Control Over Privacy?

We all lock the doors of our houses before going to sleep, right? But what if the government asked for a master key to your house while securing their vault? This is basically what the EU wants with encryption – secure communication for themselves and compromised privacy for everyone else. It’s very personal for me because I have advocated an absolute freedom right from the very beginning with a thin line between freedom and functionality for society. Private people will be private, and the government will be transparent – nothing else will make society lean to control.

The Hypocrisy Laid Bare

Just look at the moves of the EU lately. On one hand, they are implementing encrypted tools such as France’s Tchap app, powered by Matrix, for ministerial chats to keep their data sovereign and away from some third party’s prying eyes. On the other hand, it plans to push out proposals like Chat Control and ProtectEU, which would scan private messages for things such as child abuse material, effectively breaking end-to-end encryption for everyone else. But again, convenient exemptions for government and military accounts.

It’s not a subtle message. It is known as a “dual usage problem”- governments are demanding surveillance for “everybody else,” said one CEO. Look at the Online Safety Act, for instance, in the UK, potentially under the same threat for E2EE. Or the Chat Control vote that was delayed to October 2025 but is likely to reappear in December. The reason, as always, is security, but backdoors don’t pick and choose; they compromise protection for all. Why the double standard now? It is simple: control. If privacy is a right, why accommodate exceptions for the elite?

Why This Matters for Personal Freedom

I’ve thought a lot about this. Years ago, I ditched Google products where I could—email, search, the works—because handing over data felt like surrendering freedom bit by bit. I get that for some this may seem completely awkward. Nonetheless, I switched to services that prioritize privacy, like Proton, and haven’t looked back. It’s not paranoia; it’s common sense in a world where data is currency.

Think about your own situation. How much of your life is out there, unencrypted on apps? The EU’s position merely exposes a larger reality: when governments compromise their citizens’ privacy while enhancing their own, it’s a loss for trust. We launched notwithus.net as a simple statement against this— a platform to voice that we’re not okay with the imbalance. Private lives deserve encryption without loopholes; transparency should flow the other way, from officials to the public. Miss that, and freedom becomes conditional.

Tools to Reclaim Your Privacy

There are many tool out there and several that I use, including Proton, hence if you’re ready to push back, start with tools built for privacy. Proton stands out – Swiss-based (albeit recently reading that Proton CEO is considering moving out of Switzerland due to recent changes), with strong laws shielding user data. No ads, no selling your info; it’s funded by users who value the mission.

Here are some key features that make it a solid choice:

• End-to-End Encryption Across Services: Mail, Calendar, Drive, and VPN all use E2EE, meaning only you (and recipients) can read your stuff. No backdoors here.
• No-Logs Policy: Especially for VPN—your activity isn’t tracked or stored, hiding your IP and browsing from ISPs or snoopers.
• Self-Destructing Messages: In Proton Mail, send emails that vanish after a set time, adding a layer for sensitive convos.
• Key Transparency: A blockchain-based feature to verify contact integrity in Mail, ensuring no tampering.
• Open-Source Code: Apps are auditable by anyone, building trust through transparency—ironic, given the topic.
• Secure Core VPN: Routes traffic through multiple servers in privacy-friendly countries for extra protection against surveillance.

It’s not perfect – no tool is, but it’s a pragmatic step away from big tech’s data grabs. I’ve used it for years; the transition was straightforward, and the peace of mind? Worth it.

If your interested, and yes now I’m plugging it in here, give it a spin. This is a referral link and only because I believe the service is actually worth recommending. Sign up through this link and if you join a paid plan you get 2 weeks for free.

Navigating the Fine Line

Freedom’s tricky. Absolute privacy could shield bad actors, but mandated backdoors swing too far the other way, treating everyone as suspects (like how things are shifting from Innocent until proven guilty to guilty until proven innocent). Rhetorical question: If governments can’t trust us with strong encryption, why should we trust them without it? The EU’s approach feels like a power play, not protection. Balance it by demanding accountability – support open government data while locking down your own.

In terms of what this looks like in practice, it’s about analyzing your online behavior. Switch one at a time, gradually. Ask yourself: am I using services where they are recording every single thing that happens? It’s critical thinking and to me a lot of reflecting work about what information one is comfortable with others having, and why. For me, it’s led to clearer boundaries, professionally and personally.

Key Takeaways

• EU policies like Chat Control highlight a double standard: encrypted for governments, scanned for citizens.
• Backdoors in E2EE don’t enhance security – they create vulnerabilities for all.
• Privacy is freedom; weakening it for “safety” often masks control.
• Tools like Proton offer E2EE, no-logs, and open-source options to counter this.
• Governments should be transparent; citizens, private—flip the script.
• Transitioning from data-hungry services is doable and empowering.
• Reflect on your data exposure; small changes build big defenses.

One Challenge

SO here is my challenge for you today. Audit one app in your phone within the next 24 hours – check its privacy policy and look for the Proton alternative; start small, say, email.

What’s one digital habit you’d change in order to reclaim more of your privacy and what might be holding you back?