Being online creates a vast record of personal data that can spread across the internet far beyond your control.
Every Google search, page visit, or TikTok swipe tells companies who you are and what you might like. Smart appliances clock your daily routines to glean data about your lifestyle.
They often share this data with partners you’ve probably never heard of, fueling the profits of a network of advertisers, data brokers, and even cyber criminals.
American software engineer Jameson Lopp had a scary encounter with the latter(nova janela).
In 2017, an armed team of tactical police — SWAT — descended on his house in response to a false report that someone had been shot and another taken hostage. After the police left, someone called him to demand a Bitcoin ransom to prevent future attacks.
Feeling vulnerable with his home address in the public domain, Lopp decided to take dramatic steps to limit his exposure.
We teamed up with Lopp to understand the steps he took and what he learned about digital privacy, corporate surveillance, and the surprisingly complex task of truly disappearing online.
Five steps to erase yourself online
Lopp doesn’t suggest everyone needs complete digital invisibility, but each step he outlines is a potential milestone on the path to reclaiming your online privacy.
1. Install ad blockers
2. Eliminate the spies inside your home
3. Live multiple digital identities
4. Burn the paper trail
5. Disappear completely
The trick is to find the balance between privacy and convenience. With each step comes pros and cons. For instance, it can be quite easy to block ads and malware(nova janela) on your device, or switch to encrypted email. It’s even fairly simple via Proton Pass to establish multiple identities using email aliases. Setting up shell companies to shield your physical assets? Not so simple.
You might not need to disappear completely, but Lopp’s experience offers practical lessons about protecting yourself from digital and physical threats.
