Every time we see a fresh example of how badly our privacy has been eroded by the same tech companies that tout a commitment to protect it, the same reactions pop up. Boycott the service, stop using their products, delete them forever and don’t look back. They’re all valid responses.
Then many of us ask ourselves: “What can we do to protect our privacy?”
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| Illustration: Mark Pernice |
Deleting accounts and giving up on offending services can be good moves. But let’s be realistic: They’re small measures when you consider the big picture, that the gears of the online world are greased with our data. And there is no sign of that changing anytime soon.
After all, if it’s not one tech giant with all of your data, it’ll probably be another, right? So what’s the point of even trying to switch?
If being overwhelmed by the scale of the problem feels familiar, it should. It’s a lot like climate change. Obviously, eroding internet privacy won’t physically transform our planet for generations to come. But it is the kind of huge challenge that requires giant organizations — like governments and corporations — to take the threat seriously and act accordingly, rather than say they’re concerned and promising to do better in the future. Real action on climate hinges on these big players to the point that small personal measures pale in comparison.
Read the story from The New York Times by Alan Henry - “What We Can Learn About Online Privacy From Climate Change.”
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