It’s easy to feel like privacy is a thing of the past. Everywhere you go, you’re being watched, from security cameras in shops to drones flying overhead. If you value privacy, you must know how to hide from drones.
Oh, and let’s not forget all the hidden cameras you must watch out for. Kim once found 20 hidden cameras in an Airbnb. Modern cameras are so small they can fit into shirt buttons.
Bottom line: Privacy advocates have their work cut out for them. If you want to know how to counter drone surveillance, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will teach you how to hide from a drone and protect your privacy.
1. Use your surroundings to your advantage
Look around your environment if you see a drone buzzing in the sky. If the weather’s lousy, you’re in luck: Drones have trouble flying in heavy rain, fog and high winds. But if it’s a sunny day, look for trees, walls and alcoves.
Tunnels are especially useful if you’re trying to avoid these high-flying digital surveillance tools. Use them for shelter to make sure someone isn’t watching you. Most importantly, cover your face.
In the UAE, military drones have facial recognition features. Who’s to say some tech-savvy creep in your neighborhood hasn’t set up an invasive system?
Speaking of which, you may already be a part of your local police department’s collection of faces. Use this free tool to find out if the police have your face saved to their database.
2. Not sure how to hide from drones? Try this ugly solution
Well, an ugly sweater, that is. It may sound weird, but upgrading your closet may be the best way to protect your privacy.
Get this: Researchers at the University of Maryland found that patterned sweaters thwart AI systems. Here’s their study.
Here are some highlights from the study:
- These sweaters use the same images engineers use to train AI systems to recognize objects.
- Wear one of them and it will overwhelm the AI system with stimuli.
- Instead of seeing you as a person, it might interpret you as a giraffe.
Fashion brands are already catching on. Italian startup Cap_able sells clothes with confusing patterns, also known as “adversarial patches.” These patterns are designed to confuse facial recognition software.
CEO Rachele Didero told CNN that most people don’t have the freedom of choice when standing near biometric recognition cameras. Public devices will take your data without consent. With these clothes, you can fight back against data collection.
Speaking of clothes, you can also wear reflective material, like space blankets or umbrellas. If you want to go above and beyond, change how you walk. Some drones can recognize your gait.
3. Always carry an umbrella
You don’t need to justify carrying an umbrella. Even if it’s not raining and the sun is shining, an umbrella is an excellent way to stay hidden from drone surveillance. When you see or hear one of the pesky drones nearby, whip out the umbrella and hold it high with confidence. It will keep you out of the drone’s sight.
Now that you know how to hide from drones, try this trick
Big Tech corporations are supposed to safely handle our personal online data, but now they’re getting into the political game. I don’t want to be any part of that, and neither should you.
That’s why I trust and use our sponsor, ExpressVPN. These Big Tech companies match your internet activity to your identity or location by using your public IP address, but with ExpressVPN, no one can see your IP address — no one.
Protect your privacy. Get three months free when you sign up for one year at ExpressVPN.com/Kim.
