Thursday, March 13, 2025

Post 5,001: Starting the Scrub


 “This is a new internet”, Marz said.

Yes. I was telling her I’ve started to do an internet scrub, to remove identifying features, as protection especially from AI:

Why did I ever put so much personal information online?!”

Exactly, though – – it was a different Internet, and on my blog I had originally wanted people to have a sense of my place in time and space. “I was x years old when Nixon resigned.”

But sweet Jesus, now?

I looked up how to erase your online presence – – I don’t need to do that completely, just erase dates and addresses and details of workplaces, family and personal history, names, accounts, homes, hairstyles, pets… Maybe not hairstyles and pets. And I’ve never posted photos of children.

The only place where I’ve been entirely open by choice is LinkedIn—so many details! Voluntarily provided by me—so that’s the first thing I permanently deleted. 

I’d already deleted my Facebook and Instagram after the Mump election. People tell me, “oh I only use mine once a week” – – not realizing the point is that you have an account. 

We’re not talking to our neighbors here, folks, we’re talking to machines.

Also I closed the YouTube channel of me talking about getting older--it had served its purpose, and I’m glad of that, but didn’t want current audio/visual of me online. I  kept the one of my old Star Trek fanvids, which have little personal info.

And then I started scrubbing this blog. Some is housekeeping I’ve wanted to do anyway– – to go back and select favorite posts and delete clutter. What a task! As of this morning there were 5000 posts – – this is the 5001st!

First off, I did a search for my last name – – and as I thought, Ive never have written it here – – though it is visible in some photos, say of my published books (tho I usually smudged them), which as I encounter I will erase. Machines don’t only read text – they can and do harvest photos. 

Also I searched for and deleted my email user name—even when I’d spaced the actual address out. Like that’s fooling anyone.

Then I erased all the times I’ve said the name of the city where I live/d. It took quite a while, and you could still figure it out easily from clues, if you are a human – – not sure how much an AI would put things together? Probably easily, also, from photos etc.

Started removing birth dates, etc—this is a long process, and I don’t know that I’d bother if I didn’t already, as I said, want to do some cleanup. Maybe cull a lot, for an archive of my own.

I need to do business scrubs – – bink sent me a link to remove credit card info…

I need to think about my photo sharing too… 

You can actually hire people to do all this! But I think I can get a lot of it – – doing a little research into how to clear your name from address providing sites, like the white pages,  etc.

Of course once things are online you can’t erase it entirely. Health records, government docs. Emails! We learned that back in the Clinton/Lewinsky days, right?

But from what I’m reading, none of what I’m doing is paranoid. 

On the contrary. This has long been a sci-fi world we are living in and co-creating, and it keeps getting more sophisticated. 

The other thing is, it’s kinda fun to trace my tracks. Oh, the places I’ve been!

19 comments:

  1. I'm thinking of deleting my LinkedIn account. I don't really use it anymore than to keep up with some friends but will probably go through and delete some info, reach out to persons I want to keep in contact with, get their emails and delete the rest. never had Facebook and instagram. I should go in and delete my Pinterest account --haven't logged in for years.
    I've also been unsubscribing to online newsletters. I am on substack but need to create a name on that rather than using my real name.
    and that's why I went to using "k" on my comments although my name is on past comments!
    did you know that there are people who will clean you off of the web but it means never ever getting on the web again. quite an intriguing idea!
    k

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Oh, K – – I’m sorry I’ve still been using your name – – I didn’t realize that’s why you went to the initial.
      I actually did think about getting off the web and never using it again in any way that required signing in… It’s sort of tempting isn’t it?

      Delete
    2. Credit cards, banking, healthcare, travel—it’s all so entangled!
      But we remember when it was otherwise

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    3. that's okay! I'm sure that it will come out at times!!! ironically I received an email today from LinkedIn saying I really should update my profile -- no, I'm going to clean it. it is tempting to get off totally but at the same time I have some interactions that I like but think going forward to really limit how much personal stuff I share on places where I sign in (so many are letting AI use their stuff). it is all entangled!!!!
      k

      Delete
  2. Good job with the scrubbing!
    I remember when the internet was new, and people were careful about what they shared. Then we got facebook, instagram, etc. and people wantonly sharing everything. Now it's circling back! Linked in, hmmm...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought of the exact same thing, Abby – – when this was all new we were extremely careful, then we got used to the new new normal – – and now it’s opt again – – no doubt everyone will get used to this too, but I don’t want to

      Delete
  3. I've started using Duck duck go for searches..each search you do goes on a tab which you can delete as you wish.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for that tip, GZ– – I want to look into alternates to google across-the-board – – email too.
      I’ll probably keep logger though because I’ve been here for years – – and I’m not going for purity I’m just going for improvement!

      Delete
    2. At least fellow gmailers have a message system...one way of avoiding meta, but I think you have to have a Gmail account

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    3. I have a Gmail – – but that is google – – I’m thinking of avoiding Google

      Delete
  4. Good to know- I have deleted Meta, paypal, amazon, and the photos of Flora Jane...If I google myself I have no presence online. Still have Bluesky which is OK I suppose though I forget about it. I think it is too late , our information will never be erased but not supporting Bessos and Zuck can only be a good thing. Not sure why I keep my blog- it is lame, but it is lame for a reason. It gets very few lookers. I think I am safe. AND so what...my personal info is so uninteresting I don't think there is any danger there. Other than debit card which the credit union is on the ball with reporting shenanigans instantly. Pretty ridiculous - what we have set up for ourselves on the information highway...

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    1. Your blog is my delight, Linda Sue!!! It is not “lame” – – it is full of fun and color and toys and thrift and creativity! I think blogs are the best thing ever, often on for 20 years they really been part of my life— brought friendship and community.

      I’m just sorry it’s all gone in the predictable way, towards more control, more profit, more using people as tools

      Delete
    2. Linda Sue -- i do not find your blog to be "lame." I love reading about your thrifting adventures and how Flora Jane is coming along!!
      k

      Delete
  5. Your deleted post looked interesting..there should be a 70 up....

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    1. I wish there would be a 70 Up, but I gather since the director died there are no plans for it...
      (I was cleaning up my blog and moved my own 7-Up to "drafts")

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    2. That is a pity..they have the format plus other people from the production crew

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    3. FRESCA here: I know! I wish they would go ahead without the director!!!!
      But the latest I read is:
      “ in the aftermath of Apted's death, as of 2024, there is also no known plan to film a 70 Up entry for 2026 with a new director.”

      Delete