This Sunday, January 28th, is a little-known holiday called International Data Privacy Day. It's hard to imagine this Sunday being markedly different from any other, but a quick glance at the countless headlines, many of which were written by this very publication, reveal why we take data privacy seriously. I know what I have to accept.
In today's digitally interconnected society, it's virtually impossible for apps to exist without producing a trail of data, such as recording every ping, scroll, keystroke, and tap. We know exactly why they do this.
We all know the unsettling experience of receiving an ad so targeted that we're convinced someone is listening to our conversation. But we have only recently come to understand the true toll this surveillance is taking on us, our well-being, and the fabric of our society.
These platforms not only invade our privacy, they wreak havoc on our mental health, body image, elections, and the entire concept of truth.
sustainable oil
Our reliance on digital services turns us into commodities, and our personal data is traded like currency between companies. This is a dark truth. People who have amassed great power show little inclination to relinquish it. Users are becoming increasingly distrustful of Big Tech, which is trying to market itself as more private.
Meta (Facebook) pushes features like “link history” to users that are packaged as useful tools while telling users they have full control in their “privacy center,” but Meta It is only used to obtain more user data for targeted advertising.
It's like oil companies advertising how sustainable they are.
take the lead and charge
But again, the main problem we face is not one of perception. 77% of Americans have little or no trust in social media company leaders to publicly admit mistakes and take responsibility for data misuse, and 76% have little or no trust in social media company leaders to publicly admit mistakes and take responsibility for data misuse; They expect you to sell without your consent.
As new technologies such as AI emerge, 81% of survey respondents expect it to be used in ways that make them uncomfortable. Even worse, 71% of respondents do not expect technology companies to be held accountable for misuse of their personal data.
So how can we bridge this gap between skepticism and cynicism? Thankfully, this same survey shows that 78 percent of adults believe they can make good decisions about their personal data. However, 61 percent are skeptical that their actions will make a difference.
What we're saying here is that not only can you make data privacy decisions for yourself, you absolutely should. Currently, private search engines like Startpage and private web browsers like Vivaldi are leading the way away from Big Tech's surveillance economy.
The fact that Startpage's search volume has steadily increased over the years and Vivaldi's user base continues to grow shows that consumers are ready and willing to make a change.
Privacy tools not only allow you to instantly take back control of your privacy and data, but like most actions, the impact increases as more people participate. One need only look at the U.S. government's recent antitrust lawsuits against tech giants or the EU's recent regulations on AI to understand the power of collective pressure.
surveillance ecosystem
Big Tech was fined a staggering $3.04 billion in 2023. The not so interesting fact is that it took him only 7 days to earn enough money to repay the entire amount. So while the situation may seem hopeless, if enough people take advantage of online privacy tools, the key narrative that tech giants continue to use to justify their actions: We have the power to undermine the important narrative that the surveillance ecosystem is the only way to monetize the system. internet.
As individuals, our privacy is important to us. It is not a traded commodity. It is an inalienable right.
We are living proof that there is a better way. That's why we hope you'll join us in making 2024 the year users finally regain their collective power.
