Truly Disappearing: Powering Our Own Perpetual Surveillance?

Truly Disappearing: Powering Our Own Perpetual Surveillance?

Author: Gareth King December 10, 2025 Duration: 44:56

The internet has given us unprecedented connection, but thanks to relentless data retention and constant tracking of our every digital move, is it now virtually impossible to shed our old identity and start a new life undetected?

To help us understand what we’re up against, we’re joined by Lachlan Jarvis, a private investigator, digital forensics expert, and Director of Lyonswood Investigations.

⁠https://www.investigators.net.au/⁠

⁠https://x.com/Lyonswood_PI⁠

⁠https://www.instagram.com/lyonswoodinvestigations/?hl=en⁠

⁠https://www.facebook.com/LyonswoodInvestigations⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@lyonswoodinvestigations

Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.

Follow the show, let us know what else to look into at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or support us at ⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/rbtishow⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Lachlan joins us to look at the implications of the internet on personal identity and privacy. We explore how the digital landscape has evolved, the nature of digital footprints, and the challenges of disappearing in a connected world.

We also look at the right to be forgotten, the feasibility of reinventing oneself, and the importance of digital hygiene in protecting personal information.

00:00 The Cost of Digital Identity

03:12 The Evolution of Private Investigation

06:07 Understanding Digital Footprints

09:03 Active vs Passive Digital Footprints

12:13 The Right to be Forgotten

14:59 The Challenges of Disappearing

17:50 The Role of AI in Investigation

20:54 The Feasibility of Reinventing Oneself

24:09 Digital Hygiene and Security

27:08 Identity Theft and Its Consequences

30:00 The Future of Digital Privacy


It’s a question that nags at anyone who’s ever felt a pang of nostalgia or a wave of digital fatigue: are we better or worse off because of our constant connection? Hosted by Gareth King, Ruined By The Internet? digs into that uneasy feeling, moving beyond simple headlines to explore how our online world actively moulds society, culture, and the texture of daily life. This isn’t about reviewing apps or gadgets; it’s about treating the digital realm as the pervasive environment it has become. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with leading thinkers and researchers from around the world, dissecting the real evidence behind our shared anxieties and hopes. You’ll hear nuanced discussions that ask whether the casualties we often blame on technology are inevitable, or if we’re simply misdiagnosing deeper societal shifts. This podcast provides a space for considered reflection, offering listeners a clearer lens through which to view their own place in a world that is, for better or worse, thoroughly wired.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

Ruined By The Internet? - Uncovering the human cost of our digital world
Podcast Episodes
The Internet: A Corporate Hijacking of Digital Freedom? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:05
The internet was supposed to be where the free exchange of knowledge and ideas happened. Instead, it’s become a place increasingly controlled by a few companies, leading to the regular suppression of inconvenient or unpo…
Social Interaction: The Digital Erasure of Presence? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:25
With its constant presence and insatiable demand for attention, has the internet invaded our offline spaces, diminishing our ability to be truly present, and eroding the quality of our in-person experiences?To help us un…
Music: An Algorithmic Burial of Human Artists? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:12
It promised to empower artists and give listeners infinite choice. But has the internet turned music into a disposable commodity, replaced human curation with algorithms, and made it impossible for most artists to earn a…
Gambling: Optimised for Frictionless Financial Mayhem? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:22
It promised to modernise an age-old activity, bringing new convenience to a quick thrill. But has the internet instead delivered a predatory, 24/7 addiction machine that exploits our psychology with algorithms, leading t…
The Human Identity: Authenticity or Algorithmic Performance? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:24
It promised a world of self-expression and connection. But has the internet instead encouraged us to create performative versions of ourselves; curated by algorithms and validated by likes?To help us find the reality, we…
Human Resources: The Era of Digital Reductionism? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:01
It promised to make things more efficient, objective, and data-driven, but has the internet instead turned a human-centric discipline into an automated, impersonal system with new ethical and privacy concerns?To help us…
Video Games: From Finished Art to Perpetual Product? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:21
Through predatory monetisation, rushed development, and profits over player enjoyment, has the joy and escapism of video games been lost?To give us a walkthrough, we’re joined by Steve Wright, owner and Editor-in-Chief o…
Journalism & News: From Fact-Checking to Attention-Seeking? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:22
It promised unlimited reach, direct engagement, and a more informed world. But has the internet instead devalued expertise, creating a ‘clicks and outrage’ economy where speed reigns over accuracy?To help us get the full…
Broadcast Television: The Digital Dismantling of an Entire Industry? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:46
By replacing linear, scheduled programming with huge libraries of on-demand content, have the business models and power structures of traditional tv been toppled for good?To help us see the full picture, we’re joined by…
The Job Hunt: Built to Harvest Data, not People? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:33
It was once a very human-centric process. But for so many of us, has the internet transformed looking for work into an automated, opaque, and intensely competitive digital gauntlet?To help us unpack what’s going on, we’r…