If you don't want to give info out on the net...

If you don't want to give info out you really should avoid to get on the Internet at any cost. Most people that are on the net today use many social networks. Most of them are not even encrypted and if they are can we really be sure that info is safe?

I don't give out to much info about myself on any website and is careful with my email address, but still when I search for it on Google there is hits. Same with my nickname and real name. Even pictures of me is out there that I haven't put on the net myself.

Anyone that really wants to can find out pretty much anything about a person. Some examples are:
Facebook = What you do. Who your friends is. Where you live. And much more.
Twitter = What you are doing right now.
Youtube = What video's you watch.
last.fm = What music you listen to.
Blogger = What a person writes and thinks about
diary.com = Your diary with inner thoughts.
del.icio.us = What you have bookmarked
Dating sites. Find out what a person is looking for in other persons.
Google = Search on a name. And you will more then often find out tons of info on a person. Phone numbers. Pictures. Where a person posts and where he/she lives.

And lots more places people use daily...

And I have no doubt that if a government really wanted to, they could check your email on hotmail, gmail, yahoo etc. See what news you follow on your Igoogle front page, Get detailed info about your family tree at geni.com. There is tons of other places also where there is info on us.

If people finds out my name they can even begin to find out much I paid for my house, what domains I have registered and other data. All of this is public data on the net. Even where I work and have worked is on the net if you know what you are looking for. Its kinda scary that when you really wants to find out something about a person that this much info is possible to get with little work.

I always knew that this info was out there. But newer really how much until I tried to find some info about a person myself. Within a hour I knew their number, where they lived and even what they did right now thanks to twitter and facebook and their CV with detailed info about work and qualifications.

But even if you avoid the Internet totally you are likely to find info about yourself anyway on the net. People that tag you in pictures on the net. People that add you to family trees on geni. Public info about your house from government.

Hell in Denmark you are required to join a site with full details about yourself if you get unemployed and visit each 7 days at a minimum. If you don't you can't get any unemployment money.

So where does all this leave us? Its almost impossible to totally avoid the net. And even if you do, there is bound to be some out there about you anyway.

I personally think its almost impossible to be 100% truly anon in todays western world. No matter how hard you try at some point info will leak to the net.

What are your thoughts on this?
Is it possible to stay anonymous in todays world?

[edit on 17-1-2009 by cadric]

[edit on 17-1-2009 by cadric]

[edit on 17-1-2009 by cadric]

Contrary to worrying about privacy, a lot of people are naively looking for notoriety or their 15 minutes of fame via the web.
I know people who have their whole lives displayed on sites like myspace and facebook; including those of their current and past girlfriends - intimate pictures - you name it.
The younger people today have been suckered big time and may come to regret what all they have "put out there" that they can now never retrieve.
Of course, I agree with you, even those of us who are trying to be careful are still exposed way more than we want.

reply to post by wayno


You are very right about the 15 minutes of fame. Many people do this. I know several myself. And looking over facebook several people have their entire life open to anyone. Not just friends. But everyone that look on facebook. I think you are very right when you say many people will regret this later in their life.

Its sad but true.

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[edit on 17-1-2009 by cadric]