diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 6773346..0ab387a 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,3 +1,10 @@ # liberethos_paradigm -Information and tools to facilitate ethical consumption of goods and services. \ No newline at end of file +Our mission: supply information and tools to facilitate ethical consumption of goods and services. + +The following catalogs include blacklists, whitelists, and graylists of financial institutions: + +* [banks in the US](usa_banks.md) +* [brokerages in the US](usa_brokerages.md) +* [insurance companies in the US](usa_insurance_companies.md) + diff --git a/input_docs/table_legend.md b/input_docs/table_legend.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6f8654f --- /dev/null +++ b/input_docs/table_legend.md @@ -0,0 +1,161 @@ +# Why ALEC members are blacklisted + +American Legislative Exchange Council ("ALEC") is a right-wing super PAC and bill mill that puts corporate interests above the interest of human beings. ALEC: + +* [fights environmental protections](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Environment,_Energy,_and_Agriculture) +* [fights gun control](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Guns,_Prisons,_Crime,_and_Immigration) +* [fights healthcare](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Health,_Pharmaceuticals,_and_Safety_Net_Programs) +* [fights immigration](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Guns,_Prisons,_Crime,_and_Immigration) +* [fights worker's rights](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Worker_Rights_and_Consumer_Rights) +* [fights consumer protections](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Worker_Rights_and_Consumer_Rights) +* [fights public education](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Privatizing_Public_Education,_Higher_Ed_Policy,_and_Teachers) +* fights women's rights +* fights voter rights ([supports voter suppression policy](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Democracy,_Voter_Rights,_and_Federal_Power)) +* [finances republicans](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Civil_Justice_Task_Force#Politicians) +* supports the NRA + +Countless companies were ALEC members historically, but most of them discontinued membership and renounced it likely to avoid boycott. +Companies that continue to renew their ALEC membership are right-wing die-hards unlikely to join team humanity. So they are blacklisted. + +The OK hand sign (๐Ÿ‘Œ) indicates that the financial institution still today supports the above-mentioned right-wing agenda through ALEC membership. + +# Why Tor-hostile FIs are blacklisted + +Financial institutions that are aggressively Tor-hostile are automatically blacklisted. + +
+Why access to banks, brokerages, and insurance companies over Tor matters +If Tor were used exclusively for anonymity, it would be useless in the +context of consumers accessing and controlling their financial +accounts. But that's not the case. Tor prevents your ISP from +snooping on where you bank. ISPs collect data on their own customers +and exploit it for profit in the US. Under Obama it became illegal +for an ISP to sell data collected on their customers without express +consent. As if that's not already useless thanks to an abundant supply +of consumers who will agree to anything without reading it, Trump +reversed +Obama's policy in 2017 to render consumers completely powerless. Tor +is a free tool to protect from excessive disclosure of where your +assets are. Thus when a financial institution blocks Tor, it prevents you +from taking basic self-defense measures. This trend undermines the +supplier-client relationship whereby we expect the supplier to serve +the customer's interest. It's not just anti-privacy, it's +anti-consumer. + +Non-Tor users generally reveal their physical location to their bank or insurance company +every time they login. If all banks and insurance companies didn't care where you reside, +this wouldn't be a problem. But some financial institutions care more than others and +beyond reason. Banks typically +[collect your IP address](https://web.archive.org/web/20201024203113/www.decorahbank.com/legal-information/privacy-policy) +and one bank even outright admits in their +[privacy policy](https://web.archive.org/web/20210206141004/https://beneficialstatebank.com/uploads/files/BSB-Consumer-Privacy-Act-CCPA-Privacy-Notice-Current-6.4.2020.pdf#page=2) +that they collect geolocation data from customers' IP addresses. For +nomads/world travelers banks can make their lives hell if their +profile doesn't seem to match up with their lifestyle. Some banks +will close an account if a customer moves out of their service area. +Insurance companies will question whether you're still eligible for +the policy you have, as they may want to raise your premiums or cancel +your policy if they suspect you're not where your policy is written. +If you want to take a job away from home for a year or two, Tor gives +you the necessary privacy to do that free of hassle and nannying. +
+ +
+Why non-Tor users should also boycott Tor adversaries +Suppose you never leave home, and you're not bothered if your ISP +collects data on where you bank to then sell to data brokers who can +then sell it to debt collectors. If you're ethical nonetheless, then +you still boycott those who marginalize Tor users. These quotes +elaborate on that moral duty: + +"*If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the +side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a +mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate +your neutrality.*" --Desmond Tutu + +"*Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you +have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about +free speech because you have nothing to say.*" --Edward Snowden + +To expand on Snowden's philosophy, it's extremely selfish to refuse to +defend a right that others need on the basis that you don't personally +need it now or in the future. Moreover, indirect benefits should not +be overlooked. Human rights activists need civil liberties more than +others, but we all need activists to make the world better for +everyone. Moral duties to you derive from that. + +Tor is becoming less usable because the growing majority non-Tor users +are patronizing businesses that marginalize Tor users. + +"*Under observation, we act less free, which means we effectively are +less free.*" --Edward Snowden + +To neglect to use Tor is to subject yourself to unnecessary +observation. In the context of banking and finance, this in turn +reduces your freedom of movement. +
+ +The eye (๐Ÿ‘) indicates that account access is restricted and exclusive to non-Tor users, +who must expose their IP address to the FI and who must expose their FI to their ISP. + +# Why FIs in CloudFlare's walled-garden are blacklisted + +Financial institutions that proxy their services through CloudFlare are +blacklisted automatically for taking a profoundly stupid risk with +consumer's sensitive financial data. CloudFlare holds the SSL keys +for every connection and sees all the traffic including username and +unhashed password. CloudFlare has proven to be untrustworthy with +sensitive information (demonstrated by CloudFlare's doxxing of the +identities of child porn whistle blowers). Apart from the +unacceptably high security risk of having a CloudFlare MitM, there are +countless [ethical problems](rap_sheets/cloudflare.md) with being an +enabler of CloudFlare. + +The storm cloud (๐ŸŒฉ) indicates that account access is restricted and exclusive per CloudFlare's will and customers who do get access are forced to share sensitive transaction data with CloudFlare, Inc. (a privacy abuser). + +# Why CISPA supporters are graylisted + +The [Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber_Intelligence_Sharing_and_Protection_Act) +was a bill to bypass the 4^(th) amendment to promote a system of unwarranted +mass surveillance through information sharing between the government and private sector. +Congress blocked the bill, but it was later reincarnated as CISA and it passed. +Unlike ALEC lobbying, CISPA was a one-off event far in the past, and over 800 companies supported it. +Since it does not necessarily reflect the company's recent stance or influence, +supporters are graylisted instead of blacklisted. They should still be avoided in +favor of a whitelisted competitor, but they are considerably less evil than those that are blacklisted. + +The spook (๐Ÿ•ต) indicates that the financial institution lobbied for a police surveillance state in favor of CISPA. + +# Why FIs that force their staff to take a drug test are graylisted + +Drug testing employees is an assault on the privacy and lifestyle of employees and staff outside the workplace. +In most cases involving medicinal marijuana states, the drug test also harms the healthcare of employees by +intervening in doctors' prescriptions. Normally drug testing would justify blacklisting, but the problem is so +widespread nationwide that the whitelist tends to be overly small. Drug testing also does not do significant +harm to consumers, so companies that drug test are graylisted. + +The test tube (๐Ÿงช) indicates that the financial institution abuses their staff through forced drug testing. + +# Why Amazon and Google-hosted FIs are graylisted + +Amazon is behind [countless evils](rap_sheets/amazon.md). It's paramount to boycott +Amazon for anyone who cares about human rights, privacy, or the +environment. Amazon also has had several data breaches-- Capital One, +Juspay, Swiggy, etc., so it's a bad idea to trust custodians who use +AWS with the security of your money. Google is also evil. Not the degree of evil +that Amazon has achieved, but Google is in the fossil fuel business among +other evils. Google is also a central tech giant which (like Amazon) serves +as a central point of surveillance and also carries the risks of having +a huge number of insiders who can abuse the data. The size of the Amazon and Google +datacenters also makes them a likely target for outside hackers due to the high +rewards of compromise. + +Akamai is not known to have a significant history of wrongdoing on the scale of Amazon or Google. +There is cause for concern in terms of security though because it's large enough to serve as a +central monitoring point where breaches and compromise is still considerable. +Akamai-hosted financial institutions are not graylisted for that reason alone. +In the end, you're the judge. + +Financial institutions hosted on GAFAM (Google Amazon Facebook Apple Microsoft) are graylisted. +The wrongdoing is indirect and in the end taking a security risk doesn't necessarily lead to a breach. +Of course it's still ethically favorable to choose a whitelisted financial institution if possible. diff --git a/tools/gen_fi_table.sh b/tools/gen_fi_table.sh index c91a392..f46af7c 100755 --- a/tools/gen_fi_table.sh +++ b/tools/gen_fi_table.sh @@ -1,9 +1,30 @@ #!/bin/bash -# lobbying data to incorporate in the future: https://disclosurespreview.house.gov/ +# Syntax: gen_fi_table.sh [text] +# +# Add "text" option to write the tables in simple text and the legend in markdown. +# Without the text option, all output will be fully markdown. +# +# Lobbying data to incorporate in the future: https://disclosurespreview.house.gov/ typeset -r db_file=$(mktemp --dry-run --suffix=.db) +typeset -A sym=([red_circle]=$'\xF0\x9F\x94\xB4' + [green_circle]=$'\xf0\x9f\x9f\xa2' + [test_tube]=$'\xf0\x9f\xa7\xaa' + [cloud_lightening]=$'\xf0\x9f\x8c\xa9' + [detective]=$'\xf0\x9f\x95\xb5' + [okhand]=$'\xF0\x9F\x91\x8C' + [eye]=$'\xf0\x9f\x91\x81') + +#local red_circle='๐Ÿ”ด' +#local green_circle='๐ŸŸข' +#local test_tube='๐Ÿงช' +#local cloud_lightening='๐ŸŒฉ' +#local detective='๐Ÿ•ต' +#local okhand='๐Ÿ‘Œ' +#local eye='๐Ÿ‘' + table_populate() { # fiTbl: "financial institution table" @@ -90,6 +111,8 @@ insert into fiTbl (name,url,cflogin,aws,notes) values ("Axos Invest","https://www.axosinvest.com",1,1, "Axos Bank is jailed in CloudFlare and Axos Invest will be soon. Investors who get blocked by that will have to pay $5/month for paper statements."); +insert into fiTbl (name,url,antitor,notes) values ("IEX","https://iextrading.com/trading",1,"an alternative to conventional stock markets; **Google-Cloud hosted**"); + insert into fiTbl (name,url,antitor,notes) values ("Firstrade","https://firstrade.com",1,"whole site is Tor-hostile (468 error)"); @@ -145,7 +168,7 @@ insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,hrecaptcha,cflogin,notes) values ("insur insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,cispa,dt,notes) values ("insurer","Ameriprise Financial","https://www.ameriprise.com",1,1,"akamai hosted"); insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,antitor) values ("insurer","Amica","https://www.amica.com",1); insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,parent,notes) values ("insurer","American Strategic Insurance (ASI)","Progressive","no website, only an access-restricted MS LinkedIn page"); -insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,dt,notes) values ("insurer","Berkshire Hathaway","https://berkshirehathaway.com",1,"Berkshire Hathaway is not directly an ALEC member, but BH wholly owns ALEC members (e.g. Geico and Fruit of the Loom"); +insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,dt,notes) values ("insurer","Berkshire Hathaway","https://berkshirehathaway.com",1,"Berkshire Hathaway is not directly an ALEC member, but BH wholly owns ALEC members (e.g. Geico and Fruit of the Loom)"); insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,hrecaptcha,cflogin,cispa) values ("insurer","Brown & Brown Insurance","https://bbinsurance.com",'unavoidable',1,1); insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url,notes) values ("insurer","CUNA Mutual","https://www.cunamutual.com","Feeds LMG through TruStage."); insert into fiTbl (fi_kind,name,url) values ("insurer","Erie","https://www.erieinsurance.com"); @@ -201,242 +224,96 @@ update fiTbl set notes = '**forced h/reCAPTCHA**'||case when notes is null then EOF };#table_populate -gen_md() +table_text() { local fi_kind=$1 - #local red_circle='๐Ÿ”ด' - local red_circle=$'\xF0\x9F\x94\xB4' - #local green_circle='๐ŸŸข' - local green_circle=$'\xf0\x9f\x9f\xa2' - #local test_tube='๐Ÿงช' - local test_tube=$'\xf0\x9f\xa7\xaa' - #local cloud_lightening='๐ŸŒฉ' - local cloud_lightening=$'\xf0\x9f\x8c\xa9' - #local detective='๐Ÿ•ต' - local detective=$'\xf0\x9f\x95\xb5' - #local okhand='๐Ÿ‘Œ' - local okhand=$'\xF0\x9F\x91\x8C' - #๐Ÿ‘ - local eye=$'\xf0\x9f\x91\x81' - - printf '\n%s\n' '# Whitelist' - printf %s '| *'"$fi_kind"'* | *ALEC member* | *Tor-hostile* | *sensitive info exposed to CloudFlare* | *supported CISPA* | *forced drug testing of staff* | *notes* | -|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| + + # .ft B (bold font) + # .ft I (italics font) + # .ft P (previous font) + # .ll 6i (6 inch width) + + for lst in white gray black + do + if [[ "$lst" == black ]] + then + url_clause="''" + else + url_clause="case when url like '_%' then char(10)||'('||replace(url,'https://','')||')||||||' else '' end" + fi + printf %s "# ${lst^}"'list + +.TS +box tab(|); +c|c|c|c|c|c|c. +.ft BI +'"$fi_kind"' | ALEC | Tor- | sensitive info | supported | forced drug | notes + | member | hostile | exposed to | CISPA | testing of | + | | | CloudFlare | | staff | +.ft P +.T& +l|l|l|l|l|l|lp40. ' - sqlite3 "${db_file}" "select case when url like '_%' then '|['||name||']('||url||')' else '|'||name end, - case when alec then '$okhand' else 'n' end, - case when antitor then '$eye' else 'n' end, - case when cflogin then 'y' else 'n' end, - case when cispa then 'y' else 'n' end, - case when dt then 'y' else 'n' end, - case when notes is null then '|' else notes||'|' end - from fiTbl where fi_kind = '$fi_kind' and lst_kind = 'white' + sqlite3 "${db_file}" "select substr(name,1,(select max(length(url)) from fiTbl where fi_kind = '$fi_kind')), + case when alec then 'y' else 'n' end, + case when antitor then 'y' else 'n' end, + case when cflogin then 'y' else 'n' end, + case when cispa then 'y' else 'n' end, + case when dt then 'y' else 'n' end, + case when notes is null then '' else 'T{ +.ll 6i +'|| replace(replace(notes,'[',''),']',' ') ||' +T}' end|| + $url_clause + from fiTbl where fi_kind = '$fi_kind' and lst_kind = '$lst' order by name collate nocase;" - printf '\n%s\n' '# Graylist' - printf %s '| *'"$fi_kind"'* | *ALEC member* | *Tor-hostile* | *sensitive info exposed to CloudFlare* | *supported CISPA* | *forced drug testing of staff* | *notes* | + printf %s '.TE + + +' + done +}; #table_text + +table_md() +{ + local fi_kind=$1 + + for lst in white gray black + do + if [[ "$lst" == black ]] + then + name_clause="'|'||name" + else + name_clause="case when url like '_%' then '|['||name||']('||url||')' else '|'||name end" + fi + printf %s "# ${lst^}"'list + +| *'"$fi_kind"'* | *ALEC member* | *Tor-hostile* | *sensitive info exposed to CloudFlare* | *supported CISPA* | *forced drug testing of staff* | *notes* | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ' - sqlite3 "${db_file}" "select case when url like '_%' then '|['||name||']('||url||')' else '|'||name end, - case when alec then '$okhand' else 'n' end, - case when antitor then '$eye' else 'n' end, - case when cflogin then 'y' else 'n' end, - case when cispa then '$detective' else 'n' end, - case when dt then '$test_tube' else 'n' end, + sqlite3 "${db_file}" "select $name_clause, + case when alec then '${sym[okhand]}' else 'n' end, + case when antitor then '${sym[eye]}' else 'n' end, + case when cflogin then '${sym[cloud_lightening]}' else 'n' end, + case when cispa then '${sym[detective]}' else 'n' end, + case when dt then '${sym[test_tube]}' else 'n' end, case when notes is null then '|' else notes||'|' end - from fiTbl where fi_kind = '$fi_kind' and lst_kind = 'gray' + from fiTbl where fi_kind = '$fi_kind' and lst_kind = '$lst' order by name collate nocase;" - - printf '\n%s\n' '# Blacklist' - printf %s '| *'"$fi_kind"'* | *ALEC member* | *Tor-hostile* | *sensitive info exposed to CloudFlare* | *supported CISPA* | *forced drug testing of staff* | *notes* | -|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| -' - sqlite3 "${db_file}" "select '|'||name, - case when alec then '$okhand' else 'n' end, - case when antitor then '$eye' else 'n' end, - case when cflogin then '$cloud_lightening' else 'n' end, - case when cispa then '$detective' else 'n' end, - case when dt then '$test_tube' else 'n' end, - case when notes is null then '|' else notes||'|' end - from fiTbl where fi_kind = '$fi_kind' and lst_kind = 'black' - order by name collate nocase;" - - cat <<'EOF' -# Why ALEC members are blacklisted - -American Legislative Exchange Council ("ALEC") is a right-wing super PAC and bill mill that puts corporate interests above the interest of human beings. ALEC: - -* [fights environmental protections](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Environment,_Energy,_and_Agriculture) -* [fights gun control](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Guns,_Prisons,_Crime,_and_Immigration) -* [fights healthcare](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Health,_Pharmaceuticals,_and_Safety_Net_Programs) -* [fights immigration](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Guns,_Prisons,_Crime,_and_Immigration) -* [fights worker's rights](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Worker_Rights_and_Consumer_Rights) -* [fights consumer protections](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Worker_Rights_and_Consumer_Rights) -* [fights public education](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Privatizing_Public_Education,_Higher_Ed_Policy,_and_Teachers) -* fights womens rights -* fights voter rights ([supports voter suppression policy](https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Democracy,_Voter_Rights,_and_Federal_Power)) -* [finances republicans](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Civil_Justice_Task_Force#Politicians) -* supports the NRA - -Countless companies were ALEC members historically, but most of them discontinued membership and renounced it likely to avoid boycott. -Companies that continue to renew their ALEC membership are right-wing die-hards unlikely to join team humanity. So they are blacklisted. - -EOF - cat < -Why access to banks, brokerages, and insurance companies over Tor matters -If Tor were used exclusively for anonymity, it would be useless in the -context of consumers accessing and controlling their financial -accounts. But that's not the case. Tor prevents your ISP from -snooping on where you bank. ISPs collect data on their own customers -and exploit it for profit in the US. Under Obama it became illegal -for an ISP to sell data collected on their customers without express -consent. As if that's not already useless thanks to an abundant supply -of consumers who will agree to anything without reading it, Trump -reversed -Obama's policy in 2017 to render consumers completely powerless. Tor -is a free tool to protect from excessive disclosure of where your -assets are. Thus when a financial institution blocks Tor, it prevents you -from taking basic self-defense measures. This trend undermines the -supplier-client relationship whereby we expect the supplier to serve -the customer's interest. It's not just anti-privacy, it's -anti-consumer. - -Non-Tor users generally reveal their physical location to their bank or insurance company -every time they login. If all banks and insurance companies didn't care where you reside, -this wouldn't be a problem. But some financial institutions care more than others and -beyond reason. Banks typically -[collect your IP address](https://web.archive.org/web/20201024203113/www.decorahbank.com/legal-information/privacy-policy) -and one bank even outright admits in their -[privacy policy](https://web.archive.org/web/20210206141004/https://beneficialstatebank.com/uploads/files/BSB-Consumer-Privacy-Act-CCPA-Privacy-Notice-Current-6.4.2020.pdf#page=2) -that they collect geolocation data from customers' IP addresses. For -nomads/world travelers banks can make their lives hell if their -profile doesn't seem to match up with their lifestyle. Some banks -will close an account if a customer moves out of their service area. -Insurance companies will question whether you're still eligible for -the policy you have, as they may want to raise your premiums or cancel -your policy if they suspect you're not where your policy is written. -If you want to take a job away from home for a year or two, Tor gives -you the necessary privacy to do that free of hassle and nannying. - - -
-Why non-Tor users should also boycott Tor adversaries -Suppose you never leave home, and you're not bothered if your ISP -collects data on where you bank to then sell to data brokers who can -then sell it to debt collectors. If you're ethical nonetheless, then -you still boycott those who marginalize Tor users. These quotes -elaborate on that moral duty: - -"*If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the -side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a -mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate -your neutrality.*" --Desmond Tutu - -"*Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you -have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about -free speech because you have nothing to say.*" --Edward Snowden - -To expand on Snowden's philosophy, it's extremely selfish to refuse to -defend a right that others need on the basis that you don't personally -need it now or in the future. Moreover, indirect benefits should not -be overlooked. Human rights activists need civil liberties more than -others, but we all need activists to make the world better for -everyone. Moral duties to you derive from that. - -Tor is becoming less usable because the growing majority non-Tor users -are patronizing businesses that marginalize Tor users. - -"*Under observation, we act less free, which means we effectively are -less free.*" --Edward Snowden - -To neglect to use Tor is to subject yourself to unnecessary -observation. In the context of banking and finance, this in turn -reduces your freedom of movement. -
- -EOF - cat < -The eye (๐Ÿ‘) indicates that account access is resticted and exclusive to non-Tor users, +The eye (๐Ÿ‘) indicates that account access is restricted and exclusive to non-Tor users, who must expose their IP address to the FI and who must expose their FI to their ISP. # Why FIs in CloudFlare's walled-garden are blacklisted @@ -170,12 +174,12 @@ unacceptably high security risk of having a CloudFlare MitM, there are countless [ethical problems](rap_sheets/cloudflare.md) with being an enabler of CloudFlare. -The storm cloud (๐ŸŒฉ) indicates that account access is resticted and exclusive per CloudFlare's will and customers who do get access are forced to share sensitive transaction data with CloudFlare, Inc. (a privacy abuser). +The storm cloud (๐ŸŒฉ) indicates that account access is restricted and exclusive per CloudFlare's will and customers who do get access are forced to share sensitive transaction data with CloudFlare, Inc. (a privacy abuser). # Why CISPA supporters are graylisted The [Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyber_Intelligence_Sharing_and_Protection_Act) -was a bill to bypass the 4th amendment to promote a system of unwarranted +was a bill to bypass the 4^(th) amendment to promote a system of unwarranted mass surveillance through information sharing between the government and private sector. Congress blocked the bill, but it was later reincarnated as CISA and it passed. Unlike ALEC lobbying, CISPA was a one-off event far in the past, and over 800 companies supported it.