Re: Finding ethical online service providers

[Paul Sutton]

On 07/03/2020 18:22, Jorge P. de Morais Neto wrote:
> Hi.  I need ethical online service providers that respect my privacy and
> my four software freedoms.
> 
> Regarding email service, the FSF [recommends][] picking one "located in
> a country that won't cooperate with governments that you're particularly
> concerned about privacy from."  I think this recommendation also applies
> to other online services such as social networks.  I also think that the
> unethical governments in question include all members of the Fourteen
> Eyes and their accomplices.
> 
> [recommends]: https://www.fsf.org/resources/webmail-systems
> 
> However, that same FSF article appears to send mixed signals because,
> after that recommendation, it then recommends services such as Posteo
> and Riseup -- respectively based in Germany and the USA, both members of
> the Fourteen Eyes.  Does that mean the recommendation about avoiding
> unethical governments is secondary to other issues such as an
> organizational commitment to user privacy and software freedom rights?
> 
> I currently use multiple [Disroot][] services.  I am satisfied with
> their quality, ethics and cost-effectiveness (they ask for modest
> donations), but they are based on the Netherlands -- within the Nine
> Eyes[1].  Should I change to [Kolab Now][] for email, addressbook,
> calendar and Nextcloud services?  It is well recommended by the FSF, is
> located on [Switzerland][] -- outside the Fourteen Eyes -- and charges a
> reasonable price.
> 
> [Disroot]: https://disroot.org/
> [Kolab Now]: https://kolabnow.com/
> [Switzerland]: https://protonmail.com/blog/switzerland/
> 
> However, it would be a lot of work to tell all my contacts that my email
> address changed again (as I recently migrated from Gmail to Disroot); to
> change all my numerous mailing list subscriptions and online accounts to
> the new email address; and reconfigure my email setup.  Besides, Disroot
> provides more services for the same suggested price.  Furthermore,
> should I believe Switzerland has no secret agreement with the Fourteen
> Eyes?  After all, despite the *heroic* effort of Snowden, we only know
> about a small part of our surveillance predicament.  And should I
> believe that Switzerland privacy advantages will last?  I don't want to
> change providers again next year.
> 
> Also for social networks (GNU Social, Mastodon and diaspora*) should I
> insist that the provider is outside the Fourteen Eyes?
> 
> Regards
> 
> Footnotes:
> [1] The members of the Fourteen Eyes include the members of the Nine
>     Eyes, which in turn include the members of the Five Eyes.
> 



Hi

Proton mail ( https://protonmail.com/ ) is based in Switzerland which is
not a EU member state, they have pretty good privacy laws as I
understand things, so that is one option,   They are also open sourcing
more of their products.

As well as e-mail they also offer VPN services,

If you pay then you get extra features such as custom e-mail address for
example.

Hope this helps

Paul Sutton
-- 
Paul Sutton
https://personaljournal.ca/paulsutton/
gnupg : 7D6D B682 F351 8D08 1893  1E16 F086 5537 D066 302D