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Privacy fades into privilege, not right, experts warn
In 2026, online privacy has become a luxury rather than a fundamental right, according to Thomas Bunting, an analyst at UK innovation think tank Nesta. Speaking about the future of digital advertising, Bunting painted a dystopian scenario where smart kitchen appliances could share owners' dietary habits with health insurers. While not yet reality, the prospect unsettles many.
Generation Z's resigned acceptance
At 25, Bunting claims he never truly experienced online privacy. Instead, he describes a learned adaptation: understanding privacy controls and accepting personal data as currency for free services like social media. Reflecting on his teenage years, he recalls a classroom moment when his teacher asked who valued privacy as a principle-no one raised a hand.
"When people leave social media today, they cite screen time or addiction concerns-privacy never comes up," he notes.
Surveillance's chilling effect on freedom
Veteran cybersecurity expert Prof. Alan Woodward from Surrey University argues that privacy shapes power dynamics in society. "When people say they don't care about privacy, I ask why they have curtains in their bedrooms," he says. Woodward frames privacy not as secrecy but as protection for freedom of thought, experimentation, and dissent without constant surveillance.
Anecdotal evidence supports his concern: young influencers now avoid dancing in clubs for fear of being filmed and shamed. "When people assume they're always tracked, they self-censor," Woodward warns, linking this behavior to broader threats to free speech and democracy.
Tech's dual role: enabler and gatekeeper
The tech industry has both breached and attempted to fortify digital privacy. While companies have rolled out hundreds of tools-private browsers, encrypted messaging, tracker blockers, and VPNs-data breaches in 2024 alone affected over 1.35 billion people, or one in eight globally, according to Statista.
Cybersecurity professionals often observe a paradox: more privacy controls exist than ever, yet actual privacy has diminished. Global regulations, with 160 countries enacting privacy laws (per Cisco), have led to ubiquitous cookie consent pop-ups. Yet, as Elon Musk once quipped on X, "Yes, you can have my damn cookie!" reflects widespread frustration with the repetitive ritual.
The privacy paradox: concern vs. action
Cisco's 2024 Consumer Privacy Survey revealed a disconnect: 89% of respondents claimed to care about data privacy, but only 38% took protective actions or switched services over privacy policies. Meanwhile, 56% of Americans skip reading privacy policies entirely, a 2023 study found.
Critics argue the system fails when terms are unreadable and cookie choices feel like nuisances rather than safeguards. Dr. Carissa Veliz, author of Privacy is Power, calls for stronger regulatory enforcement. "We need laws that work, not just exist," she says.
Paywalls and data extraction
Meta's "privacy checkup" for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp users comes with a catch: opting out of targeted ads requires a paid subscription. Apple positions privacy as a core value but ties it to premium pricing. TikTok, following its U.S. sale, expanded data collection for American users last month, though some tracking (like precise location) can be disabled.
Veliz argues that people haven't abandoned privacy-they feel powerless. "Tech companies sell the narrative that it's too late to regain control," she says, but counters that change is possible through collective action.
A path forward: culture and choice
Veliz advocates a "multi-pronged approach": stricter regulation, corporate accountability, and consumer pressure. She points to Signal, a secure messaging app with 70 million monthly users, as an example of privacy-focused alternatives to giants like WhatsApp (3 billion users). "It's about having the right tech-and using it," she says.
"Mostly, people don't feel like they have control. But that doesn't mean we stop trying."
Dr. Carissa Veliz
