Privacy: it's a fundamental human right.

People need privacy. We need to be able to talk, work, relax, and enjoy ourselves without the stress of constantly being watched. But as the Internet becomes an integral part of our everyday life, government surveillance and Big Tech companies spy on more and more of our personal lives.

It doesn't have to be this way, though. You can fight back and regain your online privacy.

Privacy isn't about hiding from everyone around you, it's about having control over your personal information. You, and only you, should be deciding which parts of your life others have access to, whether they're friends, family, companies, or governments.

Isn't privacy a lost cause?

No, it's not! Thwarting online surveillance sounds daunting at first, but you can take small steps at a time to reduce tracking. Some privacy is better than no privacy, and those small steps add up quick.

Just don't use [insert app here] if you care about privacy!

It's really not that simple. There are many reasons why someone might be unable to quit using a service, including:

• They may have important data (such as legal documents, e-mails, or accounts) that cannot be transferred
• They may be forced to use the service by their work, school, or other institution
• They may not be able to communicate with certain friends or family otherwise
• They may lack the technical knowledge required to use an alternate service

None of these are simply "not caring about privacy". Vendor lock-in is intentionally difficult to overcome, and everyone deserves privacy regardless of their technical skill, current situation, or social circles.

Why should I care? I have nothing to hide.

Are you sure there's nothing you wouldn't want random people seeing? What about your browsing history? Your passwords? Nude photos? Even if you haven't done anything wrong (and let's face it, everyone has at some point), chances are there's still something you'd rather keep to yourself.

Resources

Not sure where to start? Try some of these:

• The EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense guide
• My list of Privacy-focused software