Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I live a pretty private life. I don't tell people much of anything. Some people THINK I have told them a lot about me, but they don't realize, I haven't told them much of anything at all. I do have a po box, (if you want to call it that), and don't give out my home address. I don't have a paper trail following me around. If you try to look up my name, you will not find the correct information about me. In fact, my birth date is wrong, in public records, my addresses are wrong, and most of the history that has been compiled is wrong. That's just the way I like it. When you pull up my name, the only thing that you will see that is right is my name. Incidents, or certain information that I thought for sure would show up, simply does not. How? Some of it I don't know how it doesn't show up, but it doesn't. In the past I've had a "paper trail" simply because I would have to be subject to a background check for a job. And sure, if you really, really, really put some effort in to it, you could probably find something about me, but it isn't going to be easy for the average person. Sure, the IRS has information on me because I have to pay those thieves every year. No one can get away from that kind of stuff...unless they live out in the middle of the woods, and live off of the land, never talking to another soul for the rest of their lives. Even then I'm not so sure you could completely "erase" yourself.
Some people will say that I need to worry about harmful incorrect information about me, then. No, I don't. There isn't anything there. What is put down, and all that is put down is an age, birthdate, and addresses (all of which are incorrect), is nothing. There's nothing.
I never use my real name on the internet, either. Nowhere on this entire internet will you find anything linked to my name. I've been doing that since I first got on to the internet.
I may share opinions, I may share a few things here and there about OTHER people that have been in my life, (say, some family members), but I never reveal their name, I never reveal anything that can be used to identify anyone, and I don't really reveal the entire family dynamics, either. In fact, because I don't, people get confused at times when they read one statement over here, and then a year later, read another statement over there. "Wait, I thought you said..." I did say that. And while it's true, I didn't give you ALL of the information.
I don't have a cell phone plan. I don't use credit cards. I don't use my home address as my address. I don't mention names. I don't mention my full history, although some people think that I have. Not even close. I don't mention all of my family dynamics...about the best way I can put that. I don't mention every single thing that I do, every single place that I go, every single like or dislike, how much I make, where I went to school, all of the towns/cities/places that I've lived. Whatever anecdotes I share, cannot be easily pinned down to one person, and I make a point of sharing anecdotes that way.
I suppose if you are with the NSA, you can find me, but everyone else? Nope. Even my own friends don't know where I live. Oh, they know the area, but they don't even know exactly where I live. You can't have a private life if you tell people all kinds of stuff about you that you think is small stuff. Even if your friends are good ones, they always, for some reason, end up blurting out all of your information to someone else, at some time, for whatever reason. I share what I want the world to know, and I share nothing more.
Also, as was stated above...be very aware of any habits that you have. Try not to keep those habits all of the time so that you don't stand out. The poster above stated four cases of water. If you normally buy four cases of water, then either go to a different store, or buy one in one store, two in another, one in another...if you truly want to be private and blend in. The thing is, if you don't do things "out of the ordinary", no one is going to notice you because most people are caught up in their own lives and some people don't seem to realize that we are not background in the movie of their life, we are actual, real people. But, if you want to live a private life, their self absorption is a good thing.
Edited to add: When I first started feeding my pets a raw diet, I went in to the store and piled in a whole bunch of meat products. I definitely stood out. In fact, I was asked if I was having a huge BBQ. Realizing that I was standing out, I replied "Yep, that's one way of looking at it", to the cashier, and any of the people in line behind me who were being nosy. After that, I realized, I will always stand out if I buy all of this meat for a certain period of time in a single grocery store. I don't do that anymore. I will make a point of visiting a few stores along the way, and buying their food that way. I've even found alternative ways to get meat, not from stores, just to avoid standing out like that. Lesson learned. So, even when you do try to live a very private life, you can still make mistakes along the way. The trick is realizing that you are standing out like that, and you will be remembered as "the person who always buys four cases of water" or "the person who buys a ton of meat every (whatever time period)". It sounds like some small little thing, but you will stand out, and they will make a mental note of it.
"OMG, what a sad way to live!"
No. It's not.
Wow sounds like a criminal.. so much efforts for privacy. Why would someone go to such extreme? It understandable if he's a public figure (movie star, ministers etc) but other than that?
I'm a private person and the older I get the more privacy I want, but it seems the more private I am, the more it attracts nosy people and just won't mind their own business which is really annoying.
Wow sounds like a criminal.. so much efforts for privacy. Why would someone go to such extreme? It understandable if he's a public figure (movie star, ministers etc) but other than that?
I'm a private person and the older I get the more privacy I want, but it seems the more private I am, the more it attracts nosy people and just won't mind their own business which is really annoying.
Well IF you're attracting nosy people, then they know where you are right? You're NOT private enough. You can be in plain sight with no one knowing who you are or how to contact you with a small amount of effort. A person doesn't have to be a important public figure to want or need privacy. They just want to live their life alone without being bothered, and other people are a bother.
The best way to have nosy people become uninterested in you is to be very aloof--not unfriendly, smug, or contentious, just aloof. Head in the clouds. Make yourself hard to hold a conversation with. Say nothing of interest at all. Make it awkward by saying little more than yes/no and not reciprocating with information when information is given you. Nosy people tend to get bored if all they have is a listener. Even if they are windy, it will grow tiresome for them eventually. If it's like watching grass grow to talk to you, the nosiness will stop.
Well IF you're attracting nosy people, then they know where you are right? You're NOT private enough. You can be in plain sight with no one knowing who you are or how to contact you with a small amount of effort. A person doesn't have to be a important public figure to want or need privacy. They just want to live their life alone without being bothered, and other people are a bother.
Oh well, you just cannot be anonymous at work place, that's where they are lol... and unfortunately its almost impossible to achieve such private life in my country as much as I wish, unlike in the west or europe. Although I'm a private person, I wouldn't want go to that extreme like some posters do. But I agree with the part where people can be a bother
The best way to have nosy people become uninterested in you is to be very aloof--not unfriendly, smug, or contentious, just aloof. Head in the clouds. Make yourself hard to hold a conversation with. Say nothing of interest at all. Make it awkward by saying little more than yes/no and not reciprocating with information when information is given you. Nosy people tend to get bored if all they have is a listener. Even if they are windy, it will grow tiresome for them eventually. If it's like watching grass grow to talk to you, the nosiness will stop.
There have been people who find me aloof, I think I do in some ways. Sometimes people just won't leave you alone, especially people at work if they know nothing about you they'll make it up. Like someone posted the more private you are the more people will get curious.
I also think the world is getting smaller wherever you are. There'll always be a friend, friend's friend or acquaintance who knows you that'll talk about you to whoever you don't even know! It gets worst with social media where an old pic of yours could be posted on a friend's facebook or somewhere without your permission... Unless you live in the mountains alone and cut all ties, privacy is so precious in today's world.
So many people posting on this thread have an extraordinary belief in their own importance as well as a belief that everyone is interested in every detail of their lives as if they were Hollywood celebrities. Don't kid yourselves. Apart from government data gathering agencies, debt collectors, and thieves why do they think anyone would care?
There was an amusing post from one who bragged about having an ISP which didn't allow cookies. I guess this worthy never noticed that he couldn't have logged into this forum if that were the case.
So many people posting on this thread have an extraordinary belief in their own importance as well as a belief that everyone is interested in every detail of their lives as if they were Hollywood celebrities. Don't kid yourselves. Apart from government data gathering agencies, debt collectors, and thieves why do they think anyone would care?
There was an amusing post from one who bragged about having an ISP which didn't allow cookies. I guess this worthy never noticed that he couldn't have logged into this forum if that were the case.
I'm not sure about cookies needing to be allowed per say, but I can tell you my IP address changes frequently to someplace I'm not physically present.
I'm not sure about cookies needing to be allowed per say, but I can tell you my IP address changes frequently to someplace I'm not physically present.
That address leads to your IP address where you ARE physically present. Unless you are using things like TOR and you understand how to use TOR properly, you can be traced easily, all you are doing is inserting a few jumps in between your physical address and what is being registered on whatever site you are visiting. Not to mention that your ISP still logs (by law) all the sites you visit (unless you are using Tor - in that case your ISP cannot know what you are visiting). However, even with using Tor someone who can access your ISP's pipes in real time and the site they suspect you are visiting can correlate the two, possibly. You just have to be important enough to spend the effort on.
The problem is, more and more data is being gathered and with all the computing and storage power various agencies have today - it is becoming easier and easier to mine all this and make correlations. It is just a bunch of computer jobs running non-stop, 24/7/365 crunching this stuff. From all the news that have been coming out of the Snowden affair, the NSA has the capability to store a lot of stuff and backtrack into it.
There are companies today that own a lot of sites and pipes. For example, a lot of traffic goes through these pipes and sites and they log your IP address on each site. Now company X owning these can start correlating the visits and getting a picture of who the dude at a.b.c.d is. NO COOKIES REQUIRED. Now cue company Z that does not own the pipes but has a few websites. You visit one of those and company Z is a customer of company X, company X is in the business of owning pipes and sites and databases that link all the users on the pipes and of the sites. Now company Z can buy that information too, it can share it back with company X for a discount etc. Cookies are so yesterday, blocking them increasingly means jack squat.
So, the message here is: there are only a few people who truly understand what it means to be anonymous. They are either so poor that they do not have internet, get paid in cash, have no passport etc. OR they have a VERY good reason why they are anonymous. A few wealthy people can obscure their tracks of ownership through various legal vehicles - however you a) have to have a very good reason for it and b) it costs a lot of money to do that.
For the rest of us, it is an exercise in futility. Have a job? Most likely you are getting paid with direct deposit (it is cheaper for your employer) hence must own a bank account etc. Paying rent? Most likely with a check (bank account again). Need to get to work? You are driving on public roads - many of these are monitored with cameras and automated license plate readers.
It is not about whether you are using Facebook and sharing the photos of your breakfast (you actually have some control over who you are sharing it with). It is about the pervasive surveillance that is going on both on the part of the government (illegal) and on the part of the corporations (the stuff you don't know about as I explained above).
A few of us have been taking these steps to limit our presence for years, and DO understand how. Tor is only one option, hot spot shield is another. My IP currently shows me in San Niguel, Ca.
If you really want to live a private life than never use the internet again or talk on the telephone or really use any form of electronic communication. If you do then both the government and dozens of companies have massive amounts of information on you. Either accept that or give up on trying to be private.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
