Are you more or less paranoid about your data than you were 12 months ago? When I look at the film now and see myself looking pale and gaunt it takes be back to how frightening it was at the time – but I reckon I’m more careful now than I’ve ever been with my data. There’s a good reason why people use the phrase ‘he has a hunted look’ – I really had a hunted look! One thing I noticed was that for the whole time I was running away, I had a really stiff neck. A doctor told me that this is a common symptom if you are constantly in ‘flight’ mode. Basically it is your body telling you to look behind you! So at the time, I barely slept, I began to have paranoid thoughts about everybody I met or even passed in the street. I wondered if people were agents of the Private Investigators. I even began to wonder if my producer (and great friend) Ashley had betrayed me in order to make the film turn out a certain way (he hadn’t, by the way, and he’s forgiven me for thinking that!). By the end I had started talking to myself and was showing signs of deepening paranoia. The really freaky thing was that this didn’t just stop when the film was over. For a good few weeks afterwards I found it really hard to sleep and settling back into family life was much harder than I thought it would be. The long term effect of making the film (it is over a year on now) has been the most profound. I routinely question exchanges of data and information that most people don’t notice. This can be a pain – but it is also really liberating: I better understand the Faustian pact we have with governments and corporations. And I am resolved to fight my and my family’s corner when it comes to letting others learn about, profile and map us.
Erasing David
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I am more paranoid, as I begin to hear more stories of how our personal data is getting lost, stolen, hacked, misdirected and mishandled. I am gadget-happy and I love trying out new technology, but then I think about how much information I provide on the Internet, and how I willingly cross-reference it by linking accounts, filling out profiles, etc. I often see-saw between wanting to take myself off the grid and wanting to reap the benefits of news aggregators, sms reminders of appointments, and keeping up with long-distance friends. I feel like there is no middle ground in this decision, it really is a question of trading in your privacy for technology. And of course, I’ve already chosen technology — here I am posting, and providing you with a name (required) and an email address (required)! I think we all have. The decision was made before I was born. The question we’re really trying to figure out is, how does that trade-off sit with us? I’m still not sure.
I really want to see this film. I hope it gets distributed in the US so I can!
Comment by M Larsen — March 13, 2010 @ 5:23 pm
One should have no credit cards, bank accounts, cars or properties in your name and work has to be done for cash only to have a good chance of disappearing off the radar. Phones should be pay-as-you go sims (cost 50p) from places like Asda. These should be changed often.
Internet access should only be hotspots or peoples home wireless where they have no security enabled (walked down a street once and it’s surprising how many have no security enabled. Oh and change the id of your notebook frequently.
Do all this and it is very hard to find you … if at all. Get over to EU and then it is even harder to trace you.
Am interested to see this film just to see how he attempted it. One last thing, change your appearance, hairstyle and colour, wear glasses with clear glass, if you wear glasses get contact lenses … and wear a hat.
Comment by Spartan — March 18, 2010 @ 1:52 pm
David … looking at your comment l can see that you were not cut-out to do this disappearing act. You in effect caught yourself.
Comment by Spartan — March 18, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
David … l’ll offer you a challenge. l’ll give you a specified timespan chosen by you and your company and see if you can find me when l disappear from the UK. I’ll put up a wager that you won’t.
Comment by Spartan — March 18, 2010 @ 3:04 pm
Spartan I’m really interested in your comment – do you mean that there is a personality-type that is well suited to living privately in the UK nowadays? What kind of type is it? I’m possibly not that type! I wonder how many people really are… I love your challenge. I suspect that you may be right and may be able to stay hidden. Did you see the film yet? David
Comment by David Bond — March 18, 2010 @ 4:51 pm
Watched the trailer – looks very good!
BUT, i would have to agree with Spartan i’m afraid! ever hear of ‘freegans’? or ‘freemen of the land’?
These people have eschewed the modern high-tech lifestyle (most) conform to in recent times, and some live on the most meagre of existences just to be free.
Just Google ‘freegan’ or ‘freemen on the land’ and you will see what i mean!
I have been paranoid for a very long time now (it wasn’t clear why i had these feelings of paranoia for years, but then found someone who showed me various ‘conspiracy theorist’ videos, and a whole range of other media, which changed my life altogether and helped me understand) and am even more so paranoid now, though i hide it well! Apologies for screening my e-mail through gishpuppy by the way, please be assured it will be redirected to one of my real e-mail addresses!
The reason i’m so paranoid is because where i work, we sometimes have to look up people’s phone numbers and home addresses; you may think going ex-directory and using a P.O box would stop unwanted mail being delivered, right? check out http://www.192.com and see how far back your home can be traced, and the neighbour’s, and the cost of your house when you bought it, and what previous owners paid for it, etcetera, etcetera!
then factor in that alot of the time mobile phone numbers can be found easily enough too; and in this technological age most of these phone are now equipped with GPS modules that can nearly pin point your exact location at any given point of the day!
Then there’s the CCTV – it’s nearly everywhere now, and most people don’t even realise it’s there – how do you hide from something you don’t realise is there?
I have to go now, but will be interested to see your reply once you have investigated some of the things i have mentioned – thanks for reading!
Comment by A. Nonymous — March 18, 2010 @ 7:18 pm
@David … e-mail me at angelthecat@abv.bg
@ A. Nonymous … yes indeed, use of mobile is tracked and logged and even whilst it is not being used as long as it is powered on.
For anyone wishing to keep off the radar, frequent changing of sims is paramount as is powering it up only when you wish to use it. The old sims should be given away with some credit still on. Personally if l was really serious about staying off the radar l’d erase all recent call history and texts and then just leave the phone somewhere were there are a load of kids. lt’s virtually guaranteed that they will use the credit left on it.
Also one should keep a sim that you never use for calls, texts or anything other than keeping your contact numbers on. These can be transferred to the next secondhand phone you purchase for use. You can pick these up for £5-£10. They won’t be the latest phone of course but you only want it for communication anyway … it isn’t needed as a fashion statement!
Also purchase a smart sim as this means any sim can be used with any phone regardless of phone locking … cost about £5.
CCTV? … learn off the youth of today … hoodies and hats with brims and peaks along with the very fashionable Palestinian scarvs.
Comment by Spartan — March 19, 2010 @ 12:28 am
Cannot get access to film in UK so will have to wait till its shown on 4. I won’t prejudge film and hopefully the online debate will be good.
@Spartan
love the sim phone idea, any more tips?
@David
take the challenge
Comment by Mick Walker — March 22, 2010 @ 11:59 pm
@ Mick … if you want to disappear, it’s really not that difficult. Having only seen the trailer, l can only judge from that which is a little unfair but saying that, it does seem to go with current techniques. So here is an abbreviated manual to stop being who you were.
The world we live in is now computer technology based and this means that we leave electronic footprints wherever we go … unless we don’t want to.
To disappear you have to make very big changes to how you live. To begin with all your credit cards, bank cards, bank accounts have to go. No more electronic transactions … from now on everything is cash. You’ve already given up your job in order to disappear so that’s another electronic trail that’s stopped. No more Inland Revenue files on you.
Your car? … sell it or whatever. lt’s a liability at this point.
You say goodbye (or not if you prefer) to your friends and family either before you go on your new journey or after you’ve set off. Stay in touch by phone as in my previous post because you don’t want to cause distress and worry to those you love … and neither do you want them to report you as missing!
First thing is to get out of the area you live. At the first opportunity change your appearance with use of hats, scarves etc and then head for the major roads because you are going to be hitch-hiking to begin with. No buses or trains for you at this point … don’t want them pesky cctv images do we?
Well, you’re on your way to a new life. Next comes work (cash), accomodation (shared so your name is on nothing) and a new ID. What are you going to call yourself?
As l say … abbreviated but you get the jist. You can stay undetected in the UK but if it was me l’d be over to the EU as fast as l possibly could … more sunshine!
The one thing you cannot guard against is fate. Many years ago l bumped into the father of my wife’s friend who just walked out of his life without saying anything and never came back. He lived in the same small seaside resort as l did with a pop of less than 15,000, yet l met him running a small bar on a remote tropical island!
Comment by Spartan — March 27, 2010 @ 2:14 am
Has David been erased?
Comment by Spartan — March 30, 2010 @ 12:58 am
No I’ve been in Kiev at the Human Rights Film Festival. So that was pretty close to erasure, I suppose. Spartan, you’ve been a great supporter of the film here, thanks. Let’s speak. David
Comment by David Bond — April 1, 2010 @ 1:19 pm
I found this site via a link from http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk. As a senior Information Security professional with over 20 years experience and working for a major telco/ISP, I have become increasingly paranoid. I see on a day to day basis the increasing levels of intrusion that exists, including RIPA requests for ever more trivial reasons, demands from central Government for ever more detailed retention of data and highly dubious interconnects. I was once told that the current Government views us all as bad people who need protecting from ourselves, sorry guys, Big Brother is already here. I’m very much looking forward to watching the film on More4. David, I am a fan already, and if you need any help or information, please get in touch.
Comment by Splitpin — April 12, 2010 @ 6:43 pm
“”(it is over a year on since they caught me, now)”"
Are you giving away the outcome of the film here?
I was so curious:)
Comment by Bob — April 13, 2010 @ 9:17 pm
don’t abandon your curiosity – i get away in the long run…
Comment by David Bond — April 13, 2010 @ 11:44 pm
@ Spartan – changing SIM cards, presumably without making use of the option to transfer your old phone number to your “new” phone is a good idea.
However, although it may frustrate private detectives, it does not stop any of the hundreds of Government agencies who are self-authorised to demand Communications Data from the mobile phone networks.
A mobile phone Call Data Record contains not just the phone number from the SIM, but the mobile phone handset’s International Mobile Equipment Identity serial number as well, which is supposed to be unique.
Comment by Watching Them, Watching Us — April 17, 2010 @ 9:13 pm
@ Spartan –
The mobile phone handset IMEI can be changed simply on many phone handsets (but not on all of them), however doing so in the UK (or even possessing the equipment to do so i.e. a computer and a cable and some software) is illegal, with a penalty of up to 5 years in prison. There are plenty of such phones being used by criminals etc.
Have a look at Spy Blog’s Hints and Tips for Whistleblowers etc.
http://ht4w.co.uk
which has a section on mobile phones etc.
“Anonymity loves company”, so hiding in a crowd is a good idea, but if the crowd you hide in is full of criminals, then you may well be put under surveillance or arrested, through “guilt by association”.
It is very frightening that any innocent people in the UK should have to resort to the same sort of techniques which political dissidents living under dictatorships have to use.
Comment by Watching Them, Watching Us — April 17, 2010 @ 9:15 pm
David, your film will only have scratched the surface of what surveillance individuals actually do. You just have to Google surveillance companies and see the background of some of them – ex military / ex SAS etc. Part of the service they offer is to provide risk assessment for high net worth individuals. The question to ask, what do surveillance companies do when the “risk” has been assessed? These guys ring fence and protect those who can afford to pay them and take care of individuals who could threaten the name of their paymasters.
I have dealt with intrusive surveillance – been followed, had my character assassinated, my credit card info put into the security network so I am flagged whenever I purchase items in stores where I am treated like a shoplifter. I do not trust my mobile phone, landline or computer. Initially, they will have already monitored your living patterns, the routes into and out of your house/road where you live. The routines of your neighbours as well as yourself. They come into your home at night – using a form of laughing gas to leave you in a semi conscious or comatose state and, once in, your home is their playground. They know everything about you – having listened/watched you in your home. They use that info to make your life as difficult as possible.
The Government has trained them but plays no part in policing their activities once they are out in civvy street. Its not paranoia – its the way the wealthy protect themselves from the mistakes they make and those who could whistleblow on them. Its going to get worse and no one can police them.
Comment by Faraway — April 21, 2010 @ 12:10 am
this talk of mobile phones all the time. If I was going to disappear I would NOT take a mobile phone. I know they are slowly vanishing off the high streets but I would surely manage to find myself a Phone box somewhere. A piece of paper with numbers on is lighter to carry, and numbers you dial more often you would submit to memory. This is a dying art form with the use of speed dials these days
Comment by postieparker — April 23, 2010 @ 8:06 pm
Whilst accepting the considering help Cerebus gave in making this documentary – their spy shop offers a USB voice recorder and also a virtual stealth spy – why say it is perfect for parents and then state they hope the office cleaner does not have it? What are they actually inferring and offering. In this surveillance state – this sort of equipment, in an unregulated market – contributes to the misuse of information gathering.
Comment by Cheryl — April 24, 2010 @ 7:45 pm
Cerebrus need to be prosecuted. They have broken just about every Data Protection law there is.
Comment by mona — April 27, 2010 @ 10:49 am
Thoroughly enjoyed film and discussion this evening. Mostly enjoyed the irony – tweeting during event, filming of event.
Comment by Veronica — April 27, 2010 @ 11:43 pm
Just back from the screening in Bath. An excellent film, highlighting some very important points. And the discussion bought up some excellent topics too.
You have, David, done something that, I hope, will prompt some much needed reform to a part of our technological society that, although great, is far to open for abuse and critical error on a much larger scale.
I fear it will take a collective bite in our asses before something is really put into motion.
I remember being told, what I thought was amusing at the time, something by an old IT teacher 10 years ago. He was able to track ALL of his junk mail and commercial garb back to its original source by slightly changing his name or contact details in each application (utilities, services, etc). He made a note of each change, and when something dropped through the door or he had a call, he would know excactly which company the info was sourced from (and it would usually transpire that he had ticked a box that PREVENTED the release of the information). It just seems that much more relevant now and also scary to think how much it must have grown in the last decade…
Well done and keep up the good work!
Comment by MisterOli — April 30, 2010 @ 2:32 am
I didn’t think I was very concerned about surveillance or how easy it would be to trace me. I had recently laughed at the “craziness” of a friend refusing to put pictures on facebook of her baby. As a medical student I thought we did a pretty good job in the NHS of protecting patient data. But boy was I wrong! Over the course of 80 minutes your film completely reversed my standpoint! I can’t believe how much information I gave away without caring in the slightest. As part of the ardent facebook generation, endless stuff is on there and the only thing I had done up until now was changed my photo privacy settings (after a friend got into huge trouble with the medical school after someone ELSE posted a picture of him pretending to have sex with a Little Annie Resuscitation doll). It made me painfully aware that with a little time and enough money, someone could track you and your entire family down.
And whilst I am not frightened of a fascist state doing that, the idea that an obsessive stalker could is a lot more concerning! Quite ironic with the announced opening of a government funded stalker helpline considering that government funded databases could be used by the said stalker to track you down. And the idea that someone with a contact on a database could find out so much information on a child surely makes kidnapping children in custody battles exponentially easier.
So thank you for making a great film AND opening my eyes an issue I’d previously disregarded as irrelevant.
Comment by Medstudent — April 30, 2010 @ 11:23 am
For most of us, this discussion of trying to disappear is not the point. We want to engage in this world, to take advantage of it, to enjoy it and add to it (as David has done). But we dont want to be exploited, spied on, taken advantage of (too much). So the point is: how do we regular people, users of the technology, learn about who is spying on us, tracking us? And how does it affect what we do? And what can we do to counter it (and counter the counter-attack, and so on ad inf…)? If we dont want to erase ourselves from the everyday world, and dont want to have stiff necks all the time, HOW is a good, minimally harrassed life to be achieved?
Comment by gaspard delanuit — April 30, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
I am so looking forward to seeing this. I’m forever on my soapbox about the erosion of civil liberties/privacy violations in the U.K. In fact, if I could do any kind of work, it would centre around drawing attention to these issues. The film is sure to be a major talking point for me! Cheers.
Comment by Vee — May 3, 2010 @ 3:50 pm
What happened to the interview with Stephen Mainwaring? About Phorm? (The surveillance scandal that involves Labour Cabinet Ministers, British Telecom Directors, and a complete failure of the UK Security Services to prevent nationwide personal and commercial espionage by a bunch of spyware crooks).
Though Stephen appears in the ‘Thanks to’ in the credits… the interview has been cut from the edition of the film shown on More4.
‘Erasing Stephen’ might have been a more appropriate title.
Comment by Pete — May 5, 2010 @ 12:09 am
Just finished watching the film on more 4, what an eye-opener! I was just flicking through the channels and thought i would watch it for a minute but ended up glued to it. I was hoping at first that you would make it but by the end I was glad you had been caught as your mental state was clearly suffering. I was shocked by how easy they managed to find out your hospital appointment so they could catch you there. In the film, you only show your first reaction to the guy saying “hello dave” but I was wondering how you felt after that? disappointed at them finding you or relieved/overjoyed that it was all over and you could go home and sleep in your own bed with the family around?
Comment by Keith — May 5, 2010 @ 12:23 am
P.S will this end up coming out on DVD?
Comment by Keith — May 5, 2010 @ 12:26 am
Thank you, David, for an eye-opening documentary. Although for the film you decided to opt for the ‘normal life’ approach, I wonder how much longer you could have evaded capture in taking a more vigilant method? It is easy for me to see how more problems are emerging every day when young people ‘give away’ their sensitive data. Also, why does the UK Government NEED ID cards if people are giving away their details for free on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter? Surely it could simply buy the information, and I imagine, this has happened already. The NHS want my information for a database, and I have tried to opt out and not received any further communication. Worrying.
Comment by becky — May 5, 2010 @ 12:54 am
David, no offence, but a 12 year old could have done a better job of avoiding being tracked, i understand the whole point of the exercise was to show how easy it is to track us if we live a conventional lifestyle and to show the amount of information multiple sources hold on us, but did you really think it was wise to make contact with your mother your father and your wife all within 18 days of supposedly trying to disappear off the radar, not to mention using a mobile phone registered to you and using your own passport.
Short of going back to your own home i can’t think of many ways you could have made it any easier, in fact the only way you wouldn’t have got tracked was if those pursuing you overlooked the most obvious things because they didn’t think anyone would be stupid enough to do them..
I’ve known a number of people over the years that have lived off the radar for many years, it’s not that difficuilt once a cash income source has been found, from then on it’s about common sense and the ability to detach from your previous existence which you were obviously incapable of doing, which made the attempt to avoid being tracked a bit pointless in the end.
Beyond all that i would have liked to have seen a little more detail on how private detectives acquire info when tracking people, both the legal and illegal means used…
Comment by Cole — May 5, 2010 @ 1:46 am
The Information commisioners office need to look into the Cerberus operation immediately! It is quite clear that they have broken the data protection laws. Anyone who is happy to be filmed posing as someone else on the phone to the establish medical record information on someone else is an idiot. These two individuals look extremely unsavoury/creepy and unprofessional.
Comment by steve — May 5, 2010 @ 8:55 am
To the comment above – David states in the film that the point is not merely to avoid being tracked, it is to see whether it is possible to live a normal life while simultaneously avoiding leaving a “data stream”. This film goes some way to proving that you can’t.
One issue I had with the film was the end, where David’s wife, Katie I think, talks about how depressing and ugly they find England as a result of their experience. The thing is that it is not just here that we are constantly surveyed, this is a result of a number of things; the enormous growth of the internet, the growth of technology in general, and the feeling that we are safer if our data is “protected” by whoever, the government, or private agencies. This is not a British phenomenon, this is happening all over the world. I acknowledge that we are perhaps under the states control in this way than most or even all other countries, however this doesn’t mean its a uniquely British situation.
On a side note, could anyone tell me what was the very last song used in the film, over the credits? I was very annoyed when I couldn’t remember the name.
Cheers
Comment by Duncan — May 5, 2010 @ 5:58 pm
”unsavoury/creepy and unprofessional” that’s a bit strong Steve.. my guess is, posing as someone else on the phone to obtain medical records or any other info would be one of the more run of the mill things a PI would do, in fact that is something any mug could do from home. I’m sure professionals have far more skilled and far more illegal ways and means to get the job done if necessary, things that would be far beyond the average Jo’s capabilities.
Steve i’m sure if you needed someone found or any other investigative work done, for whatever reasons, it’s likely you wouldn’t be too happy with the results if those you were paying only used strictly legal methods.
I’m sure if your child or a loved one went missing unexpectedly and you needed to track them down you would be only too happy with a little law bending or breaking by a PI, if that is what it took..
Comment by Cole — May 5, 2010 @ 8:47 pm
Bending the law is one thing, blatantly breaking it is another. If you are going to do this sort of thing at least have some decorum, eh! The Information Comissioner should be looking at Cerberus. Apparently the producers of this film looked for a very long time for someone to do what Cerberus did, and not surprisingly couldn’t find anyone to undertake the task. Then they stumbled upon these two!
Comment by steve — May 6, 2010 @ 8:50 am
Following the film, I accidentaly stumbled upon the following report from CBS, and I can only invite all of you to immediately watch it. Talking about accessing private data… Paranoid, Moi???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC38D5am7go
Let me know what you think
Comment by Fred — May 6, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
Great find! Blimey that is terrifying.
Comment by David Bond — May 7, 2010 @ 3:09 pm
That’s not quite right actually. We did look for a long time for people to undertake the task – but lots of people (most of those we spoke to) wanted to do it. We were being picky about how good we thought they’d be – not whether we thought they’d be happy to break the law (as you see it)!
Comment by David Bond — May 7, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
I have to say you certainly picked the right ones! Photogenically they look exactly right, One being something of a Hannibal Lecter lookalike, and the other one seemingly something out of Withnail and I! (even the locations smacked of the film, ie cottages in the middle of nowhere etc). Yes indeed they were perfect for the role you set them up in. The fact that you agreed not to drop them in it is of little consequence. I assure you the relevant authorities will take a very different view, and will care not a jot for what you have agreed with anyone.There is history to this you know..look it up.
Comment by steve — May 7, 2010 @ 3:56 pm
Why does this website operate with cookies, when the privacy guide suggests we should treat them with caution??
Comment by P. Noid — May 8, 2010 @ 11:49 pm
I think that many people are being overly harsh here, I suspect that personality would affect your ability to disappear, someone who has grown up used to the trappings of society such as bank cards and mobile phones would find it hard to adjust to living without these things, living on a cash only basis is possible but again is not something that someone could easily do especially if they have never lived in such a way.
I particularly liked the show because it highlighted some of the problems with the information stored (even small margin of error can destroy someones life), in addition you only had a couple of guys looking for you, if you scaled this up to a government your opportunities and chances would be slim at best.
I suspect that to really disappear and maintain a reasonable life style you need to become someone else.
Comment by M Burton — May 13, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
For those interested in just how much surveillance and information gathering and sharing there is in the UK – just take a look at the undernoted websites relating to Northern England and Scotland. Whilst the narrative is “worthy” – retail crime is shocking – perhaps it is time we all stopped and asked what happens when the wrong name, the wrong facial identification ID gets into the system, or is put there by malicious people in the securities industry. The companies, retail outlets and shopping arcades participating in this information sharing is frightening. It would be interesting to hear from anyone who can confirm exactly what this ‘information sharing’ is ’cause, in the wrong hands …! http://www.retailersagainstcrime.org and http://www.sbcc.org.uk . For those who are interested, also take a look at wikipedia’s interpretation of radio frequency ID!
Comment by Cheryl — May 27, 2010 @ 7:52 pm
Thanks Cheryl – wow retailers against crime is very interesting. Great links. We’d love to hear from anyone who know about this system. Please get in touch.
“Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of an object (typically referred to as an RFID tag) applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.” So says Wikipedia.
Comment by David Bond — May 28, 2010 @ 2:35 pm
@ Watching Them, Watching Us … sorry, l disappeared for a while:)
If you read my previous posts you’ll find that l advocated dumping the old phone if preferred. As for changing the IMEI number … yes, l know about this and how to do it. Your fears concerning the illegality of doing this are of really very little concern. There is still the element of proof for anysort of conviction to be successful and this would be virtually impossible unless one is pretty stupid or naive.
Your assumed ‘guilt by association’ is also meaningless because what would you be guilty of? Firstly the phone itself won’t be on any stolen records database because it was never reported stolen in the first place. Secondly, there are millions of phones used by tourists in the UK that aren’t on any UK database. Thirdly, if you buy a secondhand phone, how do you know it’s IMEI has no been changed? … you simply know whether the phone works or not.
l also fail to see how they can put you under surveillance either if you’ve dropped off the radar.
Finally watched David’s film and there was a lot of good info in it. l wonder what the outcome would’ve been if he had done the film a year after his baby had been born?
RFID chips can be easily disabled … the one in my passport stopped working shortly after l recieved it. Electronics do have a habit of failing
Comment by Spartan — May 31, 2010 @ 1:19 am
wow, just saw this film and am now really quite paranoid so thanks i think?
just spending 2 minutes to think through all the different companies and people who know so much info on me is pretty scary even though i probably didnt think twice as i freely gave out this info.
the NHS involvement in the documentary waas by far the most creepy part as the woman on the phone was all to willing to hand out info to someone on the phone who says they are someone else.
other than the sinking feeling of paranoia i now feel the documentary was really informing and i will be passing it on…
Comment by shell — June 2, 2010 @ 7:02 pm
@David – I would love to know your response to one of the first posters that showed the irony of this site demanding an email address.
@Duncan – The song at the end is ISpy by Pulp.
@David again – In one of the supporting videos I watched, you asked people not to sign up to Spine, unless they had pressing medical requirements. Can you elaborate on this?
@LotsOfOtherPeople – Yes, David could have sold his mobile, pulled out his tongue and lived with a tribe in Papua New Guinea, but the point is that a fairly normal life leaves a data trail that would shock 99% of the population.
But I’m still not sure how *bad* all this data is. I appreciate in a few defined cases it can clearly damage individuals. But beyond that… a few examples would be nice!
R.
Comment by Richard — July 27, 2010 @ 12:51 pm
Will this be coming out on UK iTunes any time soon? I saw about 20 mins on TV, and I’d be interested to see the rest…
Comment by Charlie — August 6, 2010 @ 6:11 pm
Hello Charlotte – thanks for the message. We are hoping to get the film onto iTunes and DVD this coming December. Check the website over the coming month or two where I will post news. All the best to you, Ashley
Comment by AJ — August 9, 2010 @ 2:30 pm
Go to the freedocumentaries.org site and check out the Big Brother/Big Business docu-a real shocker.In fact theres plenty horrors at that site-enjoy!You might also want to check out Katherine Albrechts movie RFID-Tracking Everything Everywhere.Buy it,download it-your call.But its a REAL eye opener,and gives you an insight of the Big Brother hell thats coming.Be afraid!
Comment by jinste — October 19, 2010 @ 3:10 pm
Yep, I’m more paranoid.
Good to see there are other people who are concerned about their privacy. I live in the Netherlands and absolutely no one is concerned here. As a student, I can only travel with public transport with a card that saves all data (who I am, where Ive been, when I have been there, when I went back etc). No wonder, David, you didn’t come to the Netherlands when you were on the run!
Brilliant film!
Comment by Rose — October 28, 2010 @ 1:47 pm
Our Oyster Card in London stores the same stuff as your travel card in the Netherlands. We don’t have to register it though (then you can top it up at the station, but if you lose it it is like losing cash. Do you have to register yours?
Comment by David Bond — December 3, 2010 @ 7:54 pm
We don’t demand an email address – and we are really careful with them if anyone who does give us theirs. We’d never sell it, for example, unlike the future Queen of England’s parents, who would…..
SEE HERE
re SPINE – to be exact, I recommend opting out of the NHS database asap. In fact, I’ve updated by advice. A good friend who’s a doctor in A&E in London reckons that even if you have a medical alert or pressing health problems, it is not worth being on the NHS database…. MORE HERE
I suppose that data itself is never ‘bad’. The trouble is that in the modern world (oooh that makes me sound old) any data is kept forever, and you never know what bad uses the data might be put to in the future….
Thanks for the post Richard.
Comment by David Bond — December 3, 2010 @ 8:00 pm
excellent film. watched it last night, didn’t sleep too well afterward.
Comment by j7 — December 11, 2010 @ 3:27 pm
Yes, I do have to register my travel card, because I’m a student that is the only way I can travel with public transport for free. I have no choice really. I could buy an anonymous one, but that will cost me much money, because I don’t have the student discount anymore.
Comment by Rose — December 12, 2010 @ 10:08 pm
That’s really annoying – so effectively you have to pay extra to stop the authorities keeping tabs on you when you use public transport. Is there any way around it? Could you use a fake name, for example?
Comment by David Bond — December 13, 2010 @ 11:11 am
No, as far as I know, that’s not possible. The card is linked to my National Identification Number and to the student financial aid (and probably more)…
Comment by Rose — December 13, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
Dear Sir,
Are you still looking for David?
Because at the moment when I type this message I can follow him on Belgian television !
He has the audacity to appear on screen … incredible!
Best regards,
Tom
Comment by Tom — December 26, 2010 @ 8:35 pm
Reading University are working on technologies that use adaptive artificial intelligence to map not only a person but also their apparent intent based on body language and gait, already in test in some London Tube Stations today! The system is able to recognise a person based on walking style and body language. This system circumvents the necessity for systems based on singular biometrics analysis and is completely adaptive.
If you want to remain safe stay from all social networks ESPECIALLY FACEBOOK! Adaptive AI is the way forwards in terms of advanced surveillance and tracking due to massive parrallel data analysis capability which far exceeds human capabilities for tracking anaylsis.
Comment by Morpheus — February 1, 2011 @ 11:57 pm
Dear David,
Firstly may I congratulate you on a fascinating documentary that certainly gave credence to common concerns relating to our security and privacy.
I watched it recently on More4, and like most people, I frequently use the internet to buy and to occasionally sell items. I also use social networking sites and instant messenger. I trust these sites to keep my data secure, and therefore I am happy to share my personal data with them. I should also say that I do take great care to understand these sites privacy settings, as well as keeping abreast of the latest security threats from identity thieves. This also means using a secure specialalphanumeric password, and occasionally changing UID as well. Everyone should take precautions on how much information they wish to share and with whom.
In your film you did seem paranoid to the extent that you felt the need to sleep outside in a wood. Personally, I think the internet gives people the opportunity, if they wish, to project their identity onto the world and to magnify their lives for all to see. This is the essence of identity. If you worry too much to the extent where you withdraw, and rarely provide personal details, you will become anonymous. You will in fact have lost your identity. Everybody can now create an identity, and therefore preserve a legacy on the internet, that will define our world in the 21st century.
Yous sincerely,
Lord Byland
Comment by Lord Byland — February 4, 2011 @ 6:08 pm
Does requiring an email address make you hypocritical? Anyway, I just wanted to say that there is the old adage: just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re out to get you.
Comment by nj — February 13, 2011 @ 10:32 pm
rather: just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
Comment by nj — February 13, 2011 @ 10:33 pm
As an IT Security Professional, I have to say that this was yet another example of media sensationalism. The acting should have earned David Bond a Bafta… well perhaps a Razzie.
David was only found because he went somewhere he was expected to be. Cerberus could have followed his wife from day one and still found him without having to resort to dumpster diving or social engineering techniques.
The thing is, it made a joke of what should be a serious issue. Not the actual storing and use of private data, but its misuse (deliberate or accidental), as with the young girl and the CRB check.
All you’ve achieved here is to scare a great number of people who are already afraid of technology and the modern world.
Comment by David Constable — February 13, 2011 @ 11:41 pm
Maybe – sorry about that. That’s wordpress’s requirement if you want to blog. You can give an email address that does not identify you, though.
Comment by David Bond — February 14, 2011 @ 4:09 pm
Hi David,
You can only ever find people if they go somewhere where that you expect them to be. Otherwise you are just guessing.
With hindsight it is easy to say that Cerberus could have followed my wife for the whole time. But they didn’t know I’d see her.
You sound a bit patronising to the great number of people you think we’ve scared with the film – they can make their own minds up. As you have.
When the film is shown in schools, it always provokes a big debate. Many enjoy watching the chase but think the issues are not important (that’s both the issues you mention – routine and unnecessary storing of data and deliberate misuse – one often leads to the other). Others watch and then change their habits e.g. reduce real info they post on social networks. This perhaps reflects the division of people into those who who embrace the new techno world and don’t want to face the downsides – such as reduced privacy – and those who worry about it but do their best to operate in it in a risk-reducing way.
I am open to have my mind changed by you but you’re more likely to do that if you don’t accuse me of faking my reactions! Go on the run for a few days, film yourself and see how you do – if you can do it without getting a little bit stressy, congrats – but the film you’d end up with might be a bit flat.
David
Comment by David Bond — February 14, 2011 @ 4:23 pm
David,
I agree that if I had been making the film it wouldn’t have held anyones interest past the 5 minute mark. I just can’t help but feel that, in my view, a lot of people will not pick up on the seriousness of the issue because of the way you acted at some points. For example, when you were walking down the country road in Wales, or the night in the round house. There were definite echoes of “Blair witch” going on here. You weren’t being hunted by zombies, you were being tracked by 2 security professionals who were, at the end of the day, just going to say “Found You”!
As to your point about only finding people where you expect them to be, that’s exactly why you wouldn’t go to places people expect you to be. That’s not hiding that’s living you’re life normally. Unfortunately you’re hands were tied with regards to your wifes appointment. Perhaps you should have chosen a different time to make the film.
If I appeared to be patronising to anyone then I apologise, but you can’t get away from the fact that some people do not understand technology and are afraid of it. Making them more afraid doesn’t help anyone.
On the plus side, I’m pleased to hear that this is being seen in schools, as the importance of protecting certain information needs to be impressed on teenagers, especially with the rise of Social Networking sites. Being Safe Online is a good message however it is put across.
Dave
Comment by David Constable — February 14, 2011 @ 10:38 pm
Hi Dave,
OK, we’ll disagree! I say I was genuinely freaked out in the hut in Wales, you think I was acting. No problem. David Aaronovich accused us of setting up scenes (or at least that Katie knew when the PIs were outside our house and so she deliberately came out with the rubbish bag). That’s not true. But he also shares your view that the film overblows the issues. Maybe if you don’t buy that there is a problem with government and corporate tracking of people then you look harder for possible fakery in the film.
I think I was trying live a normal life, of sorts, just not a life where I left a trail. I was surprised that it was so easy to get information from the NHS about appointments. The trouble with only going to places where no one expects you to be is that it means you need to know where those people expect you to be…. What if they expect you to be in places you didn’t think they’d guess. I could have dug a hole and live there fine for a month – but that would have shown that if you retreat from society completely then it is hard to have your privacy invaded. I wanted to find out whether, while still getting on with my job (travelling around, filming people etc) I could be invisible.
We planned the film rather better than we planned the arrival of our second child…. That’s why I had to go ahead although Katie was pregnant. I certainly would not have chosen to do that.
Thanks for your comments.
David
Comment by David Bond — February 15, 2011 @ 5:37 pm
Hi David
Just catching up on you various posts and thought I would update you on the http://www.retailersagainstcrime.com website. Within a few weeks of my comment, a fair number of companies listed as using RAC dropped off the list. Who is watching who? I decided to have some fun and analysed RACs first annual report – an interesting list of people attended their first meeting at Edinburgh Castle. Also, MITIE plc is shown as the sponsor for RACs. I looked them up at the Registrar of Companies, particularly their Scottish divisions. The list of security companies they own, within the “Facilities Management” section is considerable and appears to include links to local authorities, airports etc. etc. Anyone can download info from the Registrar for around £1 a pop which gives director information, financial returns etc. The director information even gives home addresses of those individuals who are silly enough not to put down their company address as their main address. Follow this up with a visit to 192.com and you can find out who else lives at the home addresses they have supplied and you start to build up a picture/history of individuals. Interestingly some of the individuals are stupid enough to have Facebook pages – check out their “mates” and you start to get a pretty good cross section of individuals within the security industry. So you see, we can also turn the tables on those who watch us and get a picture on them. Any bets how quickly certain Facebook pages will be taken off general view and future info to the Registrar of Companies may show directors change of address? Cheryl
Comment by Cheryl — March 2, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
this is great! but you are driving the security industry underground….
d
Comment by David Bond — March 8, 2011 @ 6:28 pm
Hi David.
I loved the film and am in the process of recommending to friends and family. I have begun to think very seriously about the companies, government, and the university i attend and what information they have on me. I found that even my university has a personnel data access release form. It is also worth noting that a £10 cheque is required, just to access my own information (not great news for the skint student)!
Near the beginning of the film, you read out recorded ‘moods’ that, i think, your phone company had. I was just wondering how to get hold of this information as I think it would be very interesting.
Thanks in advance,
Nick
Comment by Nick — March 11, 2011 @ 1:47 pm
192.com? Interesting, and also possibly un-secure, in just one of the ways data can be un-secure, but I don’t read Spanish:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qLhhKbU5WP4J:foro.elhacker.net/nivel_web/posible_vulnerabilidad_en_servidor_ssl-t294604.0.html%3Bmsg1463988+%22https://secure.192.com%22+%2B%22searchID%22&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.co.uk
Comment by Me (whilst I'm still allowed to use it!) — March 11, 2011 @ 4:43 pm
If they store these moods – which many companies do (people who answer the phone are required to enter details about your ‘tone of voice’), then it will show up if you send them a subject access request. By the way, what are you doing about the UK census? I’m interested to hear what the student view is.
David
Comment by David Bond — March 14, 2011 @ 3:27 pm
Forms were brought to all students in my halls (the largest in Europe) and we have been told to fill them out and return to our reception before the deadline. All students in my block are doing it, despite its length and inconvenience…
Nick.
Comment by Nick — March 15, 2011 @ 8:58 pm
Wow. Just look whats happening now! Gordon Brown is all over the news re accessing his families medical records! Cerberus do this as part of their normal day to day operations! And it’s on film!
Comment by steve — July 19, 2011 @ 9:01 am
Even paranoid people have enemies.
Your film scared me more than I already was. I wish I was financially able to disappear. I ha e avoided Facebook, but still could be tracked by my phone, i am thinking of getting a disposable, my email, car, credit check, credit cards, banking info, here in the US and in the UK, taxes, voter registration, party affiliation, job, medical history, I had a mental issue and am on the no buy guns list in our state, not that I want one, or I guess they could find me on the gun registry list, if I had one registered.
We recently bought a condo for retirement. To get a mortgage they investigated EVERYTHING you could think of. We are not young and have moved several times, and never had anything like this before. I even had to provide my dads death cert and will because they wanted to know where the down payment was coming from, and and a bank statement was not enough. They wanted FIVE years of taxes, and STILL called my employer for verification of employment.
If I had the cash, I would like to get on a fishing boat in Florida, getting another off the coast of Cuba, and find my way to some Latin country that is techno ignorant.
K
Comment by Qtk — October 3, 2011 @ 2:04 am
Wow, wow, wow! Kudos for you and your family for giving so much of your time, faith in the basic rights of human beings, and standing up to the inverted pyramid we call capitalism! Why should we be treated any differently than our wealthy for our rights to privacy? I love living in the U.S.,but have made it a priority to wean myself off of technology. No cable,no dish-we buy carefully chosen, high-quality movies with cash), my cellphone is OFF and only goes with me in the car for emergencies; groceries and incidentals are paid in cash. We did end up buying a new car after 12 years with a paid-off used one and will drive this one well after it is paid off, too. For my husband and I,getting off the grid means being selective in our long-lasting friendships, not giving out personal information to anyone, and enjoying time with family more. We are moving soon to a rural area where we can walk to just about anywhere we need merchandise or services, have a house paid for in cash, with independent options for utilities- naturally, we will opt for choices that don’t require a paper trail. We are training our children to know about identity protection as well as self-sufficiency, what our forefathers simply understood as true freedom. We are not alone.
Comment by karen — October 13, 2011 @ 8:04 am
Hi all,
Just to let you know Erasing David will be playing at London Transport Museum in a special screening on December 9 at 6.30pm!
For more information check out http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/events/events-calendar/362-events-sense-and-the-city#david
Bring your friends/colleagues!
Comment by Jenn — November 24, 2011 @ 12:07 pm
Thankyou David for having the courage to totally cede your identity to the public world. Whilst confiming my own paranoias and making me more aware than ever of the pittfalls of modern society, you have exposed yourself entirely! A face to the name David Bond.
I always wonder just how much intent and effort the ( Australian) government puts in to assessing the mental state of it’s citizens, which then leads me to wonder if the British government has not carefully watched Erasing David analysing your emotional/mental state as an aid to further enhancing their own ability to affect British citizens? For all your bravery and courage, have you not provided a sample of British mentality to be used as yet another tool in the ongoing fight for control of the people?
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t:)
Comment by Georgie — December 19, 2011 @ 3:09 am