No, I don’t think so.
A few months ago I got permabanned from Reddit. I had an older account I hadn’t used in a few years. I logged into that one and found it, too, was permabanned, with a reference to my other account. I tried to start a new account, and it got immediately banned.
A few weeks after that, for unrelated reasons, I got a brand new laptop. Without ever even going to Reddit on that laptop (let alone trying to log in), I downloaded a new browser I had never used on any device before which advertises it’s focus on safety (the name of the browser is Brave). I connected my VPN. I created a new burner email account. Then I created a new Reddit account. Within 2 days it was permabanned referencing me trying to evade a ban on my other account.
I have no idea how they were able to know it was me. It was a new account, made from a new device, with a new email, through a new privacy-focused browser, on a VPN (so different IP address). There should have been no way for them to track me, yet they somehow still did.
I’d really like to know how they tracked it. Not even just to get back on Reddit. If Reddit is able to track you like that, then you know other companies and governments can.
did you use the same websites on brave that you normally use?
did you use a different operating system?
did you use a brave account on it?
did you verify that your vpn was using an exit point ip address that you’ve never used before every single time you accessed reddit?
most importantly: why bother using reddit?
did you use the same websites on brave that you normally use?
No. I exclusively have used Brave just for Reddit specifically for this reason. I also used Edge, which came installed on the laptop. Maybe data from Edge is used in Brave or Reddit is somehow able to track that? I never went to Reddit in Edge, let alone logged in, but I did log into my Google account (which has never been linked to any Reddit account, but I’ve been logged into it on the same browser as my older Reddit account in the past).
did you use a different operating system?
I’ve used Reddit with my old account on Android phones and my old laptop, which ran Windows 10. This new one uses Windows 11. I did log into Windows 11 with my Microsoft account. Maybe that’s how they tracked it? That seems far-fetched, but maybe?
did you use a brave account on it?
No, and I only use Brave in incognito mode. I know that doesn’t prevent anyone else from tracking anything, but it’s supposed to not save local files after closing the browser.
did you verify that your vpn was using an exit point ip address that you’ve never used before every single time you accessed reddit?
I mean, I don’t track every IP address I’ve ever used. As far as I know it’s been a new IP address, but I really have no way of guaranteeing that. It seems incredibly unlikely I happened to stumble upon one I’ve used before, though.
most importantly: why bother using reddit?
Lemmy isn’t to the point where it can be a Reddit replacement. Sure, for some stuff it’s fine, but the user base is just too small. There are multiple subreddits for local communities around me that are very active which I like to check. There are communities for more niche hobbies, games, and books I like to follow. There’s just WAY more content on Reddit that you can’t get on Lemmy.
My guess would be your Windows ID. Did you use the same Microsoft account when setting up the new laptop as your old one? I know Brave should eliminate that but from what I’ve heard it just doesn’t. It’s all lies. You mentioned using Edge, and I am thinking that Microsoft and Google are both so heavily intertwined at this point that they are basically the same data cesspool.
Of course that is assuming it was a PC and not an Apple or Linux based device (again, you mentioned Edge). Other options would be a Samsung, HP, Acer, Google, or other manufacturer accounts. Google for sure. If you signed into Google anywhere else on that thing with your ID I would just assume your data was being beamed straight into every computer watching for it in existence.
Probably the Windows, then. Like I said above:
This new one uses Windows 11. I did log into Windows 11 with my Microsoft account. Maybe that’s how they tracked it? That seems far-fetched, but maybe?
It was a new account, made from a new device, with a new email, through a new privacy-focused browser, on a VPN
I was thinking of trying that after I get my new laptop but now I’m scared
How’s that even possible tho? Did you use the same phone number for your new email I’d that you used before? There must be some link. I mean that’s just too much at this point
Nope. It was a temp email account from one of those temp email sites that deletes the email account once you close the browser. I have no idea how they were able to track me, but it’s kinda scary.
Okay
So have you found any good alternative to reddit? Lemmy is good but there are very less users in here
No. Lemmy is the best I’ve found, but there aren’t nearly enough users to make it anywhere close to as useful as Reddit.
VPN?
That’s not a good solution because if I mistakenly open that account with the VPN on, they’ll straight up ban my account
Clear cookies to log you out? The account is as good as banned, anyway (can’t access via your IP cuz that’s banned, can’t access it via another IP cuz you said that would get it banned). Back up your data using tools like bdfr and GTFO. You can also use shreddit to both archive and overwrite your posts and comments (perhaps with links to your Lemmy account, as I did - I give people any of my deleted Reddit content they ask for here).
But how about another, non-VPN IP? Check your IP and try unplugging your modem for a few minutes, this could make your IP lease expire and the ISP issue a new one.