Hiding in Plain Sight

Let's suppose that you really do want to be anonymous on the internet, so perhaps you have chosen to go with Linux, with a secure setup, ditching Windows and all the other data collection services from your hard drive, or at least found the right browser, maybe even gone with the Tor-browser so at least being on your way to being less traceable.

Trust me, there is always some tiny bit of you that can be traced and/or tracked, but that doesn't mean you can't try to go further and adopt an online appearance to look like somebody else.

Let's start with the obvious issue…if you are using the same computer for your current 'real' life, for example work, shopping etc., then this won't really help! The ad spy agencies already know who you are, as does Google, Facebook, Apple and all the other criminal organisations that buy and sell your data to the highest bidder.

However, if you use a computer for anything else, such as research, for daily news, blogging etc., then you have options for activating a degree of invisibility or as I like to call it 'hiding in plain sight'.

Stay Private, create yourself!

The very first thing to do is get into cryptocurrency. I would recommend XMR and Bitcoin for your online journey.

Whenever you can use XMR, do so. Sadly, some of the recommendations do not, so I include Bitcoin in the tutorial.

Now create a new persona:

You can use a country that fits you best. However, if you like to use the persona with an Apple, Microsoft, Xbox etc account, go first to Bitrefill and check if the country you have your eye on is supporting countries and stores you are going to need. Fear not, most countries are supported, and this is where your Bitcoin comes into play later on.

https://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

Congratulations, you are now…

Theun El Morabit

Hoofdstraat 1009269
SZ  Feanwâlden

Birthday: November 20, 1954
Age: 65 years old
Tropical zodiac: Scorpio

After you've created a name, let’s do the obvious, you need an email. Do not skip this step, even if you already have an email. You want a clean new start. I would use Tutanota or Protonmail. Do not use your real name (but I hope that goes without saying!)

After you've created an email address, let’s get you a telephone number…

https://crypton.sh/

(This is for UK-based telephone numbers, but they are slowly adding other numbers). The service is located in Iceland! The beauty of it is that they not only accept Bitcoin but also XMR as one of the payment options. You don't even need an email address to sign up!

https://virtualsim.net/

Check here for Russian, Polish, Ukrainian and UK numbers, for a one-time verification. You can also select a Cambodian or Kazakhstan number. Again, on this service you do not need an email address.

With regard to the war in Ukraine, all your numbers are safe and located far outside the ex-Soviet territory and work in roaming. There is no reason for any interruptions.

On the following services, you do need an email address, but that's no biggy.

https://www.textverified.com

(US telephone number, accepts Bitcoin, and a few other cryptocurrencies!) It is a good service, if you don't mind having your telephone number and service in the USA.

https://www.sms77.io

(German-based number) Accepts XMR and Bitcoin

Most services only want a number, which also goes for Apple, so your country of origin or your Apple account, does not need to be from the number you own for your new persona. Remember, you can also use one time numbers to verify a service, so you can verify your Apple account with a different number from your Signal account etc…

If you want a matching profile picture for your name:

https://thispersondoesnotexist.com/

Congrats, you now have a persona, email and telephone number!

None of these people exist! So, you really can use this face or that one or that one because every time you refresh the page, the engine generates a new face! One that is randomized, but that resembles a real person!

If you purchase an iPhone or an Apple device, you can use this setup for your new device as well.

Go to:

https://appleid.apple.com/account

Or fire up your new Apple device!

Fill out what Apple asks from you, include the country and name you generated and submit one of your shiny new telephone numbers. Make sure to read everything and switch off location services, Siri and everything what intrudes on privacy during the setup process. Chose a country which has an option to buy the Apple App and iTunes and load on Bitrefill.

Congrats, you now have an Apple account that doesn't link directly back to you!