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Original poster

Do you know anyone with Zero online presence?

151 replies

Window82 · 01/08/2023 10:01

That’s my question? My DH was like this until he had to set up a LinkedIn account for work, he also has a profile now on his work website. But no Social media.

I have a profile on my work website and also have Instagram and Facebook.

The only person I can think of is my Nan as she’s illiterate and her life is very basic. She is aware of things like social media from watching the television but she also speaks little English so has a very sheltered life.

I was trying to track down my old neighbour’s daughter to contact her and found nothing online. Also an old university friend who is a solicitor and I can she’s on the roll but I can’t find her on her firm website.

I can usually find out a lot about people straightaway (e.g. new prospective clients) because of their online profiles but some people have zero presence!

I have a client who works in IT he has zero presence out of choice! I find that really interesting. He said he’d rather there was nothing about him available online.

OP posts:
ItsMeImtheProblematicone · 01/08/2023 10:03

I don’t have FB or IG etc.

A few years ago I was investigated after a malicious SS referral. I did SARS and saw how they were looking for my social media accounts and were commenting they couldn’t find any and needed to as wanted to check certain things

Amazongirl9 · 01/08/2023 10:05

I know plenty of people who have a very small/ zero online presence. One friend because of stalking from an ex , another who has a “fake” presence that only a few select are aware of, some people are just very private .

Ohjustboreoff · 01/08/2023 10:18

My DH is mid 40's and has zero online presence. He despises FB and rarely goes online for anything. He hates I have FB but refuses to let me post anything about our DC or family. I have a minimal online presence as I never post anything just a stalker (except MN :-)). It does make me sad when friends get the memories pop up on FB with DC'S and holidays/days out, I'm a bit jealous!

tescocreditcard · 01/08/2023 10:24

My mum.

FoxtrotOscarFoxtrotOscar · 01/08/2023 10:26

Me.
Apart from very occasional LinkedIn usage, nothing.

MelonAid · 01/08/2023 10:30

Me.

I've never had any social media, dating back to Bebo and MySpace.

I've never had Linked-In.

I don't have an online profile for work.

Beezknees · 01/08/2023 10:32

I honestly don't. Even my 81 year old grandparent has a facebook account.

Most people I know use it to varying degrees. I have one friend who only uses instagram. Then some other friends have facebook, twitter, Instagram, linkedin, the whole lot.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 01/08/2023 10:32

I hang around on here a bit an post now and again, but apart from that I don't use any 'networking' social media. No FB, Insta, snapchat, ticktok, linkedin, nothing. It was a bit of a contentious issue for a while at work because so much of what we do involves staying connected to other orgs via SM, but we reached an agreement that I can use my orgs' social media accounts while at work if necessary. I just have zero interest in the personal side of SM. So much of it is just raging egotism and people desperate for attention.

ChronicallyUnhappy · 01/08/2023 10:32

I have almost zero online presence. Aside from this, and a LinkedIn that I had to make for work, I’ve got nothing else.

I had all of the social medias going at one point but since deleting them all last year, I’m so much calmer anxiety wise

BBno4 · 01/08/2023 10:33

My DH, only has WhatsApp. I like that

B72 · 01/08/2023 10:34

My parents. They haven't even got the internet to their home, much less any gadgets, including mobile phones.
They still have a landline phone.
A couple of my friends also don't have the internet in their homes or any social media or email .Their mobiles are strictly calls and texts.
I don't have social media as in FB or messaging services. I have MN obviously, but that's it.
I use my media for browsing, booking stuff and online shopping only, apart from posting here.

bestbefore · 01/08/2023 10:35

My parents don't have anything, in their 80s and my DH has nothing at all.

ArbitraryHaddock · 01/08/2023 10:36

Me. I have FB under an assumed name with a false dob. No LinkedIn, IG, Twitter etc

ChronicallyUnhappy · 01/08/2023 10:36

ChronicallyUnhappy · 01/08/2023 10:32

I have almost zero online presence. Aside from this, and a LinkedIn that I had to make for work, I’ve got nothing else.

I had all of the social medias going at one point but since deleting them all last year, I’m so much calmer anxiety wise

Want to add, I’m in my mid 20s, and I’m considered odd for not having social media flying out of my eyeballs

CrackersCheeseAndWinePlease · 01/08/2023 10:38

My sister, she has no social media at all.

heartofglass23 · 01/08/2023 10:38

I know someone who has an email address but nothing else.

Never done any social media. But does WhatsApp count?

No online banking but does do online shopping.

purplecorkheart · 01/08/2023 10:38

i know quite a few people who have no presence online. They vary in ages and for many different reasons. I have little online presence and you would be very hard pushed to find me online. This is due to a previous job where we were advised by Police not to have an online presence. Thankfully I am long long gone from that job but still have the habit.

SaturdayGiraffe · 01/08/2023 10:38

Plenty of people have accounts but don't use their searchable names.
I read that the actor Michael Cera doesn't have a smartphone. He seems completely at ease with the choice.

Comefromaway · 01/08/2023 10:40

Yes I do.

My mum, she has a work email address but no social media whatsoever, not even whatsapp. There are the odd photos of her on family facebook groups.

An elderly lady my parents help look after. She does not own a computer or a mobile phone.

Sarahconnor1 · 01/08/2023 10:41

I have zero online presence in my real name. No Facebook, twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.

Chatillon · 01/08/2023 10:43

I’m 76. I don’t have an online SM presence but I am on Linked In with a terribly low connections book which I never use. I am on my business website, but that’s just a few paragraphs of facts. My business grows year in year.

I have made a lot of success, money and hundreds of acquaintances over decades without the need to make my thoughts, feelings or politics known. I don’t need emojis to express myself.

There are thousands of me, doing the same. I know many of them. We are just private people going about our lives with no need for a public persona.

The only site I go on is Mumsnet. This is anonymous of course. I come here because I have learned so much about the human spirit and how men and women work. This is the only site that I have ever felt gives me back more than I can ever input.

Comefromaway · 01/08/2023 10:43

I just ran a google search for my mum's name, she has an unusually spelled surname. The only thing that came up was her being listed as a director at Companies House.

ChronicallyUnhappy · 01/08/2023 10:46

heartofglass23 · 01/08/2023 10:38

I know someone who has an email address but nothing else.

Never done any social media. But does WhatsApp count?

No online banking but does do online shopping.

I feel like WhatsApp doesn’t count because it’s not something you post on. It’s essentially just another text messaging/calling app

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 01/08/2023 10:47

SaturdayGiraffe · 01/08/2023 10:38

Plenty of people have accounts but don't use their searchable names.
I read that the actor Michael Cera doesn't have a smartphone. He seems completely at ease with the choice.

I can totally understand the no smartphone thing. I never owned a mobile prior to 2015, and even then I only gave in because work insisted. It's strictly a work device to me and gets switched off as soon as I finish for the day. I have all the internet access I need via PC, and I just feel a bit bemused at the number of people I see walking down the street glued to their phones, or couples sitting in a bar or restaurant ignoring each other but furiously tapping away at their smartphones. I can't imagine what they are so utterly in the thrall of that they'll risk walking under a bus because of it.