An Internet User’s Guide to 2021

I’ll be blunt. It’s time to remove Google from your life.

Consider your social media usage and determine how it is affecting your real life. Consider deleting them. Sure, that’s easier said than done. But you will feel a hell of a lot better. Seriously.

Make a list of all of your accounts on the Internet. Delete the ones you no longer use. Change all the passwords of the ones you do use; each password must be complicated and different. Write them all down. Write them down again for a backup. Never digitize this information. We know that our offline selves are increasingly becoming our online selves. Protect your information and treat it like it’s tangible and real. Because it is. Set up two factor authentication, especially for personal accounts such as banking and website hosting.

Use a VPN. Always always always. Your internet service provider is selling your internet history to third parties. These third parties know more about you than you will ever know.

Remain anonymous. It’s your power.

Understand the influence of your actions online. Understand that the Internet is forever. Understand that your definition of “valuable data” is extraordinarily different from Facebook’s definition. Everything you do online is valuable. Contain yourself and you will see results.

All of this is time consuming. Do not let this frighten you. This undoing of our online selves is crucial to a secure and private Internet. But we will not obtain this security if we continue down the path of being mesmerized by Big Tech. Reject it. Untangle yourself. The simplicity of life will surely return.