Privacy matters.

Yes, privacy really does matter.

tl;dr: Protect your privacy because it matters to your children and their future. It should also matter to you if it doesn’t. Check out restore privacy (dot) io for some options if you are interested.

I believe that every human internet user has a right to protect their identity and have personal privacy online. If you do not, I am not here to change your mind. I will, however, leave you with something to think about.

Say the government decides everyone should have no encrypted communication. So, the government’s employees (of a particular branch) can read every text message, email, and other interaction you have from then until, well, forever. You have nothing to hide, right?

What if they decide later that the population should have no right to talk about the government in a derogatory manner? Then one day, you say something in a text chain to your significant other about how some government official is a jerk and their policies are lame. You think nothing more about it and go on about your day. Then, early one Monday morning, while you are at work typing away, a swarm of authorities storms the building looking for you because of your text message. They place you in handcuffs and take you to jail. The trial costs you a fortune to get out of because you were able to hire a fantastic attorney for a five-figure sum. Now imagine what would have happened if you were not a programmer/designer and did not have the funds?

I realize this seems fantastical, but is it really so far-fetched? If our privacy begins to erode slowly over time, I think this may be a reality we could very well see in our lifetimes. I’m not sure about you, but I, for one, would rather not see this come to fruition.