It is no wonder that by today’s standards, most people live in a world of ever-increasing surveillance. Privacy refers to the right of an individual or group to keep their information, behavior, or thoughts to themselves, away from public scrutiny and unauthorized access. A lack in privacy takes all these rights away.
Attacks on Privacy Have Been Normalized
The disintegration of privacy rights has been in constant preparation, affected by technological changes, societal changes, and autocratic moves by all governments. In pre-digital age, privacy attacks were localized, governments didn’t have the technical capabilities they have today, so they had to rely on more interpersonal approaches.
“The art of espionage is an evolving one, adapting to new technologies and geopolitical conditions, yet often driven by human motivations – including greed, ideology, and revenge – that have changed little over the course of 250 years.”
– “Evolution of Espionage.” INTEL.gov — Source
In the early 2000s, concerns arose over government surveillance programs, highlighted by revelations such as the USA PATRIOT Act and the warrantless wiretapping program in the United States. The post-9/11 security climate justified these measures in the name of national security, sparking debates about the balance between civil liberties and counterterrorism efforts.
Related reading: Blockchain Forensics: Balancing Crime and Privacy Rights
The rise of social media and online platforms further accelerated the loss of privacy. Individuals willingly shared personal information, habits, and preferences on these platforms, unknowingly contributing to the creation of extensive digital profiles. The revelations by Edward Snowden in 2013 exposed mass surveillance programs conducted by intelligence agencies, triggering global discussions on the far-reaching implications of state-sponsored surveillance on privacy rights.
Numb Citizens
People today suffer from constant surveillance syndrome. Trade-offs always exist in every aspect of our lives where convenience and privacy are opposites in most cases.
Today, the integration of technology into daily life has normalized the notion of being observed. The widespread use of smartphones, social media, and smart devices further contributes to this acceptance, as individuals willingly share personal information, locations, and activities online.
Moreover, government surveillance programs and security measures, often justified in the name of public safety, contribute to the sense of being constantly monitored. In some cases, the normalization of surveillance may lead to a resigned acceptance, with individuals feeling powerless to resist or challenge these practices.
Using words such as ‘Terrorism’ and ‘Money Laundering’, and tying them up with an idea they want to stop, is the playbook of bureaucrats and politicians worldwide.
What’s Best for Them: A Lack in Privacy
How often have you heard the saying or said this to yourself: “If you are not hiding something you shouldn’t be afraid”. We’ve been led to believe that hiding is a bad thing.
Walking Through Definitions
- Hide: to conceal from sight; prevent from being seen or discovered.
- Privacy: refers to the right of an individual or group to keep their information, behavior, or thoughts to themselves, away from public scrutiny and unauthorized access.
- Secrecy: involves actively hiding information from others, often for a specific purpose. Secrecy can be used to protect privacy, but it can also be used for unethical or illegal purposes.
Privacy is a right to keep personal information away from public scrutiny, while secrecy is the act of deliberately hiding information from others to commit wrongdoings. And yes, it is a gray line, but one that should not be crossed by the State to surveil its citizens.
Habits
A lack of privacy will increase the risk of your information falling into the wrong hands.
This image shows the breaches of data over the last 10 years. Not counting the Twitter (formerly known as X today) breach last year.
It all comes down to best practices, and not letting tech giants and social media companies know more than they should know.
Owning Your Digital Footprint
Introducing Key Pairs
A public key is a unique, cryptographic identifier that can be shared publicly. It is used to receive and store data, similar to a bank account number, or social media username. A private key, on the other hand, is a secret (a form of privacy), cryptographic identifier that is used to sign transactions and transfer ownership. Only the owner of a private key can transfer ownership of the assets (data) associated with its corresponding public key.
With cryptography, users of a network can transfer value (data) across the internet. Having the private key of your public key will by definition, make you the sole owner of this data.
NOSTR: An Alternative to Social Media Honeypots
NOSTR stands for “Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays”. Like HTTP or TCP-IP, Nostr is a protocol; an open standard upon which anyone can build. Nostr itself is not an app or service that you sign up for.
Nostr is designed for simplicity and enables censorship-resistant and globally decentralized publishing on the web.
Jack Dorsey’s Endorsement
Jack Dorsey, an early user of The NOSTR protocol and co-founder and former CEO of what was known as Twitter, stated on his X account:
Conclusion
NOSTR’s decentralized approach to information flow and user data protection presents a promising solution in an era dominated by constant surveillance. The use of public and private key pairs further empowers individuals to take control of their digital information securely. As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, innovations like NOSTR stand as beacons for a more privacy-centric future.
