing.~9 min read
ArticlesCrypto & WalletsBuy, swap, spend, and store crypto without KYC or chain surveillance.8 articles
- 01Buying Bitcoin With Less Identity ExposureHow P2P Bitcoin purchases, payment records, fresh addresses, UTXO labels, and coin control affect identity exposure.~8 min read
- 02No-KYC Monero Exchanges: Buy XMR Without IDNo-KYC Monero exchange routes for buying XMR without ID: Haveno DEX, Trocador, Godex, atomic swaps, Tor, clean wallets, and self-custody.~7 min read
- 03Zcash Shielded-Transaction Setup GuideSet up Zashi for shielded ZEC, identify transparent fallbacks, and understand what Zcash hides and what external services can still record.~8 min read
- 04Zcash vs Monero: Privacy Comparison 2026Compare Monero's default transaction privacy with Zcash shielded and transparent transfers, including address risks, viewing keys, and wallet checks.~8 min read
- 05Zero-Knowledge Proofs and PrivacyZero-knowledge proofs can validate a statement while hiding its secret witness. Learn what Zcash, private contracts, and selective disclosure protect and what they still expose.~7 min read
- 06Monero Wallet Comparison for 2026Current comparison of Feather, Cake, Monerujo, and the Monero CLI, including Tor routing, hardware-wallet support, swaps, and platform limits.~7 min read
- 07Feather Wallet Setup and Privacy SettingsSet up Feather Wallet with verified downloads, offline seed storage, Tor-aware node selection, subaddresses, and output controls.~9 min read
- 08Paying With Shielded ZEC Through Zodl and FlexaZashi is now Zodl. Use shielded ZEC through Flexa while understanding identity checks, processor records, limits, and refund rules.~5 min read
ArticlesComms & NetworkingPhones, messaging, VPNs, DNS, and anonymous hosting.10 articles
- 01GrapheneOS: The Privacy Phone GuideHow to choose, install, and configure GrapheneOS on a supported Pixel, including verified boot, sandboxed Google Play, profiles, and privacy limits.~10 min read
- 02No-KYC eSIM Comparison for 2026Compare Silent.Link, NadaNada, PikaSim, and Phreeli by identity checks, payment records, coverage, and the telecom data each service still exposes.~12 min read
- 03Signal vs SimpleX vs Session: Messaging Compared 2026Signal, SimpleX, Session, and Matrix compared by account identifier, network design, metadata exposure, and current protocol limits.~9 min read
- 04Hardening TelegramTelegram cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Reduce account, phone-number, metadata and session exposure with settings that have clear limits.~3 min read
- 05EU Parliament Rejects CSAM Scanning ExtensionParliament rejected the CSAM scanning derogation in March 2026. The rule expired in April, then returned for a narrower second reading in July.~8 min read
- 06Mullvad VPN Setup GuideSet up Mullvad VPN with no account, paid with XMR or cash. Multi-hop, DNS leak testing, kill switch config.~6 min read
- 07Five Eyes Jurisdictions and VPN PrivacyHow Five Eyes intelligence cooperation affects VPN risk, and how to assess a provider's legal entity, records, ownership, and audit evidence.~6 min read
- 08Hola VPN and Peer-to-Peer Bandwidth SharingHow Hola's peer-to-peer routing, Bright Data relationship, product differences, and current logging policy affect users.~7 min read
- 09Domain Registration Privacy: Njalla, WHOIS Privacy, and .onionRegister a domain without exposing your name. Njalla, WHOIS privacy, .onion services, Monero payment, registrar risk, and operational setup.~6 min read
- 10Government Surveillance-Resistant InfrastructureHow to limit infrastructure exposure through data minimisation, separated control, protected logs, Tor onion services, IPFS, and tested recovery.~11 min read
ArticlesOPSECIdentity compartmentalization, scrubbing, and counter-surveillance.8 articles
- 01How to Scrub Your Personal Information from the InternetStep-by-step guide to removing your name, address, phone number, and photos from data brokers, people-search sites, Google, social media, and public records.~12 min read
- 02unbroker: Consent-Gated Data Broker Removalunbroker is an open-source Hermes Agent skill for consent-gated data broker removal, local ledgers, least-disclosure requests, human fallback, and recurring re-scans.~5 min read
- 03Tails OS for Financial PrivacyUsing Tails OS for no-KYC crypto transactions, Feather Wallet via Tor, and reduced local forensic traces.~9 min read
- 04PGP Basics: Encrypt Messages Without a Central ServerHow OpenPGP encryption, signatures, fingerprints, revocation certificates and hardware keys work, including what email metadata remains visible.~6 min read
- 05Counter-Surveillance: How to Find Hidden Cameras, Trackers, and Listening DevicesCheck rooms, vehicles, and belongings for hidden cameras, unwanted trackers, and listening devices without overstating what consumer tools can find.~8 min read
- 06DIY Privacy Hardware: Faraday Pouches, Camera Blockers, and Detection ToolsUse and test physical privacy tools for radio isolation, camera blocking, safer USB charging, and hidden-camera screening.~9 min read
- 07Hardware Surveillance: Microphones, Cameras and TelemetryHow to reduce microphone, camera, radio, and telemetry exposure across phones, laptops, televisions, and connected devices.~8 min read
- 08Ledger Data Breach and Physical-Security RisksLedger's 2020 breach exposed about 272,000 detailed customer records. What is verified, what is not, and how exposed customers can reduce phishing and physical-security risks.~10 min read
ArticlesSurveillanceState, corporate, and AI surveillance infrastructure: and how to defend.16 articles
- 01unbroker: Consent-Gated Data Broker Removalunbroker is an open-source Hermes Agent skill for consent-gated data broker removal, local ledgers, least-disclosure requests, human fallback, and recurring re-scans.~5 min read
- 02AI Agent Payment Protocols ComparedA privacy-first comparison of AP2, x402, and MPP for AI-agent payments: authorization, HTTP 402 challenges, settlement rails, logs, wallets, and metadata exposure.~5 min read
- 03Privacy.com MCP Is Spend Control, Not AnonymityPrivacy.com MCP gives AI tools access to virtual-card controls, but identity checks and linked funding make it spend control, not anonymous money.~4 min read
- 04Agent Wallet Threat Model: Keys, Sessions, Budgets, and ReceiptsA practical threat model for AI-agent wallets: key custody, prompt injection, sessions, budgets, receipts, approval policies, wallet reuse, and privacy logs.~5 min read
- 05Pay Per Crawl and the Paid Web: Privacy Risks of HTTP 402How x402 and pay-per-crawl can connect AI-agent requests to wallets, accounts, facilitators, timing, and resource metadata.~4 min read
- 06Virtual Cards vs Stablecoin Wallets for AI AgentsA privacy-first comparison of virtual cards and stablecoin wallets for AI-agent spending: KYC, issuer logs, onchain history, revocation, budgets, and merchant fit.~4 min read
- 07Evaluating AI-Agent Payment MethodsA practical scoring rubric for AI-agent payment rails: identity exposure, authorization, settlement, custody, autonomy, revocation, logs, and privacy fit.~5 min read
- 08Running Local AI Models With More PrivacyRun AI models locally with Ollama, llama.cpp, vLLM, or Open WebUI. Understand what stays on-device and where local setups can still leak data.~7 min read
- 09Flock Cameras: Contracts and ResistanceFlock cameras log vehicle movement through local contracts. This report covers traffic enforcement, data sharing, funding, local opposition, and documented direct action.~12 min read
- 10Section 702 Searches of Sensitive GroupsSection 702 expired on June 12, 2026, but existing court certifications allow surveillance to continue. Sensitive FBI searches still require internal approval, not a warrant.~8 min read
- 11Privacy and Security Concerns in the White House AppA March 2026 audit found extensive third-party telemetry and bundled location capability in the White House app. Later disclosures and official statements changed parts of the record.~8 min read
- 12Google Notice Policy and ICE Data RequestsEFF says Google turned over subscriber data to ICE and only notified the user afterward, despite a public promise of advance notice. What simultaneous notice means and how to cut your exposure.~10 min read
- 13Hong Kong Device Password LawHong Kong now criminalises refusal to provide device passwords in national security cases. What the new rules say, where the claimed safeguards stop, and how travelers should change their device OPSEC.~12 min read
- 14NSO Group and Pegasus SpywareHow Pegasus compromises phones, what court records and forensic research establish, and how high-risk users can reduce and investigate targeted spyware risk.~10 min read
- 15Cellebrite Phone Extraction and the Serbia Abuse CaseWhat Cellebrite UFED and Physical Analyzer do, what Amnesty documented in Serbia, and how to limit the data exposed when a phone is seized.~8 min read
- 16What Is a SAR? Bank Reports to FinCENSARs are secret bank filings to FinCEN. You are never told when one is filed. Learn what triggers them, what data is shared, and how to reduce your exposure.~7 min read
ArticlesLegal & FinancialTax, corporate structures, offshore banking, and legal compliance.2 articles
- 01Legal Tax Minimization 2026: US, UK, EU & AustraliaA factual guide to lawful tax planning through US retirement accounts, UK ISAs and pensions, EU residence rules, and Australian super contributions.~8 min read
- 02Financial Privacy for Journalists, Activists & DissidentsJournalists, activists, and dissidents face asset freezing and payment deplatforming. Financial OPSEC guide using no-KYC tools and Monero.~10 min read
ArticlesNews & InvestigationsRegional reports, deep investigations, and exchange news.8 articles
- 01M-Pesa, Machankura, and Transaction Privacy in KenyaM-Pesa and Machankura both work on basic phones, but they expose different records. A factual guide to custodial Bitcoin, USSD identity, and Kenya's VASP law.~10 min read
- 02Zimbabwe's ZiG Currency and Cryptocurrency UseZiG remains secondary to the US dollar, while Zimbabwe's official risk assessment describes a small, mostly peer-to-peer cryptocurrency market.~8 min read
- 03Kape Technologies and ExpressVPN OwnershipKape Technologies owns ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ZenMate. Its Crossrider history, acquisitions, private ownership, and VPN audit evidence.~9 min read
- 04GitHub Privacy Considerations for Sensitive ProjectsWhat GitHub records, what legal process can reach, how commit metadata identifies contributors, and how Codeberg's published data policy differs.~6 min read
- 05Ethereum Foundation CROPS Mandate: What It Commits ToWhat the Ethereum Foundation's CROPS mandate says about censorship resistance, open source software, privacy, and security, and what it does not change.~7 min read
- 06TradeOgre Shutdown and RCMP Seizure in 2025The RCMP dismantled TradeOgre and recovered more than C$56 million in cryptocurrency. What the official record confirms and what users should not assume.~6 min read
- 07Wasabi Wallet CoinJoin Coordinator ShutdownzkSNACKs shut down Wasabi Wallet’s CoinJoin coordinator in June 2024. What broke, what guides became obsolete, and which Bitcoin privacy tools still matter in 2026.~6 min read
- 08Correction: Monero Traded Above $687 in January 2026Monero traded near $800 on 14 January 2026. Exchange and aggregate market records correct our earlier claim that it never reached $687.~4 min read
ArticlesNew AdditionsRecently added articles.2 articles
- 01What the KIDS Act Would Change OnlineThe House passed the KIDS Act on June 29, 2026. The bill would require age checks on some sites and change privacy, messaging, and content rules for minors.~8 min read
- 02How to Self-Host unbroker for Data Broker RemovalA practical guide to running unbroker locally or on an isolated server, with consent, local dossiers, browser/email modes, DROP, human fallback, and re-scans.~8 min read