I took myself offline completely. Here's why... By Mark Farid

Mackin USA · November 03, 2015, 02:29:09 PM

"From now until next April, I am trying to live without a digital footprint. I'm using multiple pay as you go phones, which I'm replacing every four weeks. I have several different laptops, which I use for different things. I pay for everything in cash, which I take out every month from the same cash machine. I buy a daily travel card (in cash). There is still, of course, a digital footprint of sorts, but it's incredibly difficult to link everything together, and I will be scrambling my IP address and using the laptops only in set locations for specific purposes. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/11972106/I-took-myself-offline-completely.-Heres-why.html

ergophobe · November 03, 2015, 04:50:40 PM

God knows I've thought of it.... but since at least for the present, I have to be online to make a living, I feel like it's all out there.

But this is radical

QuoteAt the Cambridge Festival of Ideas, I gave out to the audience my login details for everything, from my Just Eat account details to my Facebook account to my Apple ID. Within minutes, one person had changed my Gmail and Hotmail details, and another had altered my Facebook and Twitter passwords. Apple ID followed suit moments later. That was it. I was offline and had no means of getting those details back.

littleman · November 03, 2015, 04:51:07 PM

He isn't really taking himself offline, he's just going (sort of) incognito. I know people who are completely off line who have virtually no digital footprint. They work and pay for everything in cash only.

littleman · November 03, 2015, 07:46:46 PM

That said, even those folks who do nothing online, have no credit and pay no bills will probably have some small footprint today if they have any friends or family posting pictures on FB, instagram and the like. You would probably need to be a hermit with some homestead deep in the country or join an Amish commune to have absolutely zero footprint.

ergophobe · November 03, 2015, 08:20:26 PM

Not so fast LM

http://amishamerica.com/do-the-amish-use-computers-and-the-internet/
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/06/22/amish.tech.brende/

To me, it's less the surveillance issue than the mental space issue. At his level of avoidance, I feel like technology and internet takes up a ton of mental space.

It's like someone said... "I hate Protestants, because all they talk about is sin. And I hate Catholics, because all they talk about is Hell. And I hate atheists, because all they talk about is God."

littleman · November 03, 2015, 08:45:31 PM

Good articles! It is interesting to think about their intersection with technology. It reminds me a bit of the Hasidic Jews who pay gentiles to turn on and off for them during the Sabbath.

Mackin USA · November 04, 2015, 04:54:30 PM

I find the Amish very interesting and res.pect their way of life. I could not do it!

Humor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOfZLb33uCg

DogBoy · November 05, 2015, 02:37:57 PM

offline? You mean into the streets and license plate and facial recognition cameras?

Don't kid yourself. There is no hiding anymore, and there hasn't been for much longer than you were ever aware. Sure you can try and lessen your footprint, but you can't eliminate it, and anyone that isn't plugged in as much as the next guy, marks himself as someone of suspicion. Anyone that hides, is a threat to the watchers.

Your best bet is to keep your mouth shut about anything of substance, talk about the Kardashions, and live your life out in the pasture that has been fenced in for your own safety. Otherwise, honeypots are everywhere, waiting for those that want to peek behind the curtain.

You can't run and you can't hide, if they come after you.