Reclaiming Privacy in a World That Wants Us to Give Up
https://substack.com/inbox/post/153732528
It feels like every device in our lives is spying on us. Vacuum cleaners send photos and audio from our bedrooms to China. Televisions take screenshots of what we’re watching every few seconds and share that data with third parties. Social media algorithms analyze our every click and scroll. And governments leverage these tools to watch us more closely than ever before.
It’s easy to feel pessimistic—even hopeless—about the future of privacy in a world so intertwined with technology. If you only watch the first half of our videos, you might think we hate tech.
“Tech is spying on us.” “Tech is tracking our location.” “Tech is allowing governments and corporations to overreach into our lives.”
But actually, I’m a techno-optimist.
If you watch the second half of our videos, you’ll hear us say things like, “This is the tech that will protect us.” “Here’s the tech that empowers us.” “Here’s how to use technology to reclaim our digital freedoms.”
I recently put out a video exploring techno-optimism, and I was shocked by the responses. So many people were quick to throw in the towel. Comments like: “I don’t share your optimism—privacy is dead.” “Don’t even try, it’s pointless.” Another privacy advocate who makes video content, The Hated One, noticed this trend on his videos too. There’s been an uptick in people telling others to give up on privacy altogether.
Honestly, it feels like a psyop. Who benefits from us giving up? The answer is obvious: only the people surveilling us. Maybe the psyop has been so effective it’s taken on a life of its own. Many people are now willingly complicit, fueling the narrative and spreading defeatism. This attitude is toxic, and it has to stop. If you’ve already given up, we don’t stand a chance. The privacy battle is ultimately about human rights and freedom. Giving up isn’t an option.
But more importantly, the idea that privacy is hopeless couldn’t be further from the truth. We have every reason to feel energized and excited. For the first time, we have both the technology and the cultural momentum to reclaim our privacy. The solution to surveillance isn’t throwing out our devices—it’s embracing the incredible privacy tech already available. The tools we need are here. We need to use them, build more, and spread the word. We need to lean into this fight.
I’m a techno-optimist because I believe we have the power to create a better future. In this newsletter, I’ll show you privacy tools you can already start using today, and highlight groundbreaking advancements in our near future.
Tech Is Neutral—It’s How We Use It That Matters
Many people have been tricked into thinking that tech itself is the problem. I see it in the comments on our videos. Whenever we share privacy solutions, someone always says, “If you want privacy, you have to throw out your digital devices.”
But that’s not true. You don’t have to throw out your devices to reclaim your privacy. The idea that technology and privacy can’t coexist benefits the very corporations and governments surveilling us. It keeps us from even trying to protect ourselves.
The truth is, technology is neutral. It can be used for surveillance, but it can also be used for privacy. For decades, it’s been hijacked primarily for surveillance. But now we have cutting-edge tools to fight back. We have encryption technology that empowers us to reclaim our digital freedoms.
How Privacy Tech Is Empowering People Worldwide
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