This is a beginners guide to maximise your privacy while attending Nym Shipyard - a six week long online privacy academy starting on the 9th of October. If you haven’t done so, you can sign up here.

1. Set up a VPN

2. Set up a new email address at a privacy first email provider like protonmail.

   1. Use a VPN to access the mail provider and register your new mail, this way your IP won’t be directly linked to the core of your new identity: your email address.

   2. Use a pseudonym both in your email and in your personal details.

   3. Use a randomly generated password. Grab a password generator to generate and store your passwords.

3. Set up a new discord account with your new email.

   1. For additional security and privacy measures you can also:

      1. Turn on your VPN.

      2. Use a randomly generated password.

      3. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA), under User Settings on Discord.

      4. Configure privacy settings in the Privacy & Safety section. Choose whether you want to allow direct messages from server members or not.

      5. In Privacy & Safety, select who can add you as a friend.

4. Install Matrix to gain access to the Nym “Social Centre” by which is a more private place for intimate conversations between the community and team members.

5. Download NymConnect, and set it up to be able to access all your Telegram & Matrix messages through the Nym mixnet.

6. Set up a new telegram account.

   1. Connect your VPN first.

   2. Only provide your actual personal data if it’s absolutely necessary.

   3. Set up your Telegram using the following tips for maximum privacy :

      1. Phone Number → Who can see my phone number: Nobody.

      2. Last Seen & Online → Who can see my timestamp: Nobody.

      3. Data and Storage → Auto Download Media → Toggle off.

      4. Phone Number → Who can find me by my number: My Contacts.

      5. Profile photo → Who can see my profile photo: My Contacts.

      6. Calls → Who can call me: My Contacts.

      7. Calls→ Peer-to-peer: My contacts (or Nobody, if you prefer not to share your IP address with chat partners).

      8. When you start the call, check the four emojis at the top right corner - ask the person you are calling to name them and compare them to yours as these should be the same for both!

      9. Forwarded Messages → Who can add a link to my account when forwarding my messages: My Contacts.

      10. Never add contacts to Telegram.

      11. Groups & Channels → Who can add me: My Contacts.

      12. Disable sticker loop animation as animated Stickers can be malicious.

      13. Disable auto-downloading: Privacy & Security → Data Settings

      14. Disable P2P calls for everyone as it may expose your IP.

      15. Disable link & image previews in secret chats - scroll down in a Privacy and Security section.

      16. Disable autoplay GIFs.

Kudos to officercia.eth for the detailed telegram privacy steps - check out his page for more hands-on opsec advice & more.

And this is it - if you’ve completed all these steps, you made sure that you have the most private and complete learning experience while attending Nym Shipyard.

See you there!
xoxo

Hux🍍