Given the recent election, I'm taking measures to ensure the privacy and security of my data. Call me paranoid, but I think the NSA is going to be getting some extra funding soon. I'm already working on encrypting a ton of my data. Any other tips some of you guys could give me?

There is a lot to this. It all depends on what you want to keep safe or how much of it is privacy you want to keep. Safehouse is a good Windows application kinda like TrueCrypt which is now defunct. It creates an encrypted drive you can use. Or you can create VHDs and BitLocker them. Consider what browser you use and with what extensions and what websites you visit.

@CaptainQwerty Mainly using Linux now. Windows might be one of the worst OS in terms of privacy from the devs (and by extension NSA due to PRISM). I'm currently installing Debian with encrypted LVM and a bootkey. Mainly asking about web stuff. (Already know to avoid major social networks and such)

Hello there. Someone here who's been doing what you're doing now for about three years now :).

My tips are based one one thing: use open source, about the only thing you can use that's verifiable against backdoor thingies and tbh, there are a lot of good alternatives!

Using Linux is a good idea indeed since we can't verify windows (or any closed system) for backdoors.

Messengers: avoid WhatsApp (leaks metadata like a ***) and use Signal. It's proven to be around the most secure chat app.

Email: Tutanota or protonmail. End to end encrypted and can still talk to 'outsiders' (Tutanota user for some years)

Skype: either Wire or Tox.

Good source: prism-break.org and one I'll comment when so remember again haha.

If you'd like more advice I can give you my email, I've been doing research etc on this subject for freaking ages!

@nik123 Fair enough! I do use gapps tbf but that's because my work requires it kinda. And yeah signal uses gcm but except for that it's entirely open source. Do you use WhatsApp though? Hope any of the info was of any use to you at least :).

For your computer: enable HDD password?

I guess using a VPN to encrypt your traffic wouldn't be wrong either. And I can second ProtonMail.

Don't make yourself a target, or there's not much you can do to protect your data.

There's always a relevant comic.