[Android 0]

A lot of times when I’ve mentioned moving to more privacy-focused apps and services, the reaction is more than a shrug — it’s a declaration that online privacy isn’t all that important. Most recently, at a tech event, I mentioned moving to Brave to avoid Google’s data collection and targeted advertising, and another attendee said that it’s just not important to them.

That’s when I realized that there’s this general misunderstanding that prioritizing data privacy is the pastime of nerds and those prone to donning tin foil hats. I know I was someone who used to take a more laissez-faire approach to my online privacy. Years later, after grappling with the consequences of this, I feel that data privacy and data collection should be something everyone cares about.