Public
A true drop belongs in openly accessible space, not behind a membership, schedule or locked door.
Public-space file sharing
Un-cloud your files
in cement.
Off The Record is an anonymous, offline, peer-to-peer network of USB drives embedded in public space. Anyone can find a drive, exchange files or install a new one.
OFFLINE
READ / WRITE
READ / WRITE
USB / 01
PUBLIC SPACE
PUBLIC SPACE
+
THE NETWORK
HAS NO CLOUD
HAS NO CLOUD
01 / The living database
Recent drops
2,385USB drops indexed
≈ 76,188 GBregistered storage
2 yearsof public exchange
WORLD / LATEST 05Select a marker
to inspect a drop
to inspect a drop
02 / The idea
Data with
no cloud.
Each Off The Record drop is a stand-alone, writable drive in a place anyone can reach. It needs no account, no custom software, no wireless connection and no synchronization with another node.
The project asks what public file sharing can mean when the network is a physical object, the interface is a wall and participation leaves dust on your jacket.
Read the full manifestoLocal
The drive mounts as ordinary read-and-write storage. The exchange happens at the object itself.
Singular
Every installation is independent. It does not need to connect, update or agree with any other drop.
03 / Field guide
Make your own
Read the manifesto
Understand the project first, then choose a genuinely public, lawful and safely accessible location.
Prepare a drive
Use a USB flash drive of any capacity. Remove unnecessary vendor software and format it for broad compatibility.
Load the note
Add the project readme and manifesto, with the maker credit, installation date and any useful local context.
Seal the hardware
Protect the body against moisture while leaving the connector clean, exposed and easy to reach.
Fix it in place
Mount the drive securely without creating a hazard or damaging protected property. Check laptop clearance.
Document & submit
Take an overview, a medium-distance photo and a close-up, then register the finished drop in the official database.
Security note
Assume every public USB device is untrusted.
Use isolated or sacrificial hardware, keep autorun disabled, and never open unknown executables or connect a drop to a computer holding valuable accounts or files. File scanning reduces risk; it does not remove it.
Finished?
Put it on the map.
Your submission email should include the drop name, capacity, location, coordinates, story and three photographs.
04 / Practical questions
FAQ
Core guidance from the original project, updated with a clearer safety baseline.
01Can anyone install an Off The Record drop?+
Participation is open, but local law and property rules still apply. Choose a safe public location, obtain permission when required and never damage protected, historic or privately owned surfaces.
02What should be on the drive at installation?+
The original approach is to begin with an otherwise empty, writable drive containing only a readme that explains the project and points back to the official site.
03Is an unknown public USB drive safe?+
No unknown USB device should be trusted. A drop can contain malicious files or altered hardware. Do not connect one to a daily-use computer; use isolated equipment, disable autorun and never execute unknown files.
04Which capacity and file system work best?+
Any capacity can work. The project historically recommends FAT32 because it is readable by many operating systems, though its 4 GB single-file limit is worth remembering.
05Should the drive use an extension cable?+
The original gesture is a bare connector emerging from the wall, but safe access matters more than purity. Leave enough clearance for different laptops and avoid any placement that strains a port.
06What about rain or vandalism?+
Shelter the installation, seal the drive body and expect that public hardware may fail, disappear or be altered. Document it well and treat impermanence as part of the project.