Trying to work out what else to get rid of to lower, or lessen, my digital footprint. Discord(certainly as I barely use it), no active google(will close eventually, it kind of sits there), no meta/insta/etc, no apple. It's all "little services" like traders, forums, the occasional app (like food and sport trackers).

Things like goodreads/bookwyrm/etc are vanity services IMHO "I post my books for community engagement and not as a flex, no really...". Don't have that either.

Suggestions? Or things that might've been missed?

4 months ago · 👍 akkartik

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One thing I've been gradually doing over the course of a few years is moving more of my computer interactions to a purely offline mode. The real world and the outdoors are great, but subject to the tyranny of distance. Computers (like books) have a complementary strength in overcoming the tyranny of distance and mentally taking you places you can't easily physically go to. But both only work if you take steps to preserve your liberties. https://akkartik.name/freewheeling-apps · 3 months ago

spent time outdoors creating, building, nurturing, exploring. all else will follow. · 4 months ago

I want to simplify. I use some services that add value, others I'm dropping because there's no need to have them. I want my privacy. There is no need to post things to be honest. No one needs to see my face, read my history and all that. And I want my anonymity. I don't want to be known. I don't want to be seen. I don't need or want to report to a government when I attempt to read a newspaper or a book or have a conversation. From that point I start to have more security. I lessen potential vectors that can enable identify theft, fraud, or potential violence (from private and State sponsored actors).

"the only winning move is to not play the game". · 4 months ago

@ashnar - What's your purpose for doing this? Security? Anonymity? Moral concerns about web bloat and its effects? Psychologically unplugging from an addictive set of platforms? I think the answer will be slightly different based on your intent here. · 4 months ago

@psyko - that's a great idea. · 4 months ago

Yeah. I picked on the book thing because I spent an age trying to find a way to lob my reading. Worked out it's called a notebook.... I don't interact with people like that, so why bother? Other stuff, I avoid real name, posting picture, anything like that. But I'm still concerned. · 4 months ago

One of the things that worked really well for me was asking Google for a report about what it knew about me. Once they sent it to me, I analyzed it and started deleting both data and apps that had backed up my videos and files. It went well, to be honest 😅. It's also true that it's good to ask yourself what kind of website you want. If something brings you even a smile in your personal life, stick with it. If, on the other hand, you see that you're wasting your time without a second thought, get rid of it. · 4 months ago