02-16-2024, 01:34 PM
(02-16-2024, 12:44 PM)Byrd Wrote: I think it's kind of overblown.
Our purchases are already tracked through credit cards, cash registers... everything else. You're here on the Internet and believe me, EVERYONE is spying on you (cookies, what websites you interact with, etc, etc.)
If you are truly concerned about tracking, I recommend as the first step to ditch your phone completely, move to a tent (no fixed address), abandon your computer and any access to the Internet, sell your car (or motorcycle... bicycle would be fine, however), quit your job, clean out your bank accounts, and sever ties with your family and friends. Avoid medical care, avoid entertainment venues, don't buy weapons or ammunition or alcohol. Don't buy anything... but don't steal.
All of those create some kind of record.
And no, I'm not kidding. Maintain any of those and someone, somewhere (or some government) will be able to track you. Easily.
OR (again, not kidding), create TOO MUCH DATA. That's what I do. My browsers can't decide if I'm male, female, what age I am, etc, etc. Change your name (legally) to something very common (like John Smith or Jane Brown) and gender neutral (like Pat Taylor). My husband, children, and I have very common names and as a writer (and advocate for several disabled friends) I search all sorts of bizarre things. Use multiple credit cards... and pay off one, then ditch it for a different one.
Humans have always lived in a world of "too many nosy-parkers." Ancient people knew who was having sex with whom (because they lived together) and everyone gossiped and got involved in the lives of others. Governments back then knew even more about you because the world was so much smaller.
The trick is to not freak out about things and do ineffective changes (like not using digital currency when everyone else is using it. That calls attention to you. A LOT of attention.) Pretend to be normal-like-everyone-else.
That's the best disguise.
I agree that many fail to understand just how exposed their information is (financial or otherwise.) But I tend to align with the preoccupation that the matter has not become "What do they know of me?" but instead "How can they use that information?" It was one thing to accept that we are naked to faceless authorities... it's entirely another to accept that they can "act" on that information on an immediate impulse in a destructive way.
I remember back in the late 80's and 90's when I was telling people "Don't bother sweating about government entities spying on you..., that boat has already sailed, and you missed it." I remember when it wasn't much of an issue until oversight-free politicians successfully infiltrated the apparatus... which meant their 'sponsors' could now acquire and 'play' with the data. And here we are.
