At the risk of sounding like an idiot, you are talking about the USB devices that replaced CDs and floppy discs, right? They wreck PCs?

they could be malicious yes.

Well, crap.

Yes though the CD's DVD's and such can still do it if they are designed to. Definitely if black hat has gotten to them

I had these same concerns re: security about leaving them places but it could work for some @Dustin Nemos thoughts on a grass roots session and hand them out? I’m thinking of reaching out to ppl in my home town. After a convo I bet ppl would take it and share it. Just my two cents

Kind of makes me wonder if that's what happened to my last two PCs...

I used an old notebook that I could restore. I did not plug it into the internet. If you do test USB drives at least unplug the internet. Or log out if on WiFi.

yes handing usbs is better if you gain trust beforehand

Windows 10 is a bit better. Mostly it will protect from CD's and DVD's unless you deactivate the protection. Difficult to do.

Windows 10 is NSA. learn linux. there's a 7 hour long course on youtube. free.

use ubuntu

not windows

I know. I figure they are going to do what they will regardless. I just let them.

I probably should learn Linux.

do it! its free

Doubt it would stop NSA.

use TOR, use VPNs to stay anon

@Steve Angell Thank you for the info.

what are good vpns to use?

I am very careful and save nothing to speak of. They do not like you saving things.

Casandra I don't think new USB s wreck your computers. Just used ones that someone has put a virus or something on.

Links are OK but not files.

@hitchhiker Oh, okay.

PureVPN. not free. there are some free vpns out there but they keep your digital footprint

paid ones dont keep records

Yes new ones should be safe. Only found ones are we referring to.

Okay.

Sorry - I know it's blatantly obvious that technology is not my area.

how worried should we be about them storing information we are looking up/searching?

Paid ones run by the NSA no doubt. But they try to keep the illusion going. So they are unlikely to use information they have.

its good that you ask questions. very important to know the battlefield

True.

You, Dustin

@bint-min-cali Do you use duckduckgo?

Is google chrome safe? Safari? or are there other browsers should we be using?

@bint-min-cali depends on the kind of activity you practice

@Casandra sometimes

@bint-min-cali That's a pretty good one.

@bint-min-cali anything related to google, even remotely like whatsapp, instagram is under surveilance

W e are safer now because so many now understand reality. I advise doing too much to try to protect yourself. More likely it will draw attention to you.

facebook.. whatever