Prepper Privacy: What You Should Keep To Yourself And Why

As an active prepper, you need to be very cautious and need to think through every step you take, especially if you’re the type that’s active on social media. It’s all about the amount and quality of the information you provide throughout your activity. Even though you’re well intended, the information that you link and provide, in some situations might proof to be detrimental rather than beneficial to the cause you aim to serve in the first place. The first thing you really need to understand is that out there (in the social media environment), you’re visible to EVERYBODY, not just to those you consider allies. So the information you provide and means you provide it have to be very well thought through.

The first thing you need to watch out for is general safety. So when dealing with subjects like classified, secret or top secret information make thorough research in the matter and decide whether what you’re about to disclose is going to have good or dire consequences. For example, overexposing secret military technologies or maneuvers might not just give a hint to the right people, but it could also be used against them. Secondly, you’re personal safety and the safety of the ones you hold dear should not be jeopardized. Do not release unnecessary information about yourself, keep a low as possible profile.

Do not submit unnecessary photos of yourself (or you family and friends), do not make your contact information available and when writing articles or doing demonstrative videos, never use your own alarm passwords, garage door passwords etc. Even when it comes to your conduit in everyday life, keep the same low profile you keep on the internet: do not advertise yourself through t-shirts, posters or even car-stickers. This way you’re privacy will keep as safe as possible and even if you’re flagged as a persona non-grata you’re hard to track and the pesky protesters against what you “preach” and share will keep away from your house.

What you look like

Posting photos of yourself or your possessions over social media is a bad idea. Bragging about your new gun or that fancy generator that you just got put in might get you in more trouble than it is actually worth. Even if you think the image itself reveals nothing about you or your current location, know that many of the smart phones or technological gismos today attach hidden time and GPS coordinate tags to the metadata of the imagine file. This invisible geotag is always on, and it’s not easy turning it off, unless you’re very knowledgeable in the field. However, reading the data is not hard at all. So everybody who isn’t aware of this tracking method has been sending pictures that are easy to read out. The privacy of your home or secret hideout can easily be pin-pointed on the map.

What you say

To disclose more personal information about yourself than you absolutely have to. Any type of email or direct conversation throughout the social media devices has to be very well thought through, so don’t let your mouth get in trouble. Confidentiality is key, even when talking to an apparently average Joe, like you neighbors or the store clerk that asks you jokingly if “with all this stuff you just bought you’re preparing for World War 3”. Many times such friendly conversations are meant to inform a higher authority.

What you text

Whether you’re texting via the sms service or simply forwarding emails (or any other type of internet messenger), be advised that at the end of the day, all this sort of information is not 100% secure. So don’t reveal too much about yourself or your prepper lifestyle.

Where you live

Your home is you’re sanctuary and it should be respected as such. Privacy should be encouraged, even in the youngest of your family members. Because keeping the front door or the garage door wide open gives a clear view inside. Even during night time, all drapes or shades should be closed at all time, because it takes nothing more than a cheap telescope a clear path for your privacy to be violated. You’re home is only as safe as you make it.

What you drive

Yes, you read right. You’re very own vehicle could be a dead giveaway about who you are and what you do if it’s personalized. Any sort of sticker (the ones that show the amount of family members, the honor role son / daughter, customized license plates, etc.) could mean one step closer to revealing you identity and location. Even the car dealer license plate frames should be off limits. The more inconspicuous you’re ride is, the better.

Keeping everyday confidentiality to a maximum requires nothing more than awareness and common sense. Most of us playing the confidentiality card, but how many of us actually play it properly, it’s up for debate. We’re living in a day and age where information equals power and there are those out there who will stop at nothing in getting it and using it for unorthodox purposes. No piece of information is useless and nothing should be left to chance when it comes to your safety and to the safety of everything you hold dear.

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