It is easy to criticize Evan for slipping up, but a big part of his challenge wasn’t just to remain undetected, it was to also create a new identity. For this reason I see it acceptable that he created new accounts under his new alibi, but the biggest mistake he made was checking up on his manhunt. Evan did everything right from the start, such as ditching his phone, online accounts, and credit cards.
I know that everything we do online is traceable and time stamped, but I did not realize how easy it would be for his pursuers to find a list of his archived posts on Facebook when his profile was set on private. It is a bit of a shock, and I underestimated the ease in hiding information from others. Usually people go about data mining by creating applications that pulls user information, but a simple google search did the trick. Wow.
I’m not sure what to conclude from this. Clearly the digital age is condensing the world and making it more transparent. There is not really an escape for it either—who knows how long it will be until paper money is obsolete, and even when our exact location is impossible to run from. All of these fears are in reality byproducts of what the digital age is meant to be, but it doesn’t change the fact that we are digging our own graves as far as privacy is concerned. Even if we aren’t physically being watched (people are in some parts of the world), our digital selves are; and it’s by our own hands.
>>the biggest mistake he made was checking up on his manhunt<<
ReplyDeleteNo doubt. The tendency of fugitives to monitor their pursuers usually leads to their getting caught.
The traces we leave online really are somewhat off-putting. And, as you note, we are "digging our own graves" here. We put ourselves in this position. We get an unprecedented level of interconnectivity and access (and it is NICE) - but how much privacy are we willing to give up?
Thoughtful post, as always, Mike.