This series of articles will explain, in layman's terms, how all of us can improve our digital privacy via small but substantial steps. America is already a surveillance state and moves are being taken by big tech and big gov to tighten the noose further. Without sounding too dramatic, key steps to harden your digital life may save your freedom.
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A small investment in a reliable and solid Faraday bag can help restore privacy to conversations, help hinder location tracking, and prevent theft. What is not to love?
What is a Faraday Bag?
From a simple tech aspect, they are copper foil-covered enclosures that block all radio signals. A Faraday shield is formed by a continuous covering of conductive material, or in the case of a Faraday cage, a mesh of these materials. Faraday cages are named after scientist Michael Faraday who first conceptualized them in 1836.
When an electrical field on the outside of the Faraday cage interacts with the material, it causes the charges within the protected space to be distributed in a way that cancels the effects.
It also works to protect against radio frequency interference. Hackers, thieves, or government agencies who are trying to track your phone or any other device will not be able to get to it because of the outer layer of the Faraday bag.
From a less tech point of view, Faraday bags play the role of a much safer 'airplane mode' for your phone, contact-less credit card, passport, or car keys. The US military and NATO computer centers deploy them to prevent unwanted radio emission. The use of them spawned the 'tin foil' meme, but they are much more useful than wearing a tin foil hat!
Millions of dollars of surveillance equipment can be nullified in a flash. Place a cell phone in a correct build Faraday bag at the right time and you can frustrate the bad guy's mission in a heartbeat.
What can I use a Faraday Bag For?
In a nutshell, Faraday bags are the only true 'off switch'.
Personally, I do not want anyone listening to my conversations, whether it be about my pets or the government. I also do not wish to be tracked by my devices, whether going to Walmart or an important meeting.
Private conversations – A truly private conversation should involve everyone at that meeting placing all devices in a Faraday bag for the duration of that meeting. The environs should be free of electronic listening points, such as a TV and away from any windows.
Private travel – Modern cellphones track your every move; many crimes are solved by downloading data from a cell phone. If you want to travel without tracking, then place devices in a Faraday bag for the journey there and back.
Airport Travel – There are no restrictions on placing Laptops and Cell phones in Faraday bags while passing through TSA checks. I have encountered no requests to open the bag anywhere in the world. Indeed, any such request would be a big red flag for the traveler as it would imply that the X-ray machine was also sucking data off electronic devices.
Theft Prevention – Car keys, entry passes, and credit card microchips can be cloned with devices easily found online. Prevent this by using small key fob bags or Faraday wallets.
Which Faraday bag should I buy?
There are many pretenders to the throne which just do not work properly. Too many are poorly made cheap Chinese knock-offs. Two American brands are head and shoulders above the rest and are the only ones you should really consider.
Silent Pocket
Most expensive but also attractive and durable. More discreet branding than Mission darkness. The popular Cell phone 'Pocket' retails from $59 depending on the device and choice of Leather or Nylon. A 10% discount when signing up for initial email subscription.
Mission Darkness
A cheaper but less attractive option with Cell Phone bags starting at $23. The $190 Padded utility Faraday bag can hold many small devices at once for the ultimate meeting privacy.
Both companies have a testing App to download and prove the blocking and also carry good warranty in case of damage.
Enjoy the peace of mind, be more paranoid, spread the word and don't wear a tin foil hat. Just keep your devices in the equivalent when you are not using them.