Brief Explanation of What Self Hosting Is
To get maximum privacy
Self-hosting is the process where you host and maintain the website or applications instead of relying on a third-party provider or SaaS (software as a service). How this works is that you install open source software on your own hardware, which means only you or any authorized individuals can access it, cutting out the service provider. However, in return, you are responsible for preserving the software, performing updates, and handling any technical issues.
For example, I self-host my website using WordPress.org. This allows me full control and ownership over my site and data; I can choose the hosting provider, etc. And if I wish to change providers or not use WordPress anymore, I can simply gather my data and transfer it elsewhere, just like that. However, that makes me responsible for keeping it up-to-date. If something goes wrong, that’s on me.
Other examples of places where you can self-host include email, password managers (Bitwarden), and cloud storage (Nextcloud).
So how does self-hosting maximize your privacy? Since it’s just you running the software, only you will see the information. Service providers cannot gather, see, access, or sell your data since they are not involved. It stays with you, and that is the ultimate privacy power. This also improves security since you are the only one who has access to it. Other benefits of self-hosting include independence and customization.
However, self-hosting does come with drawbacks. The biggest thing is that you will need to have technical knowledge of self-hosting since you are solely responsible for maintaining the software. You will also need to make sure your hardware is up-to-date, which can lead to higher costs. Something else to consider is data backup and recovery, since you are again responsible for them.
Self-hosting is a great option if you want the ultimate privacy, but it can be a challenge if you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy. If you are interested in going that route, make sure you do your research so you understand what is required of self-hosting. You can also look for privacy-focused alternatives to services and products if you don’t want to self-host. Either way, you are on your way to better protect your privacy.
Until Next Time,
Monique 🖥️
Sources:
What is Self-Hosted Software | An Overview with Pros and Cons
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