If every country starts requiring that people provide official ID in order to "verify their age" to use social media, there will be no way to use any social media without associating the account with a legal identity.

This is horrible for democracy,
and should terrify everyone.

It doesn't matter if platforms use third-parties or not. It doesn't matter if they use some special encrypted code, the result is the same. This gatekeeps open discussions and government criticisms free from reprisals.

This is bad.
This is China "free-speech" bad.

#Democracy #AgeVerification #Privacy

Fighting for privacy rights is fighting against fascism. In case there were any doubts that mass surveillance is a fascist's tool.

Privacy isn't some secondary luxury, it's fundamental to democracy and civil liberties.

#Privacy #Democracy #Fascism

If everyone was refusing to provide official IDs to verify their identity and age on social platforms, and just let their account rot there unused instead, we would soon see platforms themselves starting to advocate against these invasive laws to recover their users.

Just saying.
They need you more than you need them.
Stop complying with invasive requests.

#Privacy #AgeVerification

Friendly reminder that it's not because something is "legal" that it is ethical.
And vice versa.

Please learn the difference.
This is increasingly important.

Canada Post, hospitals, and schools aren't (or shouldn't be) private businesses, they are public services. They don't need to make profits or break even, and they should be supported by public funding.

However, oil, gas, and AI companies are private for-profit businesses. They shouldn't receive any public funding.

Stop this madness.

#CanPoli #CanadaPost

We are preparing amazing things
at Privacy Guides!

We're already awesome of course, but we're going to be even awesomer

Stay Tuned!

#PrivacyGuides #Privacy #DigitalRights

Privacy rights aren't a luxury, they are fundamental to democracy, to safety, and to so many other human rights.

When they attack your privacy rights,
they attack all of this, they attack your humanity.

Do not let them.
Fight back for your human rights.

#Privacy #Democracy #HumanRights

And please stop thinking you will be able to stay protected, so it doesn't matter.

First, this isn't just about you. Millions of people would still be impacted, including people close to you.

Second, if we do nothing to stop it, you will just end up alone on your now deemed illegal self-hosted Matrix server. And there will be plenty of personal information shared about you by others using the "legal channels" under constant state surveillance.

Being alone using some magical secret tool will not save you. Legality does matter for adoption by the public, and privacy is a communal responsibility. We are in this together, whether you want it or not.

Helping others helps you too.

#ChatControl

I know there's a general "cause fatigue" with the current state of the world, and I feel it too.

But in my years working in privacy,
I don't think I've seen anything as terrifying as this European Chat Control proposal. And I'm not even European.

Everyone needs to pay
much more attention and be much more worried and outraged about this.

This proposal is the most dystopian glimpse into a horrible authoritarian future I have seen so far in the West.

It looks dismal, but we can still stop it
if we all work TOGETHER NOW

There isn't much time left though,
so don't put it to next week.

Democracy dies in silence.

• Everyone: Learn more here
• Everyone: Spread the word on social media
• Europeans Contact your local media NOW
• Europeans Contact your MEPs NOW

The final vote in on October 14th,
but media and representatives need to receive your messages NOW, so they have enough time to act on it.

#ChatControl #Privacy #Democracy #HumanRights #MassSurveillance #StopScanningMe #EUpol #UKpol #USpol #CanPoli

Step 1: Assemble a great team
Step 2: Privacy accessible to everyone
Step 3: Non-profit

Privacy Guides needs your help
to keep fighting for your privacy rights!

If you can afford it,
we would greatly appreciate your financial support.

Here's how you can support @privacyguides :

• Become a Member (and get perks!)

• One-Time Donation

• More ways to donate and how it works

Thank you to our incredible community for your support, we couldn't be here without you

#PrivacyGuides #Privacy #NonProfit #Donation #Support #Charity

I miss new tech that is solving problems and not adding problems.

@SnowyCA All my articles are AI-free, and yes, I am bragging about it

If you've heard of Tor lately but
aren't sure how it works and how it can help you to stay safe,

I wrote this article explaining how Tor works, who it is for, and how it can help you in a very accessible way.

No technical knowledge needed.
I hope this helps you to stay safe

https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/04/30/in-praise-of-tor/

#Privacy #Safety #Tor

I really want to wake up from
this dystopian authoritarian nightmare,

But if I can't, then it's going to be a dream about me fighting against it until the end