Why Privacy Matters, Part 2: What to do about it.
The slow trade of privacy for convenience—and the steps to reverse it.
Imagine writing down your thoughts, location, and spending every day—and mailing the diary to a corporation. Sounds insane, right? That’s exactly what happens when we accept “free” tools without question. If you read last week’s post, you know the problem. Let’s figure out what to do about it.
Pause and list the services you get “for free.” Then ask: How do they exist if I’m not paying for them? What’s their business model? Does it align with my best interests? Building software takes time and money—ongoing cloud services even more. If you’re not paying, you are the product.
Start with your Google footprint
Aside from social media, the most dangerous company for your privacy is Google. They’ve built a suite of “free,” tightly integrated tools that feel indispensable—at a steep cost.
Surfaces where Google learns about you:
Search & browsing: Search, Chrome
Communication: Gmail, Android/Google Play
Location: Maps, Android location, Nest
Work & creativity: Docs, Photos
Media & AI: YouTube, Gemini
Money: Google Pay
Stop and consider how much Big G already knows: your network, habits, location, money, and thoughts.
If someone asked you straight up:
• Do you want a company to always know where you are?
• To know what you’re thinking, watching, and searching?
• To know who you talk to, what you’re working on, and who you’re with?
• To know how much you spend, and where?
You’d say: no fucking way.
But like the frog, we’ve been boiled slowly.
And beyond attention hygiene (boredom, DMN, deep work), this is about autonomy—choosing your tools so they don’t choose you.
Easy changes (today)
Change your browser. If you use Chrome, stop. Now. Try Brave (blocks ads/trackers/fingerprinting by default) or Safari/Firefox.
Change your default search. DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, or Kagi.
Lock down phone permissions. Kill unnecessary Location/Mic/Contacts. Don’t give Google Maps background location. Facebook gets no location.
Block trackers. Install uBlock Origin (plus Privacy Badger if you like belts + suspenders).
Toggles in your Google Account. Turn off Web & App Activity and Location History in Activity Controls
If you’re on iPhone. Enable Advanced Data Protection today (Settings > iCloud > Advanced Data Protection). Prefer Apple Maps over Google Maps (different incentives around ads [6]).
Medium changes (a weekend)
Delete social apps from your phone.
Move off Gmail. I use Proton; Fastmail is another solid pick.
Ditch algorithmic feeds. Use RSS (Feedly, Readwise Reader, NetNewsWire).
Audit cloud usage. Migrate files to Proton Drive/Docs, Nextcloud + Collabora, or CryptPad for E2EE collaboration.
Hard changes (a season)
Messaging, seriously. Move important chats to Signal; keep WhatsApp/iMessage for network realities, but make Signal your “front door.” This is challenging, and I'll share more next week.
Quit social altogether. Or at least run strict sabbaticals.
Leave algorithmic ecosystems. Spotify/Audible/Kindle discovery loops—replace with local media, libraries, or non-algorithmic sources.
On Android? Either switch to iOS or to GrapheneOS on a Pixel for a de-Googled, hardened build .
Switch to Linux (desktop). Fewer tie-ins to ad-tech.
Rebuild non-digital habits. Paper notebooks, walks, hobbies. The antidote to the feed.
Tools to go deeper
EFF’s Surveillance Self-Defense: practical, up-to-date playbooks for securing your devices and accounts. Start here.
Amazon is a whole other ball of wax. I’m still learning that ecosystem and will share more this fall.
Pick one easy change today. Block one tracker. Change one default. The point isn’t purity—it’s momentum. Small acts compound into autonomy.