Common privacy myths

Lots of people think about privacy these days, but there are many misconceptions around what it really means and why it matters. Many common beliefs about privacy just aren't true, and these myths can stop people from taking steps to protect themselves. Let's clear up some of the most common ones.

"If I have nothing to hide, I don't need privacy"

This myth suggests that if you're not doing anything "wrong," so you don't need to worry about who's looking at your data. But privacy isn't just about hiding something you're ashamed of.

You might close your bedroom door, even if you're not doing anything secretive in there. It's about having a space that's yours, where you can be yourself without being watched or judged. Privacy is about having control over your personal information and how it's used.

Even if you have “nothing to hide", you might not like the idea of companies using your information to manipulate you, discriminate against you, or sell it to someone else. Privacy can also be about protecting yourself from potential misuse of your data in the future, even if it seems harmless now. What might be considered acceptable today could be used in ways you wouldn't approve of tomorrow.

"Mainstream free services are enough for me and safer than other alternatives"

Many online services are free - social media, email, search engines, and more. It's easy to assume that if something is free, there's no catch. But sadly, this often doesn't apply to software.

This belief leads many to assume that sticking with familiar platforms like major email providers, search engines, or cloud storage solutions is the easiest and most secure option. Sadly, the "free" nature of these services comes at a significant cost: your privacy.

The common saying "if it's free, you're the product" is actually quite accurate. The more you use a free service, the more data they have about you. This data is then used to create a profile of you, which can be used to make decisions about you, even if those decisions don't directly involve you. Companies are collecting your data to show you targeted ads, track your online behavior, and potentially sell your information to third parties.

If you consider proprietary software as a whole, the idea is taken even further. You are always giving up control. Even if you are paying for a product... you can still be the product! A good example of this is Microsoft Windows, with its targeted ads and data collection practices; or smartphones with pre-installed operating systems that track your every move.

"Privacy settings are enough to protect me"

Relying on proprietary software and hoping for the best through privacy settings is a flawed approach. These platforms operate as black boxes. We don't know how they're handling our data, and their priorities aren't aligned with our privacy. Instead, the solution lies in free software.

Adjusting your privacy settings on social media and other platforms is often, quite frankly, helpless. Companies often change their privacy policies, and even the "strictest" settings they offer you don't prevent them from collecting your data.

As a layman example, setting your Facebook profile to "Friends Only" doesn't mean your information is completely safe as Facebook itself still collects data about your activity, even if it's not visible to the public nor to you!

"Privacy is only for tech experts, bad actors, etc."

Many people assume that protecting your privacy requires complicated technical skills and a deep understanding of computers. While some advanced techniques can be helpful, basic privacy measures are surprisingly easy to implement.

Tools are getting more and more user-friendly to help you take the first small steps without having to become a cybersecurity expert overnight. Check out our recommendations!

"Encryption is too complicated"

Encryption is basically a way of scrambling your data so that only authorized people can read it. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) means that your data is encrypted on your device and can only be decrypted on the recipient's device, not on any servers in between.

Some apps may lie about end-to-end encryption or implement it in a way that breaks it like WhatsApp has been accused of doing.

Truly encrypted messaging options like Signal or Matrix make it easy to communicate securely without needing to be a tech expert.

Something to think about

Encryption is becoming increasingly user-friendly because developers are making user interface abstractions better while still retaining privacy. Though, it is always possible to dig in the source code of free software if you want to.

Meanwhile, some companies often simplify interfaces to reduce your control, masking complexity to make you less aware of what's happening behind the scenes.