THE READER.ME JOURNAL
Notes on PDFs, privacy, and standards.
How the tools work, why your files never leave the browser, and the technical detail that matters.
Journalists: handling confidential documents and sources privately
A leaked PDF can burn your source through metadata or an upload you forgot about. Here's how to merge, lock, and clean sensitive documents in your browser.
Jul 18, 2026 · 7 min readPrivacyHow to check in 30 seconds if a PDF site uploads your files
Open your browser's Network tab, drop a PDF, and watch. In 30 seconds you can see whether a PDF site uploads your file or keeps it on your device.
Jul 16, 2026 · 6 min readSecurityPDF encryption explained: what AES-128 really protects
What it means to encrypt a PDF, how AES-128 works, the difference between an open password and permissions, and what password protection does and doesn't cover.
Jul 14, 2026 · 7 min readPrivacyFreelancers: invoices and contracts in PDF, nothing uploaded
Invoices, contracts and quotes in PDF, signed and sent without printing or uploading. A privacy-first workflow for freelancers, all in your browser.
Jul 12, 2026 · 6 min readSecurityFinance and advisory firms: PDFs with bank data, kept private
Bank statements, tax returns, account certificates. Finance and advisory work runs on PDFs full of bank data. Here's how to handle and sign them without uploading.
Jul 10, 2026 · 7 min readPrivacyPDFs in education: privacy for teachers and schools
School PDFs carry data about minors: report cards, records, permission slips. Why they should never go to an upload site, and how to handle them locally.
Jul 8, 2026 · 7 min readNo spam. Just PDF craft.
Once in a while, a useful note on PDFs and privacy.