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Author SHA1 Message Date
90b91293d4 docs!: Move most documentation to forum 2025-05-06 18:13:58 -05:00
Em
f7593c47ce update(blog)!: Age Verification Wants Your Face and Your Privacy (#3014)
Signed-off-by: Jonah Aragon <jonah@privacyguides.org>
2025-05-06 16:38:14 -05:00
Em
4cedf03332 update(blog): Add warning about browser restart
Signed-off-by: Jonah Aragon <jonah@privacyguides.org>
2025-05-06 12:22:33 -05:00
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---
date:
created: 2025-05-06T21:45:00Z
categories:
- News
authors:
- em
description: Age verification laws and propositions forcing platforms to restrict content accessed by children and teens have been multiplying in recent years. The problem is, implementing such measure necessarily requires identifying each user accessing this content, one way or another. This is bad news for your privacy.
schema_type: AnalysisNewsArticle
preview:
cover: blog/assets/images/age-verification-wants-your-face/ageverification-cover.webp
---
# Age Verification Wants Your Face, and Your Privacy
![A stylized photo showing a person holding a printed photo of their face in front of their actual face.](../assets/images/age-verification-wants-your-face/ageverification-cover.webp)
<small aria-hidden="true">Photo: Kyle Glenn / Unsplash</small>
Age verification laws and propositions forcing platforms to restrict content accessed by children and teens have been multiplying in recent years. The problem is, implementing such measures necessarily requires identifying each user accessing this content, one way or another. This is bad news for your privacy.<!-- more -->
For a few years now, several legislators in North America, Europe, and Australia have expressed concern about children and teens accessing certain types of content online. While there is no doubt some online content can be worrisome, implementing a technological solution for this is [extremely problematic](https://www.jonaharagon.com/posts/age-verification-is-incompatible-with-the-internet/).
By mandating platforms to be legally responsible to verify a user's age, regulators effectively force them to identify each user requesting access to content deemed inappropriate under a certain age threshold.
If these regulations continue to proliferate, this could lead to the end of pseudonymity online.
## How can age be verified online
Verifying age online is [difficult](https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/fact-checked/online-age-verification-is-not-the-same-as-flashing-your-id-at-a-liquor-store/). There isn't any magical solution to it, it's either recording how a user looks or scanning official documents.
Conducting verification "on-device" offers only few additional protections considering this information still has to be checked and reported with an external service, somehow.
Moreover, processes used to keep this data "on-device" are often opaque. Taking into account how valuable this information is, it becomes very difficult to trust any for-profit third-party services which such a sensitive task.
Users' faces and official documents are two types of very sensitive information. Who becomes responsible to collect, process, store, and safeguard this data? With whom does this data get shared, and for which other purposes? And how accurate is this data anyway?
### Facial scans
Some platforms and third-party providers of the rapidly growing "[identity verification industry](https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/digital-identity-verification-market-118180)" have started to use facial recognition and face scan systems in order to determine a user's age.
The problem is, the systems are [horrible for everyone's privacy](https://www.liberties.eu/en/stories/facial-recognition-privacy-concerns/44518), extremely problematic to use due to [racist and gendered biases](https://www.aclu-mn.org/en/news/biased-technology-automated-discrimination-facial-recognition), [inaccurate](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/face-scans-estimate-our-age-creepy-af-and-harmful) to determine the correct age, and on top of all that, [can be cheated](https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/22/ai_in_brief/).
### Official documents
The second solution is to require users to provide an official piece of ID. Considering an official ID often contain a photo, full legal name, date of birth, home address, and government specific codes, this is even worse.
All this sensitive data then gets collected by either the platform itself or a third-party provider with little oversight or incentive to protect this data at all. Leaks and breaches for this enormous data trove are just around the corner. Unfortunately, this isn't speculative, [data leaks have already occurred](https://www.404media.co/id-verification-service-for-tiktok-uber-x-exposed-driver-licenses-au10tix/).
The more copies of your official documents exist online, the greater the risk this data *will get exposed*, and the less value this document has to actually identify you when it's *truly* needed.
And again, this sort of verification is easy to cheat. Any determined teenager will soon learn how to either create a fake ID, use someone else's ID, or go around this verification system in another way.
Age verification laws will *without a doubt* support a flourishing criminal industry to provide fake or stolen IDs even more easily online.
## Where age verification is (or will be) required
In April this year, [Discord started to test age verification systems](https://www.theverge.com/news/650493/discord-age-verification-face-id-scan-experiment) using facial or ID scans, as a way to comply with [Australia](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89vjj0lxx9o)'s and [UK](https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/26/23922397/uk-online-safety-bill-law-passed-royal-assent-moderation-regulation)'s new laws.
This measure only applies to access certain protected posts for users located in Australia and the United Kingdom and at this time, but don't be surprised if it soon gets implemented at the account level for users everywhere.
In the [United States](https://action.freespeechcoalition.com/age-verification-resources/state-avs-laws/), many states have already passed some types of age verification laws, and several others have proposed such laws. In [Canada](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/09/canadas-leaders-must-reject-overbroad-age-verification-bill) and [Europe](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/funding/call-tenders-development-consultancy-and-support-age-verification-solution), legislators have also been pushing for similar regulations to block content online subject to age verification.
There is no doubt the more countries pass similar prohibitive laws, the more other countries will soon follow.
Some hope however, this month a US federal judge ruled an age verification [law in Arkansas unconstitutional](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5228836-judge-blocks-social-media-age-verification-law-in-arkansas/).
## Who decides what is sensitive content
When talking about age verification, most assume this only applies to obvious pornographic content. However, many of these laws have [much wider reach](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/impact-age-verification-measures-goes-beyond-porn-sites).
For example, the Australian law prohibits access to social media altogether for anyone under the age of 16. This means that, once the law comes into full effect after its transitional period, anyone who uses social media in Australia will have to prove they are older than this age. It is likely that all Australian users will have to provide some form of identifying data to continue using their social media accounts. **This is a privacy nightmare.**
When laws target specific content, definition of what is appropriate and what isn't is often too broad. Moreover, this definition is subject to change from one administration to another.
There are also wide differences from one country to another. For example, some countries sadly consider simple discussions of gender identity or sexual orientation to be sensitive content. What is deemed inappropriate to children in one culture might not be the same in another.
Automating this sort of censorship leads to a lot of misfiring. There has already been numerous instances of [breastfeeding photos mislabelled](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/facebook-clarifies-breastfeeding-pics-ok-updates-rules-1.2997124) for nudity. Important educational material for sex education could get censored and inaccessible to children, who critically need access to it *before* adulthood.
Who will decide which content should be censored and which shouldn't? Will countries hosting the big tech platforms end up having a greater decision power in the matter? Will platforms simply decide to apply the strongest level of restriction worldwide?
## Age verification isn't effective
Even if we could somehow find a global consensus that is perfectly ethical and never misfires on which content children shouldn't access, it will likely fail.
Children, and teenagers especially, are and have always been incredibly effective at going around such limitation to feed their curious minds.
First, there are technical tools such as VPNs and proxies of all sort to go around location-based restrictions. Then, there's the classic fake ID, and its modern evolution: deepfake face. There will also be without a doubt a growing market of pre-verified "adult" accounts up for sale online.
Perhaps age verification measures will work for a couple of months, until products to evade it get the word out, then they'll become useless. Only leaving the ashes of your social media legal consenting adult pseudonymity in its path.
## Why it's bad news for everyone's privacy
Age verification will require all platforms and/or third-party identification service providers to collect an enormous trove of sensitive data on everyone.
This goes against all principles of data minimization, generally a vital part of data protection regulations.
Daily occurrences of data breach incidents have taught us we cannot trust these services to safeguard our data. Data breaches for this sensitive information are only a matter of time.
The concentration of such valuable data will likely be monetized and resold either by the platforms themselves, by the for-profit third-party "age assurance" providers they use, or eventually by the criminals who stole it from them.
This data trove will include face scans of children with their location (trying to pass as adults), and faces and official documents from every adult in the world using social media, if this kind of regulation gets implemented at large.
**The privacy and safety implications of this are absolutely disastrous**.
## Age verification is not the solution
Sadly, age verification legislation will not help safeguard children from harmful content online, but it will effectively remove protection for anyone needing pseudonymity online to [stay safe](privacy-means-safety.md). Moreover, it will put everyone at a much greater risk of victimization by identify theft, impersonation, stalking, and worse.
Despite the perhaps well-intended legislators, technological solutions aren't always adequate to solve every problem we have. Here again, education and content moderation are likely much better ways to deal with this sort of issues.
In the meantime, don't be surprised if you cross a teenager on the street suddenly pointing their phone to scan *your* adult face, or a young relative looking in your wallet. They probably won't be looking for your money, but most likely for your adult ID.

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@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
---
date:
created: 2025-04-30T20:30:00Z
updated: 2025-05-06T18:00:00Z
categories:
- Explainers
tags:
- Tor
authors:
- em
description: You might have heard of Tor in the news a few times, yet never dared to try it yourself. Despite being around for decades, Tor is still a tool too few people know about. Today, Tor is easy to use for anyone. It not only helps journalists and activists, but anybody who seeks greater privacy online or access to information regardless of location. But what is Tor exactly? How can Tor help you? And why is it such an important tool?
@ -92,6 +95,8 @@ Even if the Tor Browser is configured to be private by default, if you are in an
For this, click on the shield icon on the upper-right, then on the "Settings" button in blue, and select "Safest" instead of the default "Standard".
**Important:** Each time you change the security level, you **must** make sure to restart the browser to ensure all changes have taken effect. Otherwise, [some changes](tor-security-slider-flaw.md) might not have been applied yet.
</div>
![Screenshot from the Tor Browser showing a warning from the SecureDrop website to adjust Tor security level to Safest.](../assets/images/in-praise-of-tor/tor-safestsetting.webp)
@ -409,3 +414,7 @@ There are many ways to help Tor survive and thrive! You can help by:
For more in-depth information about Tor, you can consult our [Tor Overview](https://www.privacyguides.org/en/advanced/tor-overview/).
<small aria-hidden="true">Unless credited otherwise, all screenshots from: Privacy Guides</small>
---
**Update (5/6):** This article was updated to note [the importance of restarting Tor Browser](tor-security-slider-flaw.md) when changing security level settings.

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@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ MAGIC Grants is our fiscal host, and their custom, open-source donation platform
Thank you to these organizations who significantly support Privacy Guides. (1)
{ .annotate }
1. Please contact <info@magicgrants.org> to inquire about giving. Privacy Guides reserves the right to rescind the membership of those who are unaligned with our mission or organization at any time. Organizational members have no ability to influence what content is recommended on the Privacy Guides website. Learn more about our [donation acceptance policy](donation-acceptance-policy.md).
1. Please contact <info@magicgrants.org> to inquire about giving. Privacy Guides reserves the right to rescind the membership of those who are unaligned with our mission or organization at any time. Organizational members have no ability to influence what content is recommended on the Privacy Guides website. Learn more about our [donation acceptance policy](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/ep2-donation-acceptance-policy/27360/1).
<div class="mdx-specialthanks" markdown>
@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ You can become an organizational member by reaching out to <info@magicgrants.org
Organizational members that choose to be recognized publicly are included in our organizational members section (above), and occasionally at other opportunities where appropriate. Organizational member links include the `rel="nofollow"` attribute: We adopted this policy to screen out potential abuse of our program and site to raise the rank of third parties in search algorithms. Unfortunately, this is a growing problem for nonprofits. This was a complex decision since we know many of the sincere supporters behind these companies, but we decided that it was the best choice for us.
Organizational members have no ability to influence what content is recommended on the Privacy Guides website. Learn more about our [donation acceptance policy](donation-acceptance-policy.md).
Organizational members have no ability to influence what content is recommended on the Privacy Guides website. Learn more about our [donation acceptance policy](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/ep2-donation-acceptance-policy/27360/1).
### What is an active membership?
@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ We use donations for a variety of purposes, including:
**Online Services**
: We host [internet services](services.md) for testing and showcasing different privacy-products we like and [recommend](../tools.md). Some of them are made publicly available for our community's use (SearXNG, Tor, etc.), and some are provided for our team members (email, etc.).
: We host internet services for testing and showcasing different privacy-products we like and [recommend](../tools.md). Some of them are made publicly available for our community's use (SearXNG, Tor, etc.), and some are provided for our team members (email, etc.).
**Product Purchases**

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@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
---
title: Donation Acceptance Policy
description: Privacy Guides aspires to obtain funding from a wide variety of sources to reduce our dependency on any single donor. Please consider donating!
---
Privacy Guides takes the ethical responsibility of making unbiased recommendations on its website very seriously.
Privacy Guides aspires to obtain funding from a wide variety of sources to reduce our dependency on any single donor. Please consider [donating](donate.md)!
## What we **can** accept
In the course of our regular fundraising activities...
- Donations and other forms of support will generally be accepted from individuals, corporations, foundations, or other entities, without limitations.
- This includes cash, cash equivalents (checks, money orders, credit/debit card payments), and cryptocurrency.
- Gifts of Real Property, Personal Property, or Securities may only be accepted upon approval of the MAGIC Grants board of directors.
Privacy Guides will only accept such gifts that are legal and consistent with our policies. Gifts must not interfere with Privacy Guides' mission, purpose, and procedures.
## Things we do **not** do
- Accept sponsorships.
- Offer to recommend a product or service in exchange for a donation or other incentive.
- Threaten to remove a recommendation for a product or service unless we receive a donation or other incentive.
- Offer to expedite a review of a product or service in exchange for a donation or other incentive.
- Write sponsored content or feature sponsored components in our content.
## Things we **may** do
- Accept donations from privacy-related companies and non-profits.
- Apply for grant programs.
- Accept free versions of software or hardware to test and review, while being mindful of possible differences in versions that could differ from a regular customer experience. ([More details](executive-policy.md#ep1-freely-provided-product-samples))
- Accept discounted versions of software or hardware that assist our operations (for example, discounted software costs made available to non-profits).
## Restrictions on gifts
Privacy Guides accepts unrestricted gifts, and we appreciate the flexibility to apply your gift to our programs where they are most needed.
We also accept and appreciate gifts for specified programs or purposes, provided that such gifts are consistent with our program's stated mission, purpose, and priority. Privacy Guides will not accept gifts which are too restrictive in purpose.
Examples of gifts which are too restrictive include:
- Those which fund the research and review of a specific product category or specific product.
- Those which violate our existing policies.
- Those which are too difficult for us to administer.
- Those that are for purposes outside our general mission.
An example of an acceptable restriction could be a gift towards funding our [video](https://www.privacyguides.org/videos/) production, or hosting our website and forum.
Final decisions on the restrictive nature of a gift and its acceptance or refusal will be made by our executive committee.
## Additional terms
Privacy Guides generally does not pay "finder's fees" or commissions to third parties in connection with any gift to Privacy Guides. We may, however, pay commissions and fees to properly negotiate and receive assets when appropriate.
No officer, committee member, employee, or other agent of Privacy Guides will be compensated in a manner which is dependent on the size or nature of gifts made to Privacy Guides by any person. If we engage with legal, accounting, or other professionals, their fees and expenses will be determined by the time they spend engaged with our work, and not by reference to any particular gift in connection to their retainer.
Privacy Guides always follows the MAGIC Grants Gift Acceptance Policy, available on their website: <https://magicgrants.org/about/documentation/>

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@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
---
title: Executive Policy
description: These are policies formally adopted by our executive committee, and take precedence over all other statements expressed on this website.
---
These are policies formally adopted by Privacy Guides' executive committee, and take precedence over all other statements expressed on this website.
The keywords **must**, **must not**, **required**, **shall**, **shall not**, **should**, **should not**, **recommended**, **may**, and **optional** are to be interpreted as described in [RFC 2119](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2119).
## EP1: Freely-Provided Product Samples
*Our policy on accepting product samples for review was adopted September 7, 2024.*
=== "Current Version (1)"
- Privacy Guides **shall not** proactively reach out to vendors asking for product samples or review accounts.
- Privacy Guides **shall not** accept test/review accounts for subscription cloud services.
- Privacy Guides **may** accept freely-provided product samples for one-time purchase software applications which run locally, given they don't require a subscription for continued operation.
- Privacy Guides **may** accept freely-provided samples of hardware products.
- Privacy Guides **may** accept a freely-provided subscription service associated with a hardware product, if such a subscription/license is necessary to use the product.
- Privacy Guides **must not** enter into an agreement pertaining to our editorial opinion with the vendor in order to receive a sample or publish a review. All freely-provided items must be strictly "no strings attached."
- We **may** agree to return the product to the vendor following the review if requested.
- We **may** agree to a reasonable NDA, provided it has a clear embargo date that is lifted no more than 6 months in the future where the NDA completely no longer applies.
- We **should not** enter into any other agreement with the vendor not described here. Potential agreements not described here **must** be approved by the executive committee beforehand.
In all cases, whether we paid for the product independently or received a free sample from a vendor, how we obtained the product **must** be clearly documented in the background section of every article associated with the product.

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@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
---
description: We run a number of web services to test out features and promote cool decentralized, federated, and/or open-source projects.
---
# Privacy Guides Services
We run a number of web services to test out features and promote cool decentralized, federated, and/or open-source projects. Many of these services are available to the public and are detailed below.
[:material-comment-alert: Report an issue](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/c/services/2){ class="md-button md-button--primary" }
## Discourse
- Domain: [discuss.privacyguides.net](https://discuss.privacyguides.net)
- Availability: Public
- Source: [github.com/discourse/discourse](https://github.com/discourse/discourse)
## Gitea
- Domain: [code.privacyguides.dev](https://code.privacyguides.dev)
- Availability: Invite-Only. Access may be granted upon request to any team working on *Privacy Guides*-related development or content.
- Source: [snapcraft.io/gitea](https://snapcraft.io/gitea)
## Matrix
- Domain: [matrix.privacyguides.org](https://matrix.privacyguides.org)
- Availability: Invite-Only. Access may be granted upon request to Privacy Guides team members, Matrix moderators, third-party Matrix community administrators, Matrix bot operators, and other individuals in need of a reliable Matrix presence.
- Source: [github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy](https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy)
## SearXNG
- Domain: [search.privacyguides.net](https://search.privacyguides.net)
- Availability: Public
- Source: [github.com/searxng/searxng-docker](https://github.com/searxng/searxng-docker)

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@ -1,294 +0,0 @@
---
title: Admonitions
description: A guide for website contributors on creating admonitions.
---
**Admonitions** (or "call-outs") are a choice writers can use to include side content in an article without interrupting the document flow.
<div class="admonition example" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Example Admonition</p>
This is an example of an admonition. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla et euismod nulla. Curabitur feugiat, tortor non consequat finibus, justo purus auctor massa, nec semper lorem quam in massa.
</div>
<details class="example" markdown>
<summary>Example Collapsible Admonition</summary>
This is an example of a collapsible admonition. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla et euismod nulla. Curabitur feugiat, tortor non consequat finibus, justo purus auctor massa, nec semper lorem quam in massa.
</details>
## Formatting
To add an admonition to a page, you can use the following code:
```markdown title="Admonition"
<div class="admonition TYPE" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">TITLE</p>
ENCLOSED TEXT
</div>
```
```markdown title="Collapsible Admonition"
<details class="TYPE" markdown>
<summary>TITLE</summary>
ENCLOSED TEXT
</details>
```
The `TITLE` must be specified, if you don't want a specific title you can set it to the same text as the `TYPE` (see below) in title case, e.g. `Note`. The `ENCLOSED TEXT` should be Markdown formatted.
### Regular types
Replace `TYPE` in the examples above with one of the following:
#### `note`
<div class="admonition note" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Note</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `abstract`
<div class="admonition abstract" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Abstract</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `info`
<div class="admonition info" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Info</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `tip`
<div class="admonition tip" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Tip</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `success`
<div class="admonition success" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Success</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `question`
<div class="admonition question" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Question</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `warning`
<div class="admonition warning" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Warning</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `failure`
<div class="admonition failure" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Failure</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `danger`
<div class="admonition danger" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Danger</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `bug`
<div class="admonition bug" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Bug</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `example`
<div class="admonition example" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Example</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
#### `quote`
<div class="admonition quote" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Quote</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
### Special Types
#### `recommendation`
This format is used to generate recommendation cards. Notably it is missing the `<p class="admonition-title">` element.
``` markdown title="Recommendation Card"
<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>
![PhotoPrism logo](assets/img/photo-management/photoprism.svg){ align=right }
**PhotoPrism** is a self-hostable platform for managing photos. It supports album syncing and sharing as well as a variety of other [features](https://photoprism.app/features). It does not include E2EE, so it's best hosted on a server that you trust and is under your control.
[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://photoprism.app){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://photoprism.app/privacy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://photoprism.app/kb){ .card-link title=Documentation}
[:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/photoprism){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>
- [:simple-github: GitHub](https://github.com/photoprism)
</details>
</div>
```
<div class="result" markdown>
<div class="admonition recommendation" markdown>
![PhotoPrism logo](../assets/img/photo-management/photoprism.svg){ align=right }
**PhotoPrism** is a self-hostable platform for managing photos. It supports album syncing and sharing as well as a variety of other [features](https://photoprism.app/features). It does not include E2EE, so it's best hosted on a server that you trust and is under your control.
[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://photoprism.app){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://photoprism.app/privacy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://photoprism.app/kb){ .card-link title=Documentation}
[:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/photoprism){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>
- [:simple-github: GitHub](https://github.com/photoprism)
</details>
</div>
</div>
#### `downloads`
This is a special type of collapsible admonition, used to generate the download links section. It is only used within recommendation cards, as shown in the example above.
```markdown title="Downloads Section"
<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>
- [:simple-googleplay: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.protonmail.android)
- [:simple-appstore: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id979659905)
- [:simple-github: GitHub](https://github.com/ProtonMail/proton-mail-android/releases)
- [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://proton.me/mail/bridge#download)
- [:simple-apple: macOS](https://proton.me/mail/bridge#download)
- [:simple-linux: Linux](https://proton.me/mail/bridge#download)
- [:octicons-browser-16: Web](https://mail.proton.me)
</details>
```
<div class="result" markdown>
<details class="downloads" markdown>
<summary>Downloads</summary>
- [:simple-googleplay: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.protonmail.android)
- [:simple-appstore: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id979659905)
- [:simple-github: GitHub](https://github.com/ProtonMail/proton-mail-android/releases)
- [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://proton.me/mail/bridge#download)
- [:simple-apple: macOS](https://proton.me/mail/bridge#download)
- [:simple-linux: Linux](https://proton.me/mail/bridge#download)
- [:octicons-browser-16: Web](https://mail.proton.me)
</details>
</div>
## Old Format
Throughout the site, you may see some admonitions formatted similarly to these examples:
``` markdown title="Admonition"
!!! note
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla et euismod
nulla. Curabitur feugiat, tortor non consequat finibus, justo purus auctor
massa, nec semper lorem quam in massa.
```
<div class="result" markdown>
<div class="admonition note" markdown>
<p class="admonition-title">Note</p>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla et euismod
nulla. Curabitur feugiat, tortor non consequat finibus, justo purus auctor
massa, nec semper lorem quam in massa.
</div>
</div>
``` markdown title="Collapsible Admonition"
??? example "Custom Title"
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla et euismod
nulla. Curabitur feugiat, tortor non consequat finibus, justo purus auctor
massa, nec semper lorem quam in massa.
```
<div class="result" markdown>
<details class="example" markdown>
<summary>Custom Title</summary>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nulla et euismod
nulla. Curabitur feugiat, tortor non consequat finibus, justo purus auctor
massa, nec semper lorem quam in massa.
</details>
</div>
**This format is no longer used going forward,** because it is incompatible with newer versions of our translation software at Crowdin. When adding a new page to the site, only the newer HTML-based format should be used.
There is no rush to convert admonitions with the old format to the new format. Pages currently using this formatting should continue to work, but we will be updating them to use the newer HTML-based format above over time as we continue to update the site.

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@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
---
title: Branding Guidelines
description: A guide for journalists and website contributors on proper branding of the Privacy Guides wordmark and logo.
---
The name of the website is **Privacy Guides** and should **not** be changed to:
<div class="pg-red" markdown>
- PrivacyGuides
- Privacy guides
- PG
- PG.org
</div>
The name of the Subreddit is **r/PrivacyGuides** or **the Privacy Guides Subreddit**.
Additional branding guidelines can be found at [github.com/privacyguides/brand](https://github.com/privacyguides/brand)
## Trademark
"Privacy Guides" and the shield logo are trademarks owned by Jonah Aragon, unlimited usage is granted to the Privacy Guides project.
Without waiving any of its rights, Privacy Guides does not advise others on the scope of its intellectual property rights. Privacy Guides does not permit or consent to any use of its trademarks in any manner that is likely to cause confusion by implying association with or sponsorship by Privacy Guides. If you are aware of any such use, please contact Jonah Aragon at `jonah@privacyguides.org`. Consult your legal counsel if you have questions.

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@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
---
title: Commit Messages
description: A guide for website contributors on using useful Git commit messages when making website change requests.
---
For our commit messages we follow the style provided by [Conventional Commits](https://conventionalcommits.org). Not all of those suggestions are appropriate for Privacy Guides, so the main ones we use are:
## Update to existing text
This example could be used for an item already on the site, but includes a minor update to the description.
```text
update: Add mention of security audit (#0000)
```
## Addition or removal of recommendations/pages
This example is for the addition or removal of an item. You may elaborate why it was removed in the commit paragraph below. Note the extra `!` to draw attention to a major change.
```text
update!: Remove foobar (#0000)
Foobar was removed due to it having numerious security issues and being unmaintained.
```
You can actually add a `!` to *any* of the types on this page to denote particularly large changes, but this is generally where it will be most appropriate.
## Feature/enhancement
For new features or enhancements to the site, e.g. things that have the `enhancements` label on GitHub, it may be appropriate to signify these with:
```text
feat: Add blah blah (#0000)
This change adds the forum topics to the main page
```
## Minor changes
Small changes that **don't affect the meaning** of the article, e.g. correcting a typo, fixing grammar, changing formatting/whitespace, CSS updates, etc.
```text
style: Typo correction in VPN overview
```
## Development-related types
These commit types are typically used for changes that won't be visible to the general audience.
We use `fix:` for changes that fix site related bugs. These things will usually have the `bug` label on GitHub.
```text
fix: Remove broken Invidious embeds (#0000)
```
We use `docs:` to denote changes to the developer documentation for this website, including (but not limited to) for example the README file, or most pages in `/docs/about` or `/docs/meta`:
```text
docs: Update Git commit message guidelines (#0000)
```
We use `build:` for commits related to our build process, mainly dependency updates.
```text
build: Bump modules/mkdocs-material from 463e535 to 621a5b8
```
We use `ci:` for commits related to GitHub Actions, DevContainers, or other automated build platforms.
```text
ci: Update Netlify config (#0000)
```
We use `refactor:` for changes which neither fix a bug nor add a feature, e.g. rearranging files, navigation order, etc.
```text
refactor: Move docs/assets to theme/assets
```

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@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
---
title: Git Recommendations
description: A guide for website contributors on using Git effectively.
---
If you make changes to this website on GitHub.com's web editor directly, you shouldn't have to worry about this. If you are developing locally and/or are a long-term website editor (who should probably be developing locally!), consider these recommendations.
## Enable SSH Key Commit Signing
You can use an existing SSH key for signing, or [create a new one](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/generating-a-new-ssh-key-and-adding-it-to-the-ssh-agent).
1. Configure your Git client to sign commits and tags by default (remove `--global` to only sign by default for this repo):
```bash
git config --global commit.gpgsign true
git config --global gpg.format ssh
git config --global tag.gpgSign true
```
2. Set your SSH key for signing in Git with the following command, substituting `/PATH/TO/.SSH/KEY.PUB` with the path to the public key you'd like to use, e.g. `/home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub`:
```bash
git config --global user.signingkey /PATH/TO/.SSH/KEY.PUB
```
Ensure you [add your SSH key to your GitHub account](https://docs.github.com/en/authentication/connecting-to-github-with-ssh/adding-a-new-ssh-key-to-your-github-account#adding-a-new-ssh-key-to-your-account) **as a Signing Key** (as opposed to or in addition to as an Authentication Key).
## Rebase on Git pull
Use `git pull --rebase` instead of `git pull` when pulling in changes from GitHub to your local machine. This way your local changes will always be "on top of" the latest changes on GitHub, and you avoid merge commits (which are disallowed in this repo).
You can set this to be the default behavior:
```bash
git config --global pull.rebase true
```
## Rebase from `main` before submitting a PR
If you are working on your own branch, run these commands before submitting a PR:
```bash
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main
```

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@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
---
title: Commenting on PRs
description: A guide on participating in Pull Request discussions.
---
Please refrain from using the general **Add a comment** box in GitHub PRs when leaving a comment or performing a review.
![Do not use the general "Add a comment" box in GitHub](../assets/img/meta/pr-avoid-general-comments.png)
Comments that are left like this are not *threaded*, which makes it difficult to keep track of multiple conversations.
Comments that are instead left in the manner described below will have a built-in reply box to keep conversations in a single thread. These comments can also be marked as resolved afterwards, so that discussion can be tracked more easily.
![A screenshot of a comment in GitHub which has a built-in "reply" box, highlighted in orange.](../assets/img/meta/pr-threaded-comment.png)
## Commenting
To start a threaded comment, you should leave all comments under the :octicons-file-diff-16: **Files changed** tab in a PR.
![Screenshot of the tabs for a pull request. The "Files changed" tab is outlined in dark orange.](https://docs.github.com/assets/cb-23571/mw-1440/images/help/pull_requests/pull-request-tabs-changed-files.webp)
To leave a *general* comment on a PR, click the :octicons-comment-16: comment icon to the right of a file:
![Screenshot of an image file on the "Files changed" page of a pull request. To the right of the file, a comment icon is outlined in orange.](https://docs.github.com/assets/cb-73771/mw-1440/images/help/pull_requests/pull-request-comment-on-file.webp)
If the PR has multiple files changed, comment on the primary or most relevant file changed, or comment on the first file if you can't decide.
To leave a comment *on a specific line* of a PR, hover over the line where you'd like to add a comment, and click the blue comment icon:
![Screenshot of a diff in a pull request. Next to a line number, a blue plus icon is highlighted with an orange outline.](https://docs.github.com/assets/cb-44227/mw-1440/images/help/commits/hover-comment-icon.webp)
(Optionally, you can add a comment on multiple lines. You can click the line number of the first line you want to comment on and drag down to select a range of lines, then click the blue comment icon on the last line you want to comment on. Alternatively, you can click the blue comment icon next to the first line you want to comment on, then drag down to the last line you want to comment on.)
Then, type your comment and click **Add single comment**.
## Reviewing
When performing a review, follow the same steps as above, but click **Start a review** (and subsequently, **Add a review comment**) instead of **Add single comment**.
Then, click the green **Finish your review** button at the top of the page.
Do not leave any discussion comments in the *Leave a comment* box in the review finalization pop-up. You can leave it blank, or leave a short note if it will not require any follow-up. To comment on something that will require further discussion, add a comment on a file as described above instead.
Then, click **Submit review**.

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@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
---
title: Translations
description: A guide for website contributors on adding translations to our website.
---
Crowdin has good documentation, and we suggest looking at their [Getting Started](https://support.crowdin.com/crowdin-intro) guide. Our site is largely written in [Markdown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown), so it should be easy to contribute. This page contains some helpful pointers for translating some specific syntax you may encounter on our site.
Please join our localization room on Matrix ([#pg-i18n:aragon.sh](https://matrix.to/#/%23pg-i18n:aragon.sh)) if you have any additional questions, and read our [announcement blog post](https://blog.privacyguides.org/2023/02/26/i18n-announcement) for additional information about the project.
Note that the English version of the site is the primary version, meaning changes occur there first. If you notice a language falling behind the English version, please help out. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of all our translations. If you have a suggestion about content specific to your region, please open an issue or pull request to our [main repository](https://github.com/privacyguides/privacyguides.org).
## Translation output
Translation software gets the translation quite accurate; however, you need to make sure the translated string is correct.
For example:
```text
![Software logo](assets/img/path/to/image.svg){ align=right }
```
We have sometimes found that the syntax for inserting an image like above was missing the `![` or an extra space was placed between the text and the path, e.g. `](`. If a translation string is clearly not correct, we encourage you to **delete** it by pressing the trash icon [or vote](https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/getting-started-for-volunteers/#voting-view) on which one you think sounds best. When invalid strings are deleted, they are removed from the organization's [translation memory](https://support.crowdin.com/enterprise/translation-memory), meaning that when the source string is seen again, it won't suggest the incorrect translation.
## Punctuation
For examples like the above admonitions, quotation marks, e.g.: `" "` must be used to specify string text. MkDocs will not correctly interpret other symbols i.e., `「 」` or `« »`. Other punctuation marks are fine for marking regular quotations within the text otherwise.
## Fullwidth alternatives and Markdown syntax
CJK writing systems tend to use alternative "fullwidth" variants of common symbols. These are different characters and cannot be used for Markdown syntax.
- Links must use regular parenthesis i.e. `(` (Left Parenthesis U+0028) and `)` (Right Parenthesis U+0029) and not `` (Fullwidth Left Parenthesis U+FF08) or `` (Fullwidth Right Parenthesis U+FF09)
- Indented quoted text must use `:` (Colon U+003A) and not `` (Fullwidth Colon U+FF1A)
- Pictures must use `!` (Exclamation Mark U+0021) and not `` (Fullwidth Exclamation Mark U+FF01)

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@ -1,95 +0,0 @@
---
title: Uploading Images
description: A guide for website contributors on uploading images in the proper format and location.
---
If you make changes to this website that involve adding new images or replacing existing ones, here are a couple of general recommendations:
## Images
- We **prefer** SVG images, but if those do not exist we can use PNG images. Additionally, for cover images, we prefer that they are obtained from [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com) and are in the WebP format.
Company logos should be square if possible, and at least 200x200px if they are PNGs (non-vector images).
## Optimization
### PNG
Use the [OptiPNG](https://sourceforge.net/projects/optipng) tool to optimize PNG images:
```bash
optipng -o7 file.png
```
### SVG
#### Inkscape
[Scour](https://github.com/scour-project/scour) all SVG images.
In Inkscape:
1. File > Save As...
2. Set type to: Optimized SVG (*.svg)
In the **Options** tab:
- **Number of significant digits for coordinates** > **5**
- [x] Turn on **Shorten color values**
- [x] Turn on **Convert CSS attributes to XML attributes**
- [x] Turn on **Collapse groups**
- [x] Turn on **Create groups for similar attributes**
- [ ] Turn off **Keep editor data**
- [ ] Turn off **Keep unreferenced definitions**
- [x] Turn on **Work around renderer bugs**
In the **SVG Output** tab under **Document options**:
- [ ] Turn off **Remove the XML declaration**
- [x] Turn on **Remove metadata**
- [x] Turn on **Remove comments**
- [x] Turn on **Embedded raster images**
- [x] Turn on **Enable viewboxing**
In the **SVG Output** under **Pretty-printing**:
- [ ] Turn off **Format output with line-breaks and indentation**
- **Indentation characters** > Select **Space**
- **Depth of indentation** > **1**
- [ ] Turn off **Strip the "xml:space" attribute from the root SVG element**
In the **IDs** tab:
- [x] Turn on **Remove unused IDs**
- [ ] Turn off **Shorten IDs**
- **Prefix shortened IDs with** > `leave blank`
- [x] Turn on **Preserve manually created IDs not ending with digits**
- **Preserve the following IDs** > `leave blank`
- **Preserve IDs starting with** > `leave blank`
#### CLI
The same can be achieved with the [Scour](https://github.com/scour-project/scour) command:
```bash
scour --set-precision=5 \
--create-groups \
--renderer-workaround \
--remove-descriptive-elements \
--enable-comment-stripping \
--enable-viewboxing \
--indent=space \
--nindent=1 \
--no-line-breaks \
--enable-id-stripping \
--protect-ids-noninkscape \
input.svg output.svg
```
### WebP
Use the [`cwebp`](https://developers.google.com/speed/webp/docs/using) command to convert PNG or JPEG image files to WebP format:
```bash
cwebp -m 6 input_file -o output.webp
```

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@ -1,88 +0,0 @@
---
title: Writing Style
description: Our official writing style handbook for website contributors.
---
Privacy Guides is written in American English, and you should refer to [APA Style guidelines](https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/grammar) when in doubt.
In general the [United States federal plain language guidelines](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines) provide a good overview of how to write clearly and concisely. We highlight a few important notes from these guidelines below.
## Writing for our audience
Privacy Guides' intended [audience](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/audience) is primarily adults who use technology. Don't dumb down content as if you are addressing a middle-school class, but don't overuse complicated terminology about concepts average computer users wouldn't be familiar with.
### Address only what people want to know
People don't need overly complex articles with little relevance to them. Figure out what you want people to accomplish when writing an article, and only include those details.
> Tell your audience why the material is important to them. Say, “If you want a research grant, heres what you have to do.” Or, “If you want to mine federal coal, heres what you should know.” Or, “If youre planning a trip to Rwanda, read this first.”
### Address people directly
We're writing *for* a wide variety of people, but we are writing *to* the person who is actually reading it. Use "you" to address the reader directly.
> More than any other single technique, using “you” pulls users into the information and makes it relevant to them.
>
> When you use “you” to address users, they are more likely to understand what their responsibility is.
Source: [plainlanguage.gov](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/audience/address-the-user)
### Avoid "users"
Avoid calling people "users", in favor of "people", or a more specific description of the group of people you are writing for.
## Organizing content
Organization is key. Content should flow from most to least important information, and use headers as much as needed to logically separate different ideas.
- Limit the document to around five or six sections. Long documents should probably be broken up into separate pages.
- Mark important ideas with **bold** or *italics*.
Source: [plainlanguage.gov](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/design)
### Begin with a topic sentence
> If you tell your reader what theyre going to read about, theyre less likely to have to read your paragraph again. Headings help, but theyre not enough. Establish a context for your audience before you provide them with the details.
>
> We often write the way we think, putting our premises first and then our conclusion. It may be the natural way to develop thoughts, but we wind up with the topic sentence at the end of the paragraph. Move it up front and let users know where youre going. Dont make readers hold a lot of information in their heads before getting to the point.
Source: [plainlanguage.gov](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/organize/have-a-topic-sentence)
## Choose your words carefully
> Words matter. They are the most basic building blocks of written and spoken communication. Dont complicate things by using jargon, technical terms, or abbreviations that people wont understand.
We should try to avoid abbreviations where possible, but technology is full of abbreviations. In general, spell out the abbreviation/acronym the first time it is used on a page, and add the abbreviation to the abbreviation glossary file when it is used repeatedly.
> Kathy McGinty offers tongue-in-cheek instructions for bulking up your simple, direct sentences:
>
> > There is no escaping the fact that it is considered very important to note that a number of various available applicable studies ipso facto have generally identified the fact that additional appropriate nocturnal employment could usually keep juvenile adolescents off thoroughfares during the night hours, including but not limited to the time prior to midnight on weeknights and/or 2 a.m. on weekends.
>
>And the original, using stronger, simpler words:
>
> > More night jobs would keep youths off the streets.
## Be concise
> Unnecessary words waste your audiences time. Great writing is like a conversation. Omit information that the audience doesnt need to know. This can be difficult as a subject-matter expert, so its important to have someone look at the information from the audiences perspective.
Source: [plainlanguage.gov](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/concise)
## Keep text conversational
> Verbs are the fuel of writing. They give your sentences power and direction. They enliven your writing and make it more interesting.
>
> Verbs tell your audience what to do. Make sure its clear who does what.
### Use active voice
> Active voice makes it clear who is supposed to do what. It eliminates ambiguity about responsibilities. Not “It must be done,” but “You must do it.”
Source: [plainlanguage.gov](https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/conversational/use-active-voice)
### Use "must" for requirements
> - “must” for an obligation
> - “must not” for a prohibition
> - “may” for a discretionary action
> - “should” for a recommendation

View File

@ -449,32 +449,23 @@ nav:
!ENV [NAV_FORUM_LINK, "https://discuss.privacyguides.net/"]
- !ENV [NAV_ABOUT, "About"]:
- "about.md"
- "about/criteria.md"
- "about/donate.md"
- !ENV [NAV_ABOUT_TEAM_MEMBERS, "Team Members"]:
https://discuss.privacyguides.net/u?group=team&order=solutions&period=all
- !ENV [NAV_ABOUT_POLICIES, "Policies"]:
- "about/criteria.md"
- "about/donation-acceptance-policy.md"
- "about/executive-policy.md"
- !ENV [NAV_DOCUMENTATION, "Documentation"]:
- !ENV [NAV_DOCUMENTATION_ALL, "All Documentation"]:
https://discuss.privacyguides.net/c/documentation/9410
- !ENV [NAV_DOCUMENTATION_POLICIES, "Policies"]:
https://discuss.privacyguides.net/tags/c/documentation/9410/policy
- !ENV [NAV_WRITING_GUIDE, "Writing Guide"]:
https://discuss.privacyguides.net/tags/c/documentation/9410/writing
- !ENV [NAV_TECHNICAL_GUIDES, "Technical Guides"]:
https://discuss.privacyguides.net/tags/c/documentation/9410/technical
- !ENV [NAV_ABOUT_MISC, "Miscellaneous"]:
- "privacy.md"
- "about/notices.md"
- !ENV [NAV_COMMUNITY, "Community"]:
- "about/statistics.md"
- "about/jobs.md"
- "about/contributors.md"
- !ENV [NAV_ONLINE_SERVICES, "Online Services"]: "about/services.md"
- !ENV [NAV_CODE_OF_CONDUCT, "Code of Conduct"]: "CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md"
- "about/statistics.md"
- !ENV [NAV_CONTRIBUTING, "Contributing"]:
- !ENV [NAV_WRITING_GUIDE, "Writing Guide"]:
- "meta/writing-style.md"
- "meta/admonitions.md"
- "meta/brand.md"
- "meta/translations.md"
- !ENV [NAV_TECHNICAL_GUIDES, "Technical Guides"]:
- "meta/uploading-images.md"
- "meta/git-recommendations.md"
- "meta/commit-messages.md"
- "meta/pr-comments.md"
validation:
nav: