I would like to start this post with a quote from Surveillance studies(2007) by David Lyon that sounds like this “We are all in a sense implicated in surveillance, both as watchers and as the watched”. We live in a world where technology ubiquity has become a part of our life. We are watched almost 24/7, for example if you have a Tesco club-card and use it on daily basis, they know exactly when you were in their shop and what have you bought. Another good example that works on the same principle is the gym membership, every time you enter your code they know that you went at the gym and how long you stayed there. Nowadays even your phone of computer can be tracked by the IP address. Even the CCTV from the streets are watching us constantly. In the same time we are watching other people, we use Facebook, Twitter or other social sites to “check” on our friends or sometimes on people that we don’t even know. Sometimes we even stalk celebrities we love, using social media. Another way we could be watched can be seen in the TV series “Person of Interest” where everyone is monitored through cell-phones, e-mails or every surveillance camera that is, to prevent acts of terror before they can happen. So what is a human being supposed to do to stay off the grid? I found an interesting video on YouTube that shows you ways to stay of the grid. But is a disposable phone, not using credit cards and encrypting your data is enough to do it? In my opinion in our days is almost impossible to stay of the grid if you are a normal person, we are depending on technology to much. I think that staying of the grid in our days is possible only is you have large amount of money and live a simple life on an far far away island. What do you think?
Robert Dogaru 