Staying Pseudonymous On and Offline

Different aspects Phone Email Address etc

Phone

Email

Address

etc

Rule no. 1 Don’t go out in person as your pseudonym! Except in disguise…

Don’t go out in person as your pseudonym!

Except in disguise…

I’ve already broken that rule (As I don’t really care that much about hiding my “real” identity...) (If I did, I wouldn’t go out as “Improbulus”!)

I’ve already broken that rule

(As I don’t really care that much about hiding my “real” identity...)

(If I did, I wouldn’t go out as “Improbulus”!)

Intro to me “ Improbulus” – my pseudonym / pen name Blog: ACE (A Consuming Experience) http://www.consumingexperience.com/

“ Improbulus” – my pseudonym / pen name

Blog: ACE (A Consuming Experience)

http://www.consumingexperience.com/

Why be pseudonymous? Everyone has different reasons ( Why I blog anonymously ) Freedom!

Everyone has different reasons

( Why I blog anonymously )

Freedom!

Rule no. 0 It’s IMPOSSIBLE to truly be anonymous – or pseudonymous

It’s IMPOSSIBLE to truly be anonymous – or pseudonymous

All you can do is just make it a bit harder And don’t give them reasons to want to know your real name

All you can do is just make it a bit harder

And don’t give them reasons to want to know your real name

Examples of bloggers “outed” “ Abby Lee” ( Girl with A One-Track Mind ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_With_A_One-Track_Mind Patent Troll Tracker http://thepriorart.typepad.com/the_prior_art/2008/02/patent-troll-tr.html (outed himself after someone else threatened to, following “bounty”)

“ Abby Lee” ( Girl with A One-Track Mind ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_With_A_One-Track_Mind

Patent Troll Tracker http://thepriorart.typepad.com/the_prior_art/2008/02/patent-troll-tr.html (outed himself after someone else threatened to, following “bounty”)

Scope of talk NOT about anonymous surfing / Net use

NOT about anonymous surfing / Net use

Name Pick a pseudonym that sounds like a real name! e.g. Jane Smith (Not “Improbulus”… probably not “Jane Doe” either…)

Pick a pseudonym that sounds like a real name! e.g. Jane Smith

(Not “Improbulus”… probably not “Jane Doe” either…)

Face Online In person

Online

In person

Online Don’t upload a real photo of yourself Use disguised version or cartoon: this is me, red eyes & all…

Don’t upload a real photo of yourself

Use disguised version or cartoon: this is me, red eyes & all…

Going out in person Safest: don’t go out as your pseudonym at all (see rule no. 1…) Going out in disguise really isn’t practical So, if you have to go out as your pseudonym, try to avoid photos being taken of you and posted online!

Safest: don’t go out as your pseudonym at all (see rule no. 1…)

Going out in disguise really isn’t practical

So, if you have to go out as your pseudonym, try to avoid photos being taken of you and posted online!

How to avoid photos online? Hide – duck, turn away etc! (group photos maybe OK as long as you’re not tagged) Ask photographer to blur/cut you out At a minimum, ask them not to tag the photo with your pseudonym

Hide – duck, turn away etc! (group photos maybe OK as long as you’re not tagged)

Ask photographer to blur/cut you out

At a minimum, ask them not to tag the photo with your pseudonym

NB – watch for tags of photos on Flickr, Facebook etc and try to remove them

NB – watch for tags of photos on Flickr, Facebook etc and try to remove them

Voice Try to avoid being recorded Online e.g. Skype calls - use voice changer: Screaming Bee’s MorphVox Junior (free) http://www.screamingbee.com/product/MorphVOXJunior.aspx

Try to avoid being recorded

Online e.g. Skype calls - use voice changer: Screaming Bee’s MorphVox Junior (free) http://www.screamingbee.com/product/MorphVOXJunior.aspx

Street address PO Box – Royal Mail’s “safety” is a myth: “ Disclosure of information Royal Mail reserves the right to give the address (and title) of the PO Box holder to any enquirers, and this information will be added to the Royal Mail’s national address database – the Postcode Address File (PAF). Information on PAF is used to produce a number of Address Management products that are available to the public.” Use others e.g. British Monomarks

PO Box – Royal Mail’s “safety” is a myth: “ Disclosure of information Royal Mail reserves the right to give the address (and title) of the PO Box holder to any enquirers, and this information will be added to the Royal Mail’s national address database – the Postcode Address File (PAF). Information on PAF is used to produce a number of Address Management products that are available to the public.”

Use others e.g. British Monomarks

Domain name Anonymous registration (private domains) several providers e.g. GoDaddy

Anonymous registration (private domains)

several providers e.g. GoDaddy

Phone Cheap PAYG SIM or phone (NB fake address etc!) Personal number (home phone or mobile) dmclub.co.uk, privacynumbers.com Temporary/virtual/disposable number call-safe.com, oncetel.co.uk

Cheap PAYG SIM or phone (NB fake address etc!)

Personal number (home phone or mobile)

dmclub.co.uk, privacynumbers.com

Temporary/virtual/disposable number

call-safe.com, oncetel.co.uk

Email Webmail – NB your personal details! DEAs – Spamgourmet.com (& Gmail alias) Private domain (plus Google Apps etc)

Webmail – NB your personal details!

DEAs – Spamgourmet.com (& Gmail alias)

Private domain (plus Google Apps etc)

Confidentiality agreements Get from Google AdSense, Amazon People sending things for review etc NB try to get confirmation in writing !

Get from Google AdSense, Amazon

People sending things for review

etc

NB try to get confirmation in writing !

Agreements can be broken… Abby Lee...?

Abby Lee...?

Most importantly… Limit jigsaw pieces you give out! Whether online or offline. Even if to different people (they can get together to put pieces together). Examples.

Limit jigsaw pieces you give out!

Whether online or offline.

Even if to different people (they can get together to put pieces together).

Examples.

Improbulus A Consuming Experience http:// www.consumingexperience.com / [email_address] 079 432 45 789 BM ACE, London WC1N 3XX See blog post for full write up.

Improbulus A Consuming Experience http:// www.consumingexperience.com / [email_address] 079 432 45 789 BM ACE, London WC1N 3XX

See blog post for full write up.

Questions, suggestions?

Thank you!