Taking Back Control: The Rise of Privacy-First Tech
Digital explorers today often feel like their online lives are open books that everyone reads without permission. They're not alone in this concern.
In today's world, digital footprints have become as valuable as cold, hard cash. Every search, click, and share leaves behind a trail that can be tracked, analyzed, and exploited. But the good news is that there's a growing movement pushing back against this data free-for-all.
Over the past few months, Greg has been diving deep into the world of privacy-focused tech alternatives, and what he's discovered has been eye-opening. From browsers that don't track users' every move to email services that actually keep messages private, there's a whole ecosystem of tools designed with privacy as the priority, not an afterthought.
In this post, Greg shares what he's learned about these privacy champions – the browsers, email services, social platforms, and more that are changing how people think about their online lives. These aren't just secure alternatives; they're powerful tools that work just as well as (sometimes better than!) the mainstream options many have grown used to.
Let's explore how these privacy-first platforms can help users take back control of their digital lives without sacrificing the connectivity they've come to rely on.
Why Privacy Matters Now More Than Ever
Greg remembers when he first realized just how much of his data was being collected online. It was after reading about yet another major data breachthat avague sense of unease crystallized into something more concrete: he needed to take his privacy seriously.
He's not alone in that awakening. More and more people are questioning the status quo of constant tracking and data harvesting. They're starting to ask uncomfortable questions, like: "Why does this free app need access to all my contacts?" and "What's happening to all the photos I've uploaded over the years?"
This shift in awareness is driving people toward alternatives like ProtonMail for encrypted emails and DuckDuckGo for searches that don't track users across the internet. These tools aren't just for tech geeks or privacy extremists anymore – they're becoming mainstream options for regular people who want more control.
What's especially exciting is the rise of decentralized services like Mastodon and Peertube. Unlike traditional platforms controlled by a single company, these services operate across a network of independent servers. That means no single entity has complete control over user data or can exploit it en masse.
For those just starting their privacy journey, resources like PrivacyTools.io are absolute goldmines. After Edward Snowden showed the world just how extensive government surveillance had become, sites like this emerged to help everyday users protect themselves with practical tools and advice.
Here's a quick look at some privacy champions Greg has personally found helpful:
| Service | What It Does | Why It’s Liked |
|---|---|---|
| ProtonMail | Encrypted email service | Messages are actually private, even from Proton itself |
| DuckDuckGo | Non-tracking search engine | Searches without creepy ads following users everywhere |
| Mastodon | Decentralized social platform | Community-focused Twitter alternative without the algorithms |
| Peertube | Decentralized video platform | YouTube alternative that respects viewing choices |
These are just the tip of the privacy iceberg, but they've made a real difference in Greg's digital life.
Browse Without Being Tracked: Privacy-First Web Browsers
Let's talk browsers – the window to the internet and, unfortunately, one of the most significant privacy leaks in most people's digital lives.
Greg used to think private browsing mode kept him private (spoiler alert: it doesn't). Then he discovered privacy-first browsers, and it was like someone finally turned on the lights in a dark room.
Brave has become his go-to daily driver. Right out of the box, it blocks ads, cookies, and those sneaky third-party trackers that follow users around the internet. What he loves most is that it feels just like Chrome (it's built on the same Chromium foundation) but without the Google surveillance baggage.
These privacy browsers don't just block the obvious stuff – they go deeper by automatically upgrading HTTP connections to more secure HTTPS and stripping out invasive tracking code. Some, like Brave, even flip the traditional ad model on its head by letting users earn cryptocurrency for viewing privacy-respecting ads (totally optional, which Greg appreciates).
The best part? Users don't sacrifice speed or functionality. In fact, with all the tracking junk blocked, pages often load faster than they do on conventional browsers.
Firefox
Firefox holds a special place in Greg's privacy toolkit. It's like that trusted friend who's been around forever but keeps reinventing itself to stay relevant.
What makes Firefox stand out in the privacy space is its open-source nature and the fact that it's not built by a data-harvesting company. Its multi-layered tracking prevention system does a solid job of keeping advertisers and data collectors at bay without users having to think about it.
Greg has found that with a few simple tweaks, Firefox becomes even more privacy-protective. In his setup, he has disabled third-party cookies, adjusted the permissions to block automatic location sharing, and installed a few privacy-enhancing extensions, such as Privacy Badger.
The Firefox team's explicit commitment to not tracking user activity isn't just talk – it's backed by their non-profit parent organization, Mozilla, whose mission includes keeping the internet open and private. That alignment of incentives matters when choosing who to trust with browsing history.
Tor
When Greg needs serious anonymity – like researching sensitive topics or accessing content that might be restricted in certain regions – he turns to Tor.
Tor is the digital equivalent of wearing a disguise. It routes internet traffic through a global maze of volunteer-run servers, making it extremely difficult for anyone to track activities back to the user. This isn't just theoretical protection – it's the same technology that journalists and activists use in countries where internet surveillance is a real threat.
Greg won't pretend Tor is perfect for everyday browsing – it's noticeably slower than standard browsers because of all the routing hops traffic takes. But when privacy matters more than speed, nothing else comes close.
What he appreciates about Tor is how it pairs naturally with DuckDuckGo as its default search engine, creating an end-to-end privacy experience. Just a word of caution from his experience: users should resist the temptation to modify Tor's default settings unless they really know what they're doing. Those defaults are carefully calibrated for maximum privacy, and tinkering can actually make users less anonymous.
Epic
Epic Privacy Browser is one of those hidden gems that Greg stumbled upon while exploring a privacy rabbit hole one weekend. What caught his attention was its built-in encrypted proxy – essentially giving users VPN-like protection right in the browser without any extra software.
What makes Epic interesting is how aggressively it prioritizes privacy by default. It doesn't just block the usual suspects like ads and cookies; it also tackles more sophisticated tracking techniques like ultrasound signaling (yes, some apps use inaudible sounds to track users across devices – wild, right?).
Greg appreciates how Epic disables auto-syncing, auto-fill, and other convenience features that typically store user data. It's a browser that makes users consciously choose between convenience and privacy, rather than defaulting to the less private option.
One of his favorite features is the running counter that shows precisely how many tracking attempts have been blocked during a session. It's both satisfying and sobering to see those numbers climb into the hundreds during just a casual browsing session.
One drawback worth mentioning: unlike Firefox, Epic isn't open-source, which creates a bit of a trust issue. It's built on Google's Chromium code, but it isn't as transparent as truly open-source projects. For Greg, that means he uses it as a specialized tool rather than his primary browser.
Keeping Conversations Private: Secure Communication Tools
Remember when email felt private? Greg doesn't either. The truth is, conventional email services have never been particularly secure. Most mainstream providers can (and do) scan messages for advertising purposes, and emails typically travel across the internet unencrypted, kind of like sending postcards instead of sealed letters.
This is where encrypted communication services come in, and they've been a game-changer for Greg's digital life. These tools put privacy front and center, ensuring that conversations remain between the sender and intended recipients – not data miners, not advertisers, and not even the service providers themselves.
Greg has been gradually shifting his critical communications to services that use end-to-end encryption. This means that even if someone intercepts a message or breaches the service's servers, they'd just see gibberish without the proper decryption keys.
The beauty of today's privacy tools is that they've become so user-friendly. Users don't need to be crypto experts or tech wizards to use them – they work just as smoothly as the less secure alternatives many have grown accustomed to.
Proton Mail
Proton Mail has become Greg's go-to recommendation whenever friends ask about private email options. Founded by scientists from CERN (yes, the folks who brought us the Large Hadron Collider), this service takes a no-nonsense approach to email privacy.
What sold Greg on Proton Mail was its Swiss location. Switzerland has some of the strongest privacy laws in the world, which means emails enjoy legal protections that are not found in many other countries. This isn't just marketing fluff – it makes a real difference in how resistant the service is to external pressure to hand over user data.
The basics are solid: end-to-end encryption means that only the sender and recipient can read emails. Not Proton, not the ISP, not anyone in between. With over 100 million accounts now, it's clear Greg isn't the only one who values this approach.
What he really appreciates is how Proton has expanded beyond just email. They've built an entire privacy ecosystem including Proton Calendar, Proton Drive for file storage, and Proton VPN. Using these services together creates multiple layers of privacy protection across a digital life.
Since it's open-source and regularly audited by independent security experts, users don't have to just take their word that data is secure – their claims are verifiable. That transparency goes a long way in building trust.
SimpleLogin
Here's a privacy tool that changed Greg's email game completely: SimpleLogin. Think of it as a bouncer for the inbox.
Have you ever hesitated before giving your email to a website? Greg used to create throwaway addresses or grudgingly use his main email. With SimpleLogin, he generates a unique email alias for every service he signs up for. When he shops at NewStore.com, he uses an email address like newstore@mydomain.sl. If they start spamming him or sell his address, he can instantly identify the culprit and disable just that alias.
What Greg loves about SimpleLogin is its simplicity and integration. The browser extension lets him create new aliases with a single click when signing up for services. And since Proton acquired SimpleLogin in 2022, it works seamlessly with his Proton Mail account.
The best part? It supports PGP encryption, meaning that even alias emails maintain end-to-end encryption when used with services like ProtonMail. This gives users both anonymity AND security – a rare combination.
For privacy enthusiasts who want to maintain control without sacrificing convenience, SimpleLogin has become an essential part of Greg's digital toolkit. It's available everywhere he needs it – browser, Android (even on F-Droid for the extra privacy-conscious), and iPhone.
Proton Drive
Cloud storage is something Greg has always approached with caution. After all, "the cloud" is just someone else's computer. When storing sensitive documents or personal photos, he wants to be sure they're actually private.
Enter Proton Drive, his solution for truly private cloud storage. Created by the same team behind Proton Mail, it applies the same end-to-end encryption philosophy to file storage. This means files are encrypted before they ever leave the device, and only the owner has the keys to decrypt them.
What impressed Greg most about Proton Drive is its attention to detail. They don't just encrypt file contents – they also protect metadata like filenames and modification dates. This might seem minor, but metadata can reveal a surprising amount about activities and relationships.
Like other Proton services, Drive benefits from Switzerland's strict privacy laws and undergoes regular security audits. Being open-source means security experts can verify that it does what it claims to do.
Greg has been gradually migrating his important documents and photos from Google Drive to Proton Drive. While he still uses Google's services for non-sensitive collaboration, anything personal or confidential is stored on Proton Drive. The peace of mind is worth the slight adjustment to his workflow.
Social Media Without the Surveillance: Privacy-First Platforms
Let's be honest – mainstream social media has become a nightmare for privacy. Every like, share, and comment feeds into sophisticated algorithms designed to keep users scrolling and serve them targeted ads. Personal moments and thoughts aren't just being shared with friends; they're being analyzed, packaged, and monetized.
That's why Greg has been exploring privacy-focused social alternatives. These platforms are built around a radical idea: social networking without surveillance capitalism. They don't track users' every move or manipulate feeds to maximize "engagement." Instead, they focus on what social media was originally intended to be about– connecting people.
What's fascinating is how these platforms approach community-building. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, many privacy-focused networks embrace niche communities and interests. The result feels more authentic and less like the engagement-optimized dopamine factories many have grown accustomed to.
The social media landscape is shifting, with more people questioning whether the convenience of mainstream platforms is worth the privacy trade-offs. While these alternatives might not replace Facebook or Instagram overnight, they're growing steadily as privacy awareness increases.
Mastodon
Mastodon has been Greg's favorite Twitter/X /X alternative for the past year, and it's completely changed how he thinks about social media. At first glance, it looks similar to Twitter – short posts, follows, boosts (their version of retweets) – but beneath the surface, it's fundamentally different.
The magic of Mastodon is in its decentralized structure. Instead of one company owning everything, Mastodon is composed of thousands of independent servers, known as "instances," that communicate with each other. Greg joined an instance focused on technology and privacy, but there are servers for everything from art to local communities to specific hobbies.
This decentralization means no single entity controls the platform. No one can sell the whole network to a billionaire who changes all the rules overnight. No central algorithm decides what everyone sees. Each server sets its own moderation policies and culture, creating spaces that feel more intentional and less chaotic.
What Greg appreciates most is the chronological timeline. His feed shows posts in the order they were created, not what some algorithm thinks will keep him scrolling longer. This makes for a more mindful social media experience where he engages when he wants to, not because he's being manipulated into it.
With 15 million registered users as of 2024, Mastodon has grown beyond being just a tech enthusiast platform. Greg has found the discussions more substantive and less performative than on mainstream platforms.
BlueSky
BlueSky has been the talk of Greg's tech circles recently, and for good reason. Created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, it offers a familiar microblogging experience but with privacy and user control baked into its design.
What fascinates Greg about BlueSky is its explosive growth, jumping from 9 million users in September 2024 to 14.5 million just two months later. This surge happened largely after the 2024 US elections, when many journalists, celebrities, and everyday users grew frustrated with X's policies and sought alternatives.
While BlueSky looks similar to Twitter/X /X on the surface, its underlying architecture is fundamentally different. It's built on the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol), which aims to create a decentralized social networking ecosystem that gives users more control over their experience.
Greg particularly appreciates BlueSky's chronological feed – seeing posts in the order they were created rather than sorted by an engagement-maximizing algorithm. The platform also gives users more control over content moderation through custom feeds, allowing them to create their algorithms or subscribe to those made by others.
For those looking for a straightforward Twitter alternative that respects privacy while maintaining a familiar experience, BlueSky hits a sweet spot between usability and user control.
Threads
Greg has a bit of a love-hate relationship with Threads. As Meta's answer to Twitter/X, it launched in July 2023 and quickly amassed an impressive 275 million monthly active users by late 2024.
Let's start with what he likes: Threads feels clean, stable, and less chaotic than Twitter/X has become. The integration with Instagram makes it incredibly easy to find and follow people users already connect with. The content moderation seems more consistent, creating a space that feels less hostile than some other platforms.
However, Greg approaches Threads with caution from a privacy perspective. While it currently lacks the aggressive advertising of Facebook and Instagram, users should remember it's still a Meta product. Their business model remains fundamentally built on data collection and advertising.
That said, Threads makes this list because it represents a middle ground for many users – a step toward more privacy-conscious social media without completely abandoning the convenience and network effects of mainstream platforms. For friends and family who aren't ready to jump into Mastodon's learning curve, Threads offers a more familiar experience with at least some improvements in the privacy department compared to Twitter/X.
The platform is still evolving, and Greg is watching closely to see how Meta balances user privacy with its business interests as Threads matures.
Beyond Platforms: How Web3 Is Redefining Digital Privacy
Web3 technologies represent perhaps the most radical reimagining of internet privacy Greg has encountered in his research. While the term gets thrown around a lot (and yes, there's plenty of hype), at its core, Web3 offers something genuinely revolutionary: digital systems that don't require users to trust any central authority with their data.
Traditional online services are built on a problematic but straightforward model: users hand over their data to companies and trust that they will use it responsibly. Web3 flips this model by using blockchain technology and decentralized networks to eliminate the need for this trust.
Instead of storing data on Google or Amazon servers, decentralized systems distribute information across networks of computers. No single entity controls access, reducing the risk of censorship or data exploitation.
Greg is particularly excited about how these technologies are creating alternatives to fundamental internet services people use every day. From storage solutions that can't be censored to identity systems users truly own, Web3 is rebuilding the internet's foundation with privacy at its core.
While some of these technologies are still maturing, they represent a vision of the internet that aligns with what many thought the web would become – a tool for empowerment rather than surveillance.
Filecoin
Cloud storage has become essential to digital lives, but traditional services come with privacy trade-offs. That's where Filecoin comes in – a decentralized storage solution that's reimagining how files are stored online.
Filecoin fascinates Greg because it turns data storage into a marketplace. Instead of trusting all files to Google or Dropbox, data is encrypted and distributed across multiple independent storage providers worldwide. These providers earn Filecoin tokens (FIL) for storing data reliably.
What makes this approach privacy-friendly is that no single entity has access to complete files. Even better, the system is censorship-resistant – there's no central authority that can be pressured to delete data or hand it over to third parties.
Greg has been experimenting with Filecoin through user-friendly interfaces like web3.storage, and while it's still maturing, the potential is enormous. For truly sensitive documents that he wants to preserve long-term without worrying about a company going out of business or changing their policies, decentralized storage provides peace of mind that traditional cloud services simply can't match.
SelfKey
Digital identities have become scattered across countless services, each holding pieces of personal information. Every time someone signs up for a new service, they're essentially creating a mini version of themselves that they no longer fully control.
SelfKey is tackling this fragmentation with a fundamentally different approach to identity management. Built on the Ethereum blockchain, it lets users create what's called a "self-sovereign identity" – essentially a digital version of themselves that THEY control, not Google or Facebook or any other company.
What impressed Greg most about SelfKey was its practicality. It's not just a theoretical privacy improvement; it makes life easier. Need to verify your identity for a financial service? Instead of uploading your passport and waiting days for verification (while sensitive documents are stored on a company's server), users can use their SelfKey identity to verify instantly, sharing only the specific data needed.
The platform even includes a marketplace for identity-related services, such as opening bank accounts or registering companies. These processes typically involve sharing a lot of personal information with multiple parties, but SelfKey streamlines everything while maintaining yourprivacy.
While it's still early days for decentralized identity solutions, SelfKey represents a vision of the future where users don't have to sacrifice convenience for privacy. They can – and should – go hand in hand.
Finding Your Way Without Being Tracked
Location data is some of the most sensitive information users generate. Movements tell an intimate story about who a person is – where they live, work, worship, seek medical care, and who they spend time with. Yet, mainstream mapping and navigation tools treat this data as just another resource to be harvested.
When Greg realized how much Google Maps knew about his life (users can check their own location history in their Google account if curious), he started looking for alternatives. What he discovered was a world of privacy-respecting navigation tools that prove users don't need to sacrifice their location privacy for convenience.
These tools represent a fundamentally different approach to digital maps – one where movements aren't constantly tracked, analyzed, and monetized. They show that effective navigation doesn't require surrendering location history to tech giants.
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (OSM) has completely changed Greg's relationship with digital maps. Think of it as the Wikipedia of mapping – a collaborative, community-driven project where volunteers around the world contribute to building and maintaining detailed maps.
What makes OSM special from a privacy perspective is simple: it's not built to track users. Unlike Google Maps or Apple Maps, which collect location data as part of their business model, OpenStreetMap is just… maps. Pure and simple.
The level of detail in OSM often surprises people who haven't tried it. In many areas, especially urban centers and places with active mapping communities, users will find incredibly detailed information about everything from bike paths to drinking fountains to accessibility features. Greg has even found that hiking trails are often better mapped on OSM than on commercial alternatives.
The open nature of OSM means that anyone can use the data to build applications. This has led to an ecosystem of privacy-respecting navigation tools built on top of OSM data. More importantly, it demonstrates that collaborative, community-driven approaches can create sophisticated tools without sacrificing user privacy.
For those who've never explored OpenStreetMap before, Greg recommends starting with the web version at openstreetmap.org. Users might be surprised by how comprehensive it is for their area.
OsmAnd
OsmAnd is the app that finally convinced Greg he could completely replace Google Maps in his daily life. Based on OpenStreetMap data, OsmAnd takes privacy to the next level by bringing everything offline.
What he loves most about OsmAnd is that it lets users download detailed maps for entire countries or regions, allowing them to navigate without an internet connection. This isn't just a privacy feature – it's convenient when traveling to areas with spotty coverage or when trying to conserve data usage.
The app doesn't need to constantly ping servers to function, which means it's not continuously tracking your location. It's refreshing to use a navigation tool that works FOR users, not as a data collection tool that happens to give directions.
Don't let the privacy focus fool you into thinking it's light on features. OsmAnd offers turn-by-turn navigation, bicycle and pedestrian routing, points of interest, and even specialized maps for activities like hiking and skiing. Greg has found the cycling directions exceptionally superior to mainstream alternatives, as they incorporate community knowledge about bike-friendly routes.
The customization options are almost overwhelming – users can adjust everything from the map style and colors to exactly which features are displayed. This flexibility allows them to create a mapping experience tailored to specific needs, whether they are casual users or outdoor enthusiasts.
While there's a slight learning curve compared to Google Maps, the privacy benefits and offline functionality make it well worth the adjustment period.
Creating a Private Digital Identity
Digital identities have become perhaps the most valuable assets – and potentially the most significant vulnerability. Every account created, every service signed up for, every online interaction builds this composite picture of who someone is in the digital world.
Traditional approaches to online identity are fundamentally flawed from a privacy perspective. Users are constantly asked to provide more information than necessary, store personal details on countless servers, and trust that each company will protect this information properly (spoiler alert: many don't).
Greg has been fascinated by the emergence of new approaches to digital identity that prioritize privacy and user control. These range from practical tools, such as password managers and email aliasing services, to more advanced solutions like decentralized identity systems.
The goal isn't to hide or become anonymous (though that's a valid choice for some), but rather to create intentional, compartmentalized digital identities where users share only what's necessary with those who need it. This mindful approach to online identity not only protects privacy but also reduces risks like identity theft and targeted attacks.
Identity Management Considerations
When Greg first started taking digital privacy seriously, identity management was one of the most overwhelming aspects. Every service needs some version of "me," but how does one control what each knows?
He's found that effective identity management in the privacy-focused world comes down to a few key principles:
First, compartmentalization is crucial. Greg uses different email addresses for various purposes through SimpleLogin. Financial services get one identity. Social media gets another. Shopping sites get yet another. This way, if one service is compromised, it doesn't expose their entire digital life.
Second, he's much more selective about what information he provides. Just because a form asks for a phone number doesn't mean he needs to provide his real one. Services like MySudo let users create virtual phone numbers that forward to real numbers, adding another layer of privacy.
Third, he's embraced the power of single sign-on selectively. While it's convenient to "Sign in with Google," he's careful about which services he allows to connect. For important accounts, he prefers creating standalone credentials managed through a password manager.
The beauty of modern privacy tools is that they make this kind of compartmentalization practical. Five years ago, managing multiple digital identities would have been a nightmare. Today, with the right tools, it's nearly effortless.
Benefits of Decentralized Identity Solutions
Decentralized identity solutions represent one of the most promising frontiers in digital privacy. While they might sound technical, the benefits they offer are profoundly practical.
The most compelling advantage is putting users back in control of their personal information. Instead of creating copies of identity documents on dozens of company servers (each a potential breach waiting to happen), decentralized solutions let users maintain a single, secure identity that they can selectively share aspects of when needed.
Think about the current process of proving age online. Someone might need to upload their driver's license – exposing their address, license number, and other sensitive information just to verify they're over 18. With decentralized identity, they could prove their age without revealing anything else – a concept called "zero-knowledge proof."
These systems are also remarkably resilient. With traditional identity management, if a service shuts down or locks users out, they might lose access to crucial aspects of their digital lives. Decentralized systems eliminate this single point of failure, ensuring users maintain access to their identity regardless of any single company's policies or existence.
While mainstream adoption of decentralized identity is still developing, projects like SelfKey and broader standards like Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) are making this technology increasingly accessible. For those concerned about digital privacy, these solutions represent a future where they don't have to choose between participating in digital life and maintaining control over personal information.
Reclaiming Our Digital Freedom
Privacy isn't just about hiding – it's fundamentally about freedom. The freedom to speak honestly without fear of being profiled. The freedom to explore ideas without manipulation by algorithms. The freedom to connect with others on one's own terms.
As Greg has explored these privacy-first alternatives, he's noticed something unexpected: using them feels liberating. There's a weight that lifts when you're not constantly being tracked, analyzed, and targeted.
Platforms like Mastodon and Peertube show how social media can work without surveillance capitalism. By operating through independent, interconnected servers, they drastically reduce the risks of censorship and data exploitation. Communities can set their own norms and moderation policies rather than being subject to the whims of a distant corporate headquarters.
Email services like ProtonMail have proven that users don't need to accept the bargain of "free service in exchange for your data." They've built sustainable businesses while respecting user privacy – a model that seemed impossible just a few years ago.
Even search engines, the gateway to the internet, have privacy-focused alternatives now. DuckDuckGo has shown that effective web search doesn't require tracking users across the internet or building detailed profiles of their interests and behaviors.
What's particularly encouraging is the rise of privacy-respecting companies in Europe, often built with GDPR compliance as a foundational principle rather than an afterthought. These startups are creating viable alternatives to US-based services that are constrained by different legal frameworks around surveillance.
The open-source nature of many privacy tools creates another layer of freedom – the ability to verify what these programs actually do and even modify them to suit specific needs. This transparency builds trust in a way that proprietary, closed systems simply cannot match.
Getting Started: Your Privacy Journey
If all these privacy-focused alternatives sound appealing but overwhelming, don't worry – you don't have to overhaul your digital life overnight. Privacy isn't an all-or-nothing proposition; it's a journey where each step brings benefits.
When friends ask Greg where to start their privacy journey, he always recommends the same approach: begin with the changes that give the biggest privacy benefits for the least disruption to routine. This "low-hanging fruit" strategy helps build momentum without feeling overwhelmed.
For most people, he suggests starting with these three relatively simple changes:
- Switch to a privacy-focused browser like Firefox or Brave
- Replace Google Search with DuckDuckGo
- Start using a password manager (which improves both security and privacy)
These changes take minutes to implement but significantly reduce digital footprints while improving the online experience. Once these become habit, users can explore additional privacy tools that align with their priorities.
Assessing Your Privacy Needs
Everyone's privacy needs are different. A journalist working with sensitive sources has different requirements than a parent concerned about their children's digital footprints. That's why Greg always encourages people to think about their personal "threat model" – essentially, what are they trying to protect and from whom?
For most everyday users, the primary concerns are:
- Preventing data brokers from building comprehensive profiles
- Reducing targeted advertising
- Keeping personal communications private
- Avoiding data breaches of sensitive information
Understanding specific priorities helps choose the right tools without getting overwhelmed. For instance, if someone is primarily concerned about email privacy, focusing on migrating to ProtonMail gives significant benefits without needing to change everything at once.
Greg finds it helpful to distinguish between privacy (controlling who sees your information), security (protecting information from unauthorized access), and anonymity (separating identity from activities). Most people need healthy measures of the first two, while true anonymity is necessary for a smaller subset of users with specific needs.
One practical approach is to audit your digital life: make a list of the services used regularly and consider their privacy implications. Which ones know your real identity, location, and browsing habits? Which ones store sensitive information? This inventory helps identify highest-priority areas for privacy improvements.
Transitioning to Privacy-First Platforms
Moving to privacy-first alternatives doesn't have to be a jarring experience. Many privacy-focused platforms are designed to feel familiar while working differently under the hood.
Greg has found that the most effortless transitions happen when replacing one service at a time, giving users a chance to adapt to each change before moving on to the next. Here's how he approached his own privacy journey:
Step 1: Browser and Search – He switched from Chrome to Brave, which offered a similar interface but with built-in privacy protections. Changing his default search engine to DuckDuckGo took seconds and immediately reduced his exposure to tracking.
Step 2: Email – Next came email, which was slightly more involved. He set up a ProtonMail account and gradually migrated critical communications there, starting with personal correspondence and leaving work email for later.
Step 3: Messaging – For messaging, he started using Signal for conversations with close friends and family who were willing to make the switch. The key was making it a positive experience by highlighting features theywould appreciate, not just theprivacy benefits.
Step 4: Cloud Storage – Moving files from Google Drive to Proton Drive was a weekend project, focusing first on personal and sensitive documents while leaving collaborative work documents in their original location.
When choosing privacy tools, Greg also considers where they're based. Services operating under strong privacy laws (like Switzerland or the EU) often provide better legal protections than those in countries with extensive surveillance programs.
The beauty of today's privacy landscape is that these transitions are becoming increasingly seamless. Privacy-focused platforms have recognized that user experience is crucial – they need to work at least as well as the mainstream alternatives to gain widespread adoption.
Maintaining Privacy on Existing Platforms
Sometimes, completely replacing services isn't immediately practical – perhaps someone needs Google Workspace for their job, or their family insists on using WhatsApp to stay in touch. The good news isthat there are ways to improve privacy even while using mainstream platforms.
Here are some practical steps Greg has taken to maintain better privacy on services he can't completely abandon:
For mainstream browsers: Install privacy-enhancing extensions like Privacy Badger, uBlock Origin, or DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials. These tools block trackers and ads while enhancing privacy without changing how websites function.
For Gmail and similar services, consider using a desktop email client with PGP encryption for sending sensitive messages. This keeps the content of emails private, even if the metadata is still visible to the provider.
For social media: Regularly audit your privacy settings, remove unnecessary personal information from your profiles, and be selective about what you share. Consider using separate browsers or containers for social media to prevent tracking across other sites.
For smartphones, review app permissions regularly and revoke anyunnecessary access to location, contacts, and other sensitive data. On Android, consider using the Aurora Store to install apps without a Google account.
The most crucial privacy practice is mindfulness – being aware of what information is being shared and with whom. Even small changes like using strong, unique passwords (managed through a password manager) and enabling two-factor authentication significantly enhance privacy posture without requiring a complete platform change.
The Future Looks Private
As Greg looks toward the horizon of digital privacy, he's surprisingly optimistic. Just a few years ago, privacy-focused alternatives were often clunky, difficult to use, or missing key features. Today, they're increasingly sophisticated, user-friendly, and capable.
This evolution isn't happening in a vacuum. It's being driven by a profound shift in how people think about their data. High-profile breaches, surveillance revelations, and growing discomfort with how much Big Tech knows about us have sparked a desire for something different.
Major privacy regulations, such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California, reflect this changing attitude, creating both legal requirements and market opportunities for privacy-respecting services. What was once the domain of tech enthusiasts and privacy advocates is steadily moving into the mainstream.
Greg is particularly encouraged by the success stories emerging in the privacy space. ProtonMail growing to 100 million users shows there's genuine demand for secure communication. DuckDuckGo's steady growth demonstrates that even in Google's core territory – search – privacy alternatives can thrive.
Anticipating New Developments
Looking ahead, Greg sees several exciting developments on the privacy horizon:
Mainstream adoption of end-to-end encryption: What was once a niche security feature is becoming standard across messaging platforms. As users come to expect this level of privacy, services that don't offer it will increasingly feel outdated.
AI with privacy built in: The next generation of AI tools is being designed with privacy as a core feature, not an afterthought. Innovations in federated learning and on-device processing allow AI to be useful without requiring data to leave the device.
Decentralized technologies going mainstream: Beyond cryptocurrencies, blockchain and other decentralized technologies are enabling new models for digital interaction that don't require centralized data collection.
Privacy as a competitive advantage: Companies are beginning to recognize that respecting user privacy isn't just a regulatory requirement—it's a business opportunity. As awareness grows, privacy features are becoming key selling points rather than footnotes in service terms.
Perhaps most encouraging is the shift in community dynamics. Privacy-focused platforms tend to foster healthier online environments centered around genuine connection rather than algorithmic engagement. These spaces prioritize quality over quantity, meaningful interaction over viral content, and user control over addictive design.
The digital future Greg is working toward—and one he believes is increasingly possible—is one where privacy and technological advancement go hand in hand, where digital tools serve users rather than surveilling them. Where people can connect, create, and communicate without sacrificing their fundamental right to privacy.
Your Turn
Greg would love to hear about readers' privacy journeys. Have they tried any of these privacy-focused alternatives? What's been their experience? Are there particular privacy concerns that keep them up at night?
He encourages readers to share their thoughts in the comments below or reach out directly if they'd like more specific recommendations for their situation.