To be or not to be online or off grid?

The Power of Privacy documentary was such an eye-opener! We don’t realise how much of ourselves we are sharing online just because it’s so easy and convenient. There are so many advantages of having online access as well as disadvantages. On the other hand, there are numerous reasons why we should go off grid and why we should not. Some of these are worth discussing in detail.

From the moment I open my eyes, I can grab my phone, which rested on my bedside table overnight, and start searching for absolutely anything at all, such as, cafés, today’s weather, traffic update, or photos my friends from London posted on Facebook. Before I leave for work, I use Google maps to see what the traffic will be like and how long it will take me to get there. Throughout the day, I could check my emails, get on Facebook, pay bills through online banking, browse Hoyts for upcoming movies, buy shoes online or send messages via Messenger (Johnson, 2007; Weiser (2001). No wonder I have to charge my phone each and every night!

However, with this convenience comes the consequences of not only consciously revealing information about myself via social media, but also disclosing information I thought were private or only I and the company I transacted with will ever know, e.g. credit card details provided through online shopping. If, for some reason, hackers search the online space for information about me or my family, or decide to steal my identity, they would be able to piece together a great deal of information off the web, just like what happened to Aleks Krotoski on the above-mentioned documentary (Guardian, 2016). Lyon, (2017) also noted that personal information or data, which governments or others have access to, are those that online users freely or reluctantly impart online.

Because of these, I ponder whether I'm better off going off grid or at least minimise my online presence. I don’t even remember the time when I was totally off grid so I definitely think it would be such as challenge to do (ABCNews, 2013; DiMaria,2011). Actually going to the post office and bringing my printed invoice to pay for bills instead of quickly paying for it online in a few clicks, going to retail stores and shopping for clothes instead of shopping online in my pyjamas using my credit card, or going to the bank to deposit cash to my bank account instead of receiving prompt payment online seems like hard work in today’s busy society, especially if I can complete these errands using my phone anytime and anywhere.

What are the benefits I wonder? Is it the fact that I can keep my information private and I don’t have to worry about whether my credit card details are safe, or that I can talk to people face to face or actually hear their voice on the other line instead of typing what I want to say (Lee, 2009)? Would I have better relationships with friends and families, as according to Weiser (2001), authentic and important social connections are interrupted by using the internet? Similarly, Simon Sinek (Crossman, 2016) mentioned that we are capable of having relationships that are profound and significant by putting our phones down and actually converse with other people in person? Also, is it beneficial for me to exercise and make time to go to Australia Post or Westpac to make transactions with people instead of my phone?

I’m not entirely sure what the answers to these questions are until I truly do go off grid. What I know is that there are benefits to having easy access to a considerable amount of information online but there are drawbacks of unintentionally sharing my details to anyone and everyone who wants to profit from it. In contrast, there are numerous grounds to going off grid and keeping things private but there are many reasons why I should keep using the facilities that make my life easier.