Let's look back at recent events: We saw the first declaration of martial law in South Korea since 1979, the French government collapsed, and Amnesty International declared that Israel is committing genocide. It's been an eventful few weeks, to say the least, and I don't want to alarm you, but darker times might be coming. There have been attempts to crack down on online expression for years, and experts say that amid the latest global turmoil, those efforts could ramp up soon. With that in mind, it's time to start taking your online data privacy a little more seriously.
I spoke with Chelsea Manning, the former US Army whistleblower, via video call earlier this month. For the past several years, Manning has been working as a security consultant for Nym, a digital privacy company. She told me that, unlike what many security experts may say, awareness and education aren't the biggest roadblocks to online security during times of geopolitical unrest. The real problem is uncertainty. "The geopolitical environment is increasingly unstable," said Chelsea Manning. "People's habits, whenever it comes to privacy and security, are going to have to adapt and change."
I asked Manning for her advice on preparing for the worst. Below are some of her tips for maintaining as much privacy as you can online, along with her predictions for the future of the free and open internet.
Before we go much further, I don't want to stoke unnecessary fear. Yes, you should always care about your data privacy. Still, Manning said the average person's likelihood of being targeted as a political dissenter or foreign adversary in the United States is fairly low right now.
Everyone's threat model will be a little different, but you should still take precautions when storing or transferring online data, and that starts with adopting solid encryption methods. "The more layers of encryption, and the better and the stronger your encryption methods are, the more secure something data in transit can be," said Manning.
Start leveling up your cybersecurity by enabling the multi-factor authentication settings for all of your accounts and adding a layer of protection with an authenticator app or a hardware security key. Your documents, photos, and videos should be in encrypted cloud storage that you can access and control or on air-gapped or offline storage hardware such as an external hard drive. You can protect your conversations via encrypted private messaging apps. Cut back on online activity tracking using a VPN. And keep on top of your cybersecurity hygiene with our handy checklist.
Manning told me she's observed the most effective data protection measures among the younger online generations. "Zoomers don't share information," noted Manning. "They will withhold because they've grown up in an environment where they intuitively understand that if you reveal a small piece, it will be around 10 years from now."
For many, understanding how and when to share personal information safely is not intuitive. Manning said that older generations tend to be less careful about the information they give strangers because, until recently, information was disposable. "In the 1970s and the 1980s, you could share your phone number," noted Manning. "There were books in which people had phone numbers and addresses, and everyone had them, and it wasn't a big deal."
Times have changed, and even if you believe you have nothing to fear from government surveillance, that's not the only online threat. Scammers and bad-faith actors want your personal data, too. The best way to keep your personal information safe is not to share it in the first place. To get started, Manning suggests turning off any data-sharing settings on apps and devices to protect your privacy. For example, if you have an iPhone, open Settings and scroll down to your list of apps. You can toggle off background refreshes, live activities, notifications, and Siri's learning capabilities from there. You can also turn off the app's automatic access to your camera, contacts, microphone, and photos.
Next, consider reexamining your relationship with social media. The FTC recently called social media platforms massive surveillance operations, and the FBI warned people that your photos and videos posted on these platforms could help out scammers who are using AI to dupe victims. Consider the consequences of sharing data on social media platforms before you post. "Think about whether or not you should put information out there," warned Manning. "It is more about what you share and what you don't share than it is about how you share it."
Social media apps are designed to keep your attention, and if you're having trouble giving them up, you're not alone. Social media addiction affects people of all ages. If you need help leaving these platforms, we have a guide to help cut back on social media.
Manning told me it's a good idea to consider the hardware you use to access the internet, too. She strongly recommended devices from one company in particular: "From a hardware perspective, a security stack perspective, and from a technical perspective, Apple has the most secure devices," Manning said.
She explained that Apple's inherent security comes from its total ownership of each product's ecosystem. From the chips to the microphones in the devices, Apple controls the production, so it can ensure that all of the parts are working properly together. The company can also make sure that its software will play well with the hardware. This often leads to quick bug fixes and security patches for Apple devices.
Manning also noted that Apple device prices are a high price to pay for security, and the company's proprietary development and production model means its products don't always work well with competitors' devices.
When it comes to enforcing data privacy and cybersecurity in the coming years, Manning says that sooner or later, governments worldwide will step in to protect citizens' data. If that happens, we won't have a choice. She brought up Brazil's block on the platform formerly known as Twitter as an example of government-mandated internet restrictions and said that's just the beginning.
In other words, say goodbye to the free and open internet as you know it. "30 years was a good run," said Manning.
She theorized that similar blocks on different platforms will result in a "splinter net" consisting of many versions of the internet. "I would not be surprised if, come 2030, 2032, we're talking about totally different internets and totally different information environments." Her point is particularly prescient as some countries, like Russia, are experimenting with their own versions of the internet that are cut off from the one we know.
Manning also said that she thinks governments around the world will seek to change the tech company pecking order, too. "I don't think that Silicon Valley is going to be the ascendant force," she said. When I asked who she thinks will take over the role, she said she thinks the playing field for tech companies will become more competitive as other global leaders start to recognize data as a powerful resource. "I think other countries have really started to realize 'hey, maybe we just don't want these US-based companies vacuuming up every bit of data'."
With that in mind, remember that your data is valuable. Advertisers, corporations, criminals, and data brokers are willing to go to great lengths to get it, and governments are going through a lot of trouble to protect it. Take that as evidence that you should do your best to reveal as little as possible about yourself on the public web.
For advice on disappearing on the internet altogether, check out our guide to staying anonymous online.