Privacy and Surveillance

Ever had that creepy feeling someone's watching you online? Now
imagine if that feeling was actually your reality, not just your
browsing history being tracked, but cameras following your every
move on the street, your conversations being monitored, your
payments scrutinized. For our guest Josh Summers, this wasn't
some dystopian nightmare, it was his daily life.


Josh isn't your typical privacy advocate. As the creator behind
All Things Secured (both a website and YouTube channel), his
passion for digital privacy was forged through nearly 20 years
living abroad, much of it in China. There, he didn't just read
about surveillance, he lived under its shadow, using VPNs to
bypass censorship and experiencing the gut-wrenching moment of
being detained and questioned by Chinese authorities.


In our revealing conversation, Josh pulls back the curtain on
what government surveillance actually feels like from the inside.
He shares how these experiences transformed a personal survival
strategy into a mission to help others protect themselves in our
increasingly watched world.


We dive into how surveillance actually works from those eerily
accurate facial recognition systems to the GPS tracking that
follows your every move, and the countless ways big companies
turn your personal information into profit. Josh not only makes
us aware of potential problems, he offers real-world solutions
that balance security with the convenience we all crave.


With Josh's guidance, we discover surprisingly simple ways to
shield our digital lives from encrypted messaging apps that keep
conversations private, virtual credit cards that protect your
finances, and alternative mailing addresses that safeguard your
physical location. He also reveals the hidden dangers lurking in
those so-called smart devices scattered throughout your home, and
explains why privacy matters even if you think you have nothing
to hide.
Show Notes:

[00:34] Josh is the host of All Things Secured. He wants to
help people become a hacker's worst nightmare.

[01:30] Josh, his wife, and children lived in China. There
was censorship and social platforms were blocked. 

[02:05] He began using VPNs. Over the decade there, every
type of surveillance was used.

[03:34] He had a travel site and walked around with a camera.

[04:03] In 2018 he was detained by the government. It was
scary and he realized the rights he was giving up when traveling
to other countries.

[05:53] He was kicked out of China, and became more conscious
of the pervasive mass surveillance.

[08:40] He was severely outmatched with the psychological
tricks of the interrogators.

[12:57] Even if surveillance is legal, that doesn't make it
ethical. 

[13:18] Small consistent steps towards privacy will make us
less of a target.

[14:25] Josh talks about ways that we are being monitored
from cameras to facial recognition. Digital currencies track what
we purchase.

[17:04] Facebook has so many files on us. Being tracked
online adds up.

[21:07] There are ways to build a privacy moat around your
digital life and still stay in contact with friends and family.

[22:27] Steps for practical privacy include being careful
about how you share data, encrypted alternatives, and use masking
services to reduce your digital footprint. You can also use
virtual credit cards.

[31:46] We talk about using peer-to-peer payment apps.

[34:12] When your habits and your contacts are public, it
makes it easier to social engineer.

[35:29] Virtual mailboxes can add additional privacy. 

[39:50] Issues with IoT devices include how it's being
stored, transmitted, and shared.



Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to
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Josh Summers

All Things Secured

All Things Secured YouTube

Go West Ventures

Josh Summers on LinkedIn

The Unexpected Cost of Privacy with John McAfee

Privacy.com

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