Detective Kelsie Harlow tells Lottie, “People don’t just vanish. Not in today’s world.” What did you make of this statement? Do you agree? Why or why not? How does technology make it harder to get away with murder these days?
Criminal Science and communication technologies are so advanced now that just about everything can be tracked or traced in some manner. If you use a smart phone, or use Alexa type technology, or buy anything online, etc., your info is somewhere. It is probably possible for someone to figuratively “vanish” but it would not be easy, and may not be permanent.
I agree with the statement. A long time ago you could disappear but tech has changed that. We leave digital footprints from the Find My App, Easy Pass, traffic cameras, facial recognition software and a lot of other monitoring that we aren’t even aware of. Big Brother is watching don’t fool yourself. As far as crime solving DNA and technology to identify fibers etc gives more clues for crime solving.
I agree that it would be nearly impossible to disappear today. Everything leaves a trace. Cameras are everywhere…heck, even going to buy groceries at Wal-mart would leave evidence. Living off the grid would take extreme effort and forethought. I just don’t see how it would be possible today, especially when it would not be in the nature of Plum to vanish into the world of the unseen.
I listened to Zayd Ayers Dorn’s podcast, Mother Country Radicals, and read his book Dirty, Dangerous, Violent, and Young not that long ago. He lived underground for many years because his parents were members of the Weather Underground. In both, he maintains that there are people who live under the radar all over the place, we just don’t realize it. So I don’t think it’s impossible. I do, however, think it requires a lot of careful planning and a willingness to live differently than we do these days. (I, for one, would curl up and die without my iPhone.)
Technology is only growing and will continue to do so. Big Brother is always watching is more prevalent now than ever before. Technology does make it harder to get away with murder today than ever before, but regardless of what Harlow said people do vanish, even today. Her detective ego played into that statement.
I agree, I do think it is possible but in our current times very difficult. It almost has to be from birth, or there will be school records and a social security number. But if you are not born in a hospital, it would not automatically be a record. The next big issue is money. You need a job that will pay in cash and not keep a record of your employment.
But even with these initial steps there are cameras everywhere!
I agree that it would be awfully hard in today’s world to vanish, but not impossible. There are so many places that you would appear on surveillance cameras that you are not even aware of. Also with the number of “ring” type cameras it would be even harder. You could not use any credit cards or drive on any major highway. But yes, if someone truly wanted to live off the grid in some remote location it might be possible to go undetected.
It’s true. It’s very difficult for people to simply disappear these days, unlike before mass communicatoin when they just walked off and were never heard from again. We leave digital footprints in ways we aren’t always aware of. Just having a cell phone on our person creates a trail that law enforcement can follow. DNA analysis, cameras, etc. also provide ways of finding people that didn’t exist for older generations.
I think it is much harder to disappear because of GPS in phones and cars, as well as all of the cameras everywhere that are often linked.
I agree with you Kim. Ayers was very clear with his message, there are many who live under the radar in today’s society. However, it would take lots of planning, and the ability to get along without the interactions with others, meaning no phones, computers. One would have to be self sufficient, able to provide both your food and shelter without any interaction with others. I can see cracks in the process, such as seeds, water or heat. Even if you had a plan to secure provisions, it could be a rough time staying out of radar.