Private Citizen
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The Private Citizen Project · by Ben

Set up your life so no single company, app or ID can lock you out.

And find the people to build what comes next with.

Start with 5-minute winsSee the guide
Albrecht Dürer's engraving of a knight riding on past Death and the Devil

Why now

What's actually happening.

Checked in November 2026, with a source on each one. My own predictions are kept separate, in Six Things I Think Are Coming.

Proving you're human

It's becoming a product.

Researchers from OpenAI, Microsoft, MIT and Harvard proposed “personhood credentials” so people can prove they're human online. World ID already scans eyes at an Orb to do it.

Source: MIT Media Lab

Age checks

They're moving into your device.

California's AB 1043 makes operating systems ask your age at setup starting January 1, 2027. It's self-reported, with no ID upload. Lawmakers voted in August to exempt open-source systems like most Linux.

Source: Tom's Hardware

Private scores

Your behavior already has a price.

The FTC says GM's driver data reached data brokers whose reports insurers used to set rates. The FTC finalized its order against GM in January 2026.

Source: Engadget

Both sides

Don't wait for either one to save you.

Republican-led Texas and Democratic-led California have both passed age-check laws. Public pushback can still work: the UK dropped mandatory digital ID for workers after a 2.9 million signature petition, though digital right-to-work checks stay.

Source: The Register

The path

Start small. Climb when you're ready.

You don't have to do all of this. Every step you take leaves you harder to lock out.

  1. 5 minutes · Free

    Quick wins

    Lock down your main email, save your recovery codes and turn off the worst of the tracking.

  2. A weekend

    The Lockout Plan

    Backups, a second email, papers on an encrypted drive, some cash, and what to do first if you're locked out.

  3. All-in

    Leave the defaults

    Move off Windows, encrypt your drive, and set up a more private phone, an offline library and local AI.

  4. Together

    Build

    Find people nearby, share skills and stay connected without depending on big platforms.

The full guide

The Private Citizen Guide

$14

Being written

Every step is tested by me or clearly marked as not tested. It's not for sale yet. Join the newsletter below and you'll hear when it's ready.

  1. Why I care
  2. What's actually happening
  3. What I expect, and the signs to watch
  4. 5-minute wins
  5. Weekend projects, including the Lockout Plan
  6. All-in, including moving off Windows
  7. Build
  8. What this can't promise
  9. Tools and sources, every one dated

Straight talk

What this can't promise.

No setup is perfectly safe or untraceable, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. The goal is to depend less on any one company, keep your own copies of what matters and have a plan for a bad day.

I'm still working through this myself. I run Linux and keep encrypted backups, and I still use Google for my business and carry an iPhone. I'd rather show you how far I've gotten than pretend I'm finished.

Want to start now? See the better alternatives to the services you use every day.

This project is by Ben, owner of Waynesville Computer Services.

Questions

Before you start.

Do I need to be technical?

No. The first tier is phone and account settings anyone can change. Later tiers go further, and each step is explained as if you've never done it.

Is the starter guide really free?

Yes. 5-Minute Wins is free to read with no signup.

Will this make me untraceable?

No, and nothing can promise that. It makes you harder to lock out and leaves you less dependent on any one company.

When is the full guide coming out?

When the steps are tested. It'll cost $14, and the newsletter will announce it.