[echoradio]

The most valuable course I took at university taught you how to request and analyze public records. This was at least 4-5 years before the government had records available online. So it required you to physically examine this information.

While taking the class, I came to realize the paper trail you leave the moment you become an adult is immense and almost impossible — from a government perspective — to eliminate entirely. If you require a license or own property, you have no choice but to be in the system. You literally have to disconnect from society and live as a hermit in the woods (and even then I wouldn’t doubt the ability to be tracked.)

The digital realm has only made this paper trail exponentially impossible to control, even if you’re consciously trying. I’ve adopted the practice of limiting my digital footprint as much as possible (within reason). I don’t have accounts or engage with the social media walled gardens. I am very conscious of the media I consume. For instance, I don’t follow my curiosity about topics an on platforms where an algorithm might force feed me — if I wanted to know about a conspiracy theory for giggles, I’d read on Wikipedia, not watch a video on YouTube.

And, finally, ad and tracker blockers at every possible level. I figure if someone has me profiled, I can at least block the tailored message they’re sending.