StoryTechnical

This App Makes You Disappear Off the Internet 🤯

Shawn Ryan Show

The video demonstrates how websites collect extensive tracking data through cookies even when users decline them, and presents Glacier, a privacy app that uses burner phone numbers, VPNs, and secure DNS to help users disappear from the internet. The creators recommend using iOS devices as the most privacy-conscious platform choice.

Summary

The creators conduct an experiment on a medical website to illustrate the scope of data collection and tracking on the internet. Despite explicitly rejecting cookies, they discovered over 900 cookies were installed on their device from a single search on one medical site. Upon examining these cookies, they found that user data including IP addresses and visited websites were being transmitted to servers in Russia, revealing the extent of covert data harvesting that occurs regardless of user consent. Concerned about their digital privacy and the connections they maintain online, the creators consulted with a company called Glacier that specializes in digital disappearance and privacy protection. Glacier's primary recommendation was to keep one's real phone number confidential and private. The Glacier application provides users with tools including burner phone numbers (available with any desired area code), a secure American VPN service, and secure DNS configuration. The creators successfully installed the application on an iPhone. In their final recommendation, they advocate for using iOS devices and Apple products as the most effective approach to privacy protection, with an expert from Glacier affirming that iOS is indeed the correct platform choice for privacy-conscious users.

Key Insights

  • Users receive over 900 cookies from a single medical site search even after explicitly declining cookie acceptance
  • Websites are transmitting user IP addresses and browsing history to servers located in Russia without explicit user consent
  • Glacier's primary privacy recommendation is to keep one's real phone number confidential and protected
  • Glacier's privacy solution includes burner phone numbers with customizable area codes, secure American VPN, and secure DNS services
  • The creators and privacy experts recommend iOS devices and Apple as the most effective platform for maintaining online privacy

Topics

Cookie tracking and data collectionOnline privacy and digital footprintGlacier privacy applicationBurner phone numbers and VPN servicesiOS privacy advantages

Transcript

[0:00] Every time you browse the web, [music] whether you say, hey, I want cookies or don't want cookies, you're getting them. We went to a medical site that everybody uses. When we connected to it, Sean, of course, we got the prompt, do you want to accept cookies or not? We're like, hell no. We got over 900 cookies [music] just by doing one search on one site about a specific disease. We looked at all the cookies and one of them was ru like we were sending our IP address and the sites we were visiting to somewhere in Russia. Everybody gets a gift that's just an iPhone that has our new application in there. So, I started…

Full transcript available for MurmurCast members

Sign Up to Access

More from Shawn Ryan Show

Get AI summaries like this delivered to your inbox daily

Get AI summaries delivered to your inbox

MurmurCast summarizes your YouTube channels, podcasts, and newsletters into one daily email digest.