Caught In The Web: Can Anonymity Survive in the Digital Age?

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Social Media Spring Cleaning

I belong to the hard-to-place 1996 generation. It’s possible for me to be classified as either Gen Z or a member of the Millenial generation. I will go with the “Zillennials” generation, though, since I recently found out that they are individuals like me who were born in between eras.

I like to think that my generation had the best of both worlds since when I was a teenager, mobile phones were still considered a luxury and costly to use. We continued to use phone boxes and had cable internet for the most part, but I was still able to enjoy being outside and having a “meeting place” with my friends, who simply trusted that we would show up at a specific time.

Naturally, I was the one who always had a camera in my pocket when digital cameras became popular. It would be easy to think that you could take as many pictures as your SD card could take, but there might have been one too many embarrassing pictures taken over the years and posted to Facebook, Bebo, Myspace, and other sites!

This year, I began working as a teaching assistant in a school, and the head advised us to keep our digital presence as anonymous and private as possible. I decided to quickly Google my name after that, and the results were pretty shocking.

Facebook had always been “public” for me, and I had made separate websites for different periods of my life, including “modeling” pictures of myself that I would prefer not to have so readily available, especially to the students I work with! My Google Images screen was filled with pictures of me that I don’t even remember taking! I therefore set out to try to locate and secure my digital footprint. This is still a working process!

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One Click, Exposed

How many people are “Street Photographers” these days? Anyone can take a picture and upload it to the internet in a matter of seconds thanks to cameras on our smartphones.

I was in Cambridge in June 2024, having a great day out with my family and my camera. I was taking a ton of pictures of the people that flooded the streets as I love street photography and seeing so many interesting photo opportunities. Near the university, there were graduates, tourists, and pro-Palestine protesters. There were so many lovely moments to capture, but it made me wonder: How often have I been the subject of another photographer? How many times has someone taken a picture of me eating ice cream in the background alongside a famous landmark?

Would it be easy to track me down by using just one photo of myself? I decided to conduct my own investigation and performed a reverse image search on several of my own pictures along with pictures of my loved ones, friends, and people I had photographed while out on the street. And just like I had imagined, with just a picture, I was able to attempt to make contact with them.

I entered the pictures I had taken into a reverse image search website and quickly was shown various images of the same person. The websites where these photos were hosted would only display a blurry image and the beginning of the website address if I didn’t pay, but if you did, it would show you where the photos originated. I did not pay, but even so, I found out where some of my subjects attended college, what they studied, personal info such as emails and phone numbers, and even what hobbies they had.

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Click and Connect – A Different Perspective

Imagine this: you’ve always wondered about that mysterious branch of your family tree, the one with the whispered rumours and faded photographs. Then, the internet age dawns, and suddenly a whole new world of possibilities opens up. Genealogy websites, social media platforms, even DNA testing are all at our fingertips.

On one hand, fear. What if reaching out stirs up trouble? What if they don’t want to be found? The unknown can be scary. But on the other hand, the excitement is undeniable. The chance to connect with a missing piece of your family, to hear their stories and share your own – that’s a feeling that can’t be replicated.

This sense of curiosity is exactly what my dad felt. What began as a simple interest in his ancestry quickly changed into a thrilling journey of discovery. The research wasn’t without its challenges, but his persistence paid off in ways he could never have imagined.

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The Digital Balancing Act Continues

Be mindful of what you share. Just like in any public space, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings. Would you share certain things with everyone in a crowded room? Consider your privacy settings before posting.

However, don’t let caution hold you back from the possibilities. Social media and the internet is a powerful tool that you can use to rekindle old connections or to make new ones! The key is striking a balance between mindful sharing and open connection.

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So, what are your thoughts? Have you ever used social media to reconnect with someone from the past? Perhaps you’ve discovered a new interest or hobby thanks to an online community. Share your stories in the comments below! Let’s create a conversation about the unexpected ways social media can bring us together.