Is privacy just the loudest voice?

As the drive for online privacy increases prevalence, so does the noise from those selling solutions. And this selling is happening in increasingly frontline places. For example a Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution was the front line sponsor on all the pitch-side hoardings at a recent Premier League football game in the UK.

On the surface this is great – everyone gets more exposure to solutions that help protect them online. But what actually is the solution for privacy? Is it one thing? For many people it might just be the last advert they saw. While advertising can help raise awareness, it’s not easy to navigate the myriad of options emerging in the nascent privacy technology (“PrivTech”) world. 

In fact while VPN’s are great, if you were watching the Premier League recently you could be forgiven for thinking the solution for online privacy is a VPN, which is certainly not the case.

Here at LetAlone we are supporters of all things privacy-enhancing. But we’re also believers in informed choices. So here is our beginner’s guide to the most common privacy technology options for the average online user.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Why would I want one?

  • If you’re worried about people snooping on things you are sending: 
    • VPNs create ‘tunnels’ for your data. That means it gets to the intended recipient with less chance of being intercepted by others. They don’t however protect your data from being sold, hacked or passed on once it’s reached that location.
  • If you want to access services that have geographic restrictions: 
    • In some cases VPNs mask the true location of your computer so you can access services intended for a different country. For example, using a VPN to ‘tunnel’ to the UK from Canada might enable you to watch online television services intended for people located in the UK.

Examples

Password Managers

Why would I want one?

  • Remembering passwords is hard: 
    • You should never repeat passwords across websites or devices. For example your online banking password shouldn’t also be your email password; if one service gets hacked that would expose all the other services to hackers. Passwords should also be complex. Ideally 14 or more letters, numbers and symbols. 
    • Password managers automate this for you – they set and remember all your passwords. All you need to do is remember one really good master password. And to throw away all those pieces of paper with passwords on them… naughty!

Examples

Advert blockers

Why would I want one?

  • You don’t want to see adverts: These tools literally remove the adverts from web pages. 
    • Unfortunately however they don’t save the brands from paying for adverts that get blocked. And often they stop the website on which the advert was supposed to be viewed from getting money from advertisers. Which effects their ability to provide free services

Examples

Privacy checkers

Why would I want one?

  • You want to tighten security on your device but don’t know where to start: These are typically apps for mobile devices that automate common privacy checks and settings adjustments without you having to delve through lots of complicated menus in various apps
    • For example they might delete tracking cookies from your device, while also check that your settings in social media apps limit your data sharing
    • They are limited however by the privacy functions of the apps they are changing settings in – they do not guarantee that your privacy is protected; simply that the best settings available are selected (which as we all know can still bleed your data!)

Examples

Privacy focused search engines

Why would I want one?

  • You want to search the web but don’t want to be profiled, tracked and monetized as you do it: These search engines specifically focus on clean data practices and don’t gather and profile you. And we salute them for that

Examples

Privacy compliant messaging apps

Why would I want one?

  • You want to chat with friends without all the details of your conversations and contacts being stored and analyzed: Popular messaging apps such as whatsapp sell ‘encryption’ as being privacy. All this means is they secure the data to their servers. But their servers is where the data is stored indefinitely and analyzed. Your conversations profiled, your contacts drawn into a map, and you cross referenced to other services such as Facebook. 
    • Privacy compliant messaging apps store nothing. They just enable messaging. And we think that’s how private conversations should be. Private.

Examples

Data Wallets

Why would I want one?

  • You want control of your data and your profile. You don’t want others selling it, manipulating it and passing it on without your control. You want to trade your data: We’ve talked a lot about this, but this is what we’re making. A wallet for your data. The only place your data exists. Not in anyone else’s servers. Just in your wallet. To use as you wish.

Examples

  • LetAlone Data Wallet. Coming soon!

At the end of the day we say use as many privacy solutions as you want, need or indeed can! One day there may be an all encompassing solution, but until then we’ll keep trying to make this rather complicated world as simple as we can!