There are lots of reasons to disappear and go off grid. This means getting away from the entire digital world. Maybe you are tired of all the digital ads that come at your every day whether it be work emails to social network rants. Perhaps you simply want to get away from things for awhile or perhaps you want to disappear and start a new life. Either way, you will need to completely wipe yourself off the online grid.
Your reasons for going off the grid are your own. However, as you've likely learned, it won't be easy. Search for your name on the internet, and you will be surprised to see how easy you are to find. Computer IP addresses can be tracked, and this is where your problems start. Cell phones, credit card purchases, travel check-ins and even just a toll booth can trace you. Even individuals can simply search for your digital footprint and track where you are.
If you truly want to disappear and start a new life, you are going to have to be prepared to go at it alone. Whether on the run or just settling down to a less digital life, there are a few things you need to do.
Lose Your Cell Phone
As I said before, lose your phone and then if you have to get a prepaid one without giving out your identity. A cell phone is a digital bull's eye that allows people to easily triangulate your position based on your cell signal. You don't even need to make a call to be tracked due to their built-in GPS.
You can remove the battery in order to protect yourself when not using your phone. Replace the battery for a true emergency when you have to use your cell phone. You can also go on the run without a cell phone and leave yours somewhere for people to use, so it misdirects those trying to find you. You definitely don't want to get a cell phone that is difficult to access the battery.
This doesn't mean you have to go entirely without a cell phone. You can easily and cheaply purchase prepaid phones at department stores or gas stations. You can give one to someone you want to keep in contact with and keep the other for yourself. You can even purchase one without having to show an ID.
For extra protection, don't use your phone to make a direct phone call. Rather use a prepaid calling card. You can also get some portable, solar-powered chargers for your gadgets, so you don't have to rely on power outlets.
Use Gift Cards for Purchases
You can still make online purchases even if you are disappearing and starting a new life. Use your cash to purchase a credit card gift card like Visa or American Express. You can get these anywhere and then use them to purchase things online and throw away when you are done. The transactions with these cards are between retailer and credit card company your personal details aren't required, and nothing will show up on a statement.
Don't Be Social
You will definitely have to give up on Facebook and Twitter. It is best to just walk away if you can. If not, then you will need to create anonymous accounts from a remote location. You should definitely not friend or follow anyone you actually know.
Erase Info Associated with Pictures
If you are in the habit of sending or posting digital pictures, you should at the very least remove the EXIF data that comes with the image file. This information can include the make of the camera, date and time the picture was taken and in the case of some modern cameras, geographical location information. With enough pictures and time, people can easily find a pattern and know where you've been and where you're likely to be going.
Encrypt Messages
You may still need to send emails on occasion. Obviously, you are going to need to set up a new account. Even then, you still want to make sure no one can read what you send. It is a good idea to use Gmail from Google since they default to using SSL encryption when you're on their website. This will help if you are using public wi-fi.
For added security, you want to encrypt any messages you send. There is a number of free open-source programs that can help you with encrypting your messages.
Hide Your IP Address
The most definite way to be noticed is to visit websites that collect IP addresses from visitors. This can even be the case with some Facebook applications. After an IP is matched to you, it is easy for law enforcement or clever hackers to call the ISP assigned to the IP address and match it to a user. If you are surfing from a school or business, then you can even be tracked to your specific dorm or cubicle.
A proxy server can be helpful. Tor or The Onion Router will help prevent people from seeing you by re-routing your web page requests through multiple routers on the internet. While people on the other end will see an IP address for a router, it won't be anywhere near your computer. Tor offers bundles for any major operating system and even some smartphones. The bundles can run from USB flash drives, so you don't even need to use your own computer.
Don't Sign In
When it comes to using free wi-fi, you will be asked to sign in and create an account. If possible, you want to avoid these places. On the other hand, Starbucks and Barnes and Nobles have an AT&T wi-fi that doesn't require anything more than clicking to re-access every couple of hours. However, once you get online, you can put a VPN to work to help prevent wireless snoopers from seeing what you are looking at.
Don't Look for a Tail
Don't waste your time searching for a digital tail. This is a classic tactic for people tracking you since anyone who is on the run wants to know how close people are to finding them. If you start going online to see what people know about you, your are likely to stumble upon a trap that will announce your location to the people looking for you. Avoid Googling yourself or posting misinformation anonymously.
Disappear and Deceive
Most of the information people find online about you comes from you. Therefore, an easy tactic is to hide in plain sight by filling the internet with incorrect information. This means you can use social networks and other such sites to put out misinformation. While it is important to reduce your digital footprint, you still want to stay online.
Use it as a means to deceive people about where you live, your income and members of your family. This will make it harder for pursuers to find you. Consider creating an imaginary life and then start making status updates about it. The more misinformation a person gets, the more time they'll spend going in the wrong direction.
This may seem like a lot of overkill, but it does show you how easily you can be tracked in today's online world. Use common sense when online and don't overshare information. Take appropriate precautions and limit what you put online.
But my advice would be to stay off the online grid at least first few months or till you create your new identity and you are in a safe and secure place, this way you don't sacrifice all the hard work you did last few months.