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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:

Halo8 · 01/08/2023 14:14

Me and dh. No social media, and dh doesn’t even have an email address or smartphone, though I think that’s taking it a bit too far!

Original poster

Window82 · 01/08/2023 14:20

Very interesting. But are we now heading into an era where no online presence, social media presence will hold people back?

I read interestingly the post from a PP about her ILs getting everyone else to do their banking etc the things that really they should be doing themselves.

The question was also partly triggered by me wanting to get in touch with my friend who I can’t find!

OP posts:

Pleasemrstweedie · 01/08/2023 14:20

Renewing memberships of an organisation I am involved with threw up more people than I expected (mostly older men) without e mail, without a mobile and, in one case, someone without even a landline.

A significant number of this group also did not have a driving licence.

FreyafromLondon · 01/08/2023 14:25

I could easily live off grid in the middle of nowhere, but can't due to being a carer for a family member

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 01/08/2023 14:29

An old friend who I've not seen for around 15 years. He went travelling, I had a baby, our paths diverted we never reconnected. He works in IT and knows how to hide his footprint! I know he's still living in the same city, he rents a flat from a friend of a friend.

Ibizamumof4 · 01/08/2023 14:32

Loads of people my brother , my dad but I know people from school etc who have never been interested and have jobs that don’t really require you have an online presence

Edwardandtubbs · 01/08/2023 14:33

My aunt took very early retirement so has never had a work email address and never got a personal one. No mobile phone, and she's never owned a computer. I don't think she'd know how to use one, certainly not any programmes like Word, Excel etc. She's never done anything online.

Even my 98yr old nan had a Facebook account and learnt to do facetime during COVID but my aunt never did...

greyhairnomore · 01/08/2023 14:33

My mum.

peachgreen · 01/08/2023 14:35

My DP has a Facebook he literally never posts on and that's it. It was weird when we were first dating as I tended to do a bit of a background check before meeting someone off an app, and I could find nothing on him which rang alarm bells! But he really is just a very private person who has no inclination to post on social media whatsoever. Whereas I have three Twitter accounts!

Ladyoftheknight · 01/08/2023 14:35

SIL has nothing about her online. She's married to someone very well known/a celebrity and he also has no social media and posts nothing online, everything is posted on his behalf. Her DOB, full name and their kids names are completely unknown so they don't have to deal with having their lives broadcasted for all to see.

Their PR team spoke to us about keeping our presence hidden, I have a large instagram following but none of my followers know my name. We're doing quite well at being invisibly visible!

User265438765 · 01/08/2023 14:37

Starlitexpress · 01/08/2023 10:47

One friend who has no online presence and one that doesn't even have WhatsApp!

I don't use WhatsApp, I have no need for it

LizBennet · 01/08/2023 14:38

My DP has WhatsApp and that’s it, never had a Facebook account.

calmcoco · 01/08/2023 14:38

Loads of people and young people are increasingly aware of the negative side.

It is hard not to be online (for goods & services), but not hard to not have a visible identifiable presence IMO.

Brokendaughter · 01/08/2023 14:41

I actually know a few people who are ditching smart phones & going back to non smart because they object to the forced installation of the govt alert system on them.

I think a lot of people value privacy.

User265438765 · 01/08/2023 14:42

The only SM account I have apart from MN is Twitter which I set up so I can complain to British Gas and see what is happening if there is a power cut or water leak so not very social things. Often the only way you can contact companies is through Twitter or Facebook and I didn't want a Facebook account.

Floatlikeafeather2 · 01/08/2023 14:48

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.

But you do. You have a username on Mumsnet and engage with it.

User265438765 · 01/08/2023 14:50

I don't like using apps either, I have a large screen iMac which I prefer to do everything on, I rarely use my phone and use my iPad mainly on holiday, but it is big enough to use websites rather than apps.

UsingChangeofName · 01/08/2023 14:54

Of course.
Loads.
Am surprised that you think it is strange.

Brexile · 01/08/2023 14:54

My two former best friends (would be in their late 40s now) had no internet presence in their own names. One became a huge conspiracy theorist and was unmasked by a newspaper as a prolific troll - he wasn't named, but the details were enormously outing, and he died of in self-imposed exile in a town where he had moved knowing nobody. He tried to reinvent himself by getting stuff taken down, although the whole thing has re-emerged posthumously. Second ex best friend is fiercely private, and ended a four decade friendship because I shared a post relating to a family member of hers, which had been published at the family's behest and which I wrongly assumed was designed to be shared as widely as possible. My apologies fell on deaf ears and I still don't quite understand what I did wrong, but what's done is done I suppose. I don't really know what the moral of these stories is, except that social media use (whether overt or covert, or one's own reaction to someone else's use of SM) can amplify personality quirks and lead to disagreements. I still use it, but less, and more prudently :( .

Shellingbynight · 01/08/2023 14:57

"But are we now heading into an era where no online presence, social media presence will hold people back?
I read interestingly the post from a PP about her ILs getting everyone else to do their banking etc the things that really they should be doing themselves."

Those are two separate things though. Me and OH don't have an online presence, I can't see how it would hold us back in any way.

We've done online banking and shopping for many years.

But one of my friends will be in the shit if something happens to her husband as she doesn't have her own email account, and he does all the online banking and shopping. I think those basics are important now.

UndercoverCop · 01/08/2023 15:00

My dad, he's in his seventies, he has a smart phone and uses it to read news etc, video calls during Covid, but has no online presence at all, he doesn't see the point. Has online banking but doesn't use it. He has an email address but had never sent an email. I set him one up for use with comparison sites etc.
My gran (maternal) is in her late eighties and she has FB , WhatsApp, email and is on some forums for her walking group and a portal thing for her choir. She also uses drop box!

EveSix · 01/08/2023 15:05

DP. Nothing at all.

ChronicallyUnhappy · 01/08/2023 15:42

Ladyoftheknight · 01/08/2023 14:35

Their PR team spoke to us about keeping our presence hidden, I have a large instagram following but none of my followers know my name. We're doing quite well at being invisibly visible!

Let the guessing begin….

mortgagequandary · 01/08/2023 16:17

My dad but he is 68! 😆

I'd love to not have SM but I have a business so I have to be on it for that

spidermonkeys · 01/08/2023 16:21

I have zero online presence. I was staked and harrased by my ex and shut everything down few years ago. It was incredibly freeing to not have endless apps to scroll.

MN is my only form of social media.

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