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How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

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41–50 of 60 posts

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#41
post #33

You can't erase what you've already done online. Moving forward, you could live like a person from 1950. No mobile phone, no internet, pay cash for stuff. That's about as close to anonymous as you can get, if it's worth the pain.

I've moved over to cash for 95% of things that aren't bills, it's quite liberating.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#42
post #9

I've become increasingly concerned with this topic. Looking back I feel incredibly stupid. When I was 16, I was 'paranoid' about computer security. I used gpg, would never dream of giving my real name to any website. I distrusted every website. Now I'm 31, and you can easily find 5 years of reddit comment history linked to my almost unique real name. Facebook has algorithms that can link my face to my real identity.…

I have been dealing with with some of the consequences of this for the last three years. Details here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6932327

The fact that most of my professional life was very publicly exposed online has now gotten in the way of me being able to land a job. Not because there's anything bad in there. Quite to the contrary. The issue is that you can't dumb-down or narrow your resume when a simple Google search reveals you are far more than the resume says.

Some people are scared (is he after my job?) others are protective (he just wants to get inside to learn the business and then become a competitor) and others think you are over qualified (he's going to get bored and leave in x months).

Short of legally changing your name there's no way to disconnect from your online fingerprint.

At fifty years of age I am in a situation where, after hundreds of resumes over three years I have come to the conclusion I am not employable. It seems my only path will have to be through entrepreneurship. Read my post for details.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#43
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. I'm pretty content to speak my mind and let others figure out whether what I'm saying chimes with their values or not.

That's very brave of you, and I respect that, and only hope that you never live to regret it. I perhaps have slightly more fringe interests than you, and in the past have been somewhat indiscreet, albeit on obscure forums.

I have to lie in the bed that I make, for better or worse, heh. I'm not trying to sell a philosophy here, though - only state mine. You're perfectly welcome to your own, and I'm not going to think any worse of you for it.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#44
post #24

I was scared while reading the best answer: > Shops know what you buy in what amounts, because nobody buys all the same brands you are getting fingerprinted constantly. This is used for targeted advertising, but it can also theoretically be used to track you. I live in france and I wonder if this is even legal here. Even if you change you name, if you start buying some sort of the same combination of grocery article,…

[deleted]

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#45
post #10

I've being trying to make this a HN hit for a long time now, and I will try again as it is related to the topic. The "name-your-price" web comic The Private Eye: http://panelsyndicate.com/ is a great story on a future world where online anonymity became impossible, then people went for real world anonymity, all of us wearing masks and pseudonyms. It is really interesting and entertaining to follow. I have no connecti…

Tangential, but one frustration with the "name your price" model (depending on how it's presented) is that I have to pay up-front, without knowing what the value (ie, equality) is. I'll feel obnoxious if I pay $1, but on the other hand, I don't know if it's worth $5. Or, maybe it's phenomenal, in which case I'd be happy to pay $20 for it. That said, this looks interesting; I've bookmarked it for later, and will proba…

I'd suggest you pay 0, read the first issue, and then pay for the following ones if you enjoyed the comic.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#46
post #10

I've being trying to make this a HN hit for a long time now, and I will try again as it is related to the topic. The "name-your-price" web comic The Private Eye: http://panelsyndicate.com/ is a great story on a future world where online anonymity became impossible, then people went for real world anonymity, all of us wearing masks and pseudonyms. It is really interesting and entertaining to follow. I have no connecti…

I'm guessing it's because the only thing I see when I follow that link is the long list of "buy now" buttons. No teaser for the comic, nothing to let me gauge the comics worth... just a poorly designed webpage that only seems to want to part me and my money. I closed the website after about 3 seconds, and wouldn't even have commented except for your seemingly genuine puzzlement at why someone wouldn't want to read it…

You name your price, so just pay nothing for the first one, then if you like it, buy the second.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#47
post #9

I've become increasingly concerned with this topic. Looking back I feel incredibly stupid. When I was 16, I was 'paranoid' about computer security. I used gpg, would never dream of giving my real name to any website. I distrusted every website. Now I'm 31, and you can easily find 5 years of reddit comment history linked to my almost unique real name. Facebook has algorithms that can link my face to my real identity.…

I have been dealing with with some of the consequences of this for the last three years. Details here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6932327 The fact that most of my professional life was very publicly exposed online has now gotten in the way of me being able to land a job. Not because there's anything bad in there. Quite to the contrary. The issue is that you can't dumb-down or narrow your resume when a simpl…

Interesting. I'd never have thought of this downside without hearing your story so thanks for sharing.

You say in the other thread that your wife suggested a Bachelor's/Masters but what about MBA or PhD instead? I know of folks who've come into Systems PhDs with diverse backgrounds. I'm sure MBA programs might also look favourably on your experience (though that route probably costs more).

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#48

Here is how to do it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinformation > Disinformation is intentionally false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth. Disinformation should not be confused with misinformation, information that is unintentionally false. > Unlike traditional propaganda techniques designed to engage emotional suppor…

yes, that's the way I would do it, use pictures of people that looks like you, start tagging yourself in such pics, also change your online behavior gradually, create several online alter egos, and try to erase your old online presence, after a while the online information about you should be worthless.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing it's because the only thing I see when I follow that link is the long list of "buy now" buttons. No teaser for the comic, nothing to let me gauge the comics worth... just a poorly designed webpage that only seems to want to part me and my money. I closed the website after about 3 seconds, and wouldn't even have commented except for your seemingly genuine puzzlement at why someone wouldn't want to read it…

You name your price, so just pay nothing for the first one, then if you like it, buy the second.

It requires thought for the customer to realize they can do that, and thought equals friction in a transaction, it costs you customers.

You could get the same effect without the friction just by offering the first issue free and then putting the "Buy Now" buttons on the following issues. That lets you put the word "FREE" next to one issue, which will indicate to people that it's safe to click on if they're uncommitted. No thought on their part required, which should translate to more downloads.

Re: How can someone go off-web and anonymize themselves after a life online?

#50
Even if someone can successfully go "off the grid" never using a cellphone or computer, and paying for everything with cash you keep stuffed under your mattress, mentions of your name and images of you will inevitably appear in others' emails, Facebook posts, and whatever else.

In addition, eventually with facial recognition and the high density of security cameras, going anywhere other than the middle of the nowhere will be building a database of your movements.

This is all more than enough to build an accurate profile of you.

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