"I have nothing to hide" was once the standard response to surveillance programs utilizing cameras, border checks, and casual questioning by law enforcement.
Privacy used to be considered a concept generally respected in many countries with a few changes to rules and regulations here and there often made only in the name of the common good.
Things have changed, and not for the better.
China's Great Firewall[1], the UK's Snooper's Charter[2], the US' mass surveillance[3] and bulk data collection -- compliments of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Edward Snowden[4]'s whistleblowing -- Russia's insidious election meddling[5], and countless censorship and communication blackout schemes across the Middle East[6] are all contributing to a global surveillance state in which privacy is a luxury of the few and not a right of the many.
As surveillance becomes a common factor of our daily lives[7], privacy is in danger of no longer being considered an intrinsic right.
Everything from our web browsing to mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) products installed in our homes have the potential to erode our privacy and personal security, and you cannot depend on vendors or ever-changing surveillance rules to keep them intact.
Having "nothing to hide" doesn't cut it anymore. We must all do whatever we can to safeguard our personal privacy. Taking the steps outlined below can not only give you some sanctuary from spreading surveillance tactics but also help keep you safe from cyberattackers, scam artists, and a new, emerging issue: misinformation.
Also: Cybersecurity: One in three attacks are coronavirus-related[8] | Even cybersecurity companies spill data and passwords[9]