11 Quotes About Privacy That Prove You Need Hoody

Data privacy and security are issues growing in urgency, especially when it comes to online activities. With instances of data breaches and reports of inappropriate use of personal data on the increase, it has never before been more obvious that our online privacy is at risk.

#1 “Privacy is one of the biggest problems in this new electronic age”

First up on our list of internet privacy quotes is Andrew Grove. Grove was the co-founder and former CEO of Intel Corporation. In an interview with Esquire back in 2000, Grove stated:

“Privacy is one of the biggest problems in this new electronic age. At the heart of the internet culture, is a force that wants to find out everything about you. And once it has found out everything about you and two hundred million others, that's a very valuable asset, and people will be tempted to trade and do commerce with that asset. This wasn't the information that people were thinking of when they called this the information age.” - Andrew Grove

#2 “Invisibility is a superpower”

You might not expect to see the English street artist, Bansky, mentioned in an article about data privacy and security, but it makes sense! Bansky is just as famous for his anonymity as he is for his controversial artwork. The mysterious artist has been quoted as saying:

“I don't know why people are so keen to put the details of their private life in public; they forget that invisibility is a superpower.” - Banksy

#3 “Privacy is not an option”

Gary Kovacs often makes an appearance on lists of internet privacy quotes. Kovacs is a technologist, current CEO of AVG Technologies, and former CEO of the Mozilla Corporation. During his time at Mozilla, Kovacs presented a program then called “Collusion” in his popular TED talk entitled “Tracking Our Online Trackers”.

Collusion was a Firefox add-on that displayed third-party tracking cookies placed on a user's computer as they browsed the internet. In the video, which has since had more than 2 million views, Kovacs states:

"Privacy is not an option, and it shouldn't be the price we accept for just getting on the Internet. Our voices matter and our actions matter even more." – Gary Kovacs

#4 “Privacy is dead”

Pete Cashmore was the founder and former CEO of Mashable, a popular media and entertainment company, publication, and digital platform. Cashmore didn't have a positive outlook for data privacy and security when he wrote in his now-defunct weekly column for CNN:

“Privacy is dead, and social media hold the smoking gun." – Pete Cashmore

#5 “The age of no privacy”

You might not have heard of William O. Douglas, and you might wonder why a dude born in 1898 makes our list of internet privacy quotes. But in 1966, the associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, known for his progressive and libertarian views, made a very astute observation about data privacy and security that still rings true today.

“We are rapidly entering the age of no privacy, where everyone is open to surveillance at all times; where there are no secrets from government." - William O. Douglas

#6 “You shouldn't be doing it.”

What about a quote from the data collectors? Shouldn't we give them a chance to defend themselves? Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO from 2001 to 2011, didn't do a great job of that when he said:

“If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.” - Eric Schmidt

#7 “Manipulate or enslave us.”

Rebecca MacKinnon is an Internet freedom advocate, and co-founder of the citizen media network Global Voices. In her first book, Consent of the Networked, MacKinnon makes a terrifying statement about data privacy and security. She states that our right to privacy (amongst others) is at serious risk of being sold to the highest bidder. She also said in her 2011 TED talk “Let's Take Back the Internet!”:

“I think all of you will agree that the only legitimate purpose of government is to serve citizens, and I would argue that the only legitimate purpose of technology is to improve our lives, not to manipulate or enslave us.” – Rebecca MacKinnon

#8 “Nothing to hide”

You can't have a list of internet privacy quotes without including Edward Snowden. The (in)famous whistleblower who exposed the extent of the US government's surveillance on its own citizens and other countries has called out those who sit on the privacy fence.

“Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” – Edward Snowden.

#9 “Technology is exploited to rob humanity”

In the headline address to the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Apple's CEO Tim Cook* described the fight for privacy as “the most essential battle of our time.” There were so many gems worth adding to our list of internet privacy quotes, that we couldn't pick just one. So here are our fav three. But if you want to read Cook's full speech on privacy, here's the link.

“...technology is exploited to rob humanity of that which is foundational: our privacy itself. And that is a loss we cannot accept.” – Tim Cook

#10 “A world without privacy is less human”

“It is privacy that lets us be—and become ourselves without being afraid that our every move will be seen, recorded, or leaked. A world without privacy is less imaginative, less empathetic, less innovative, less human.” – Tim Cook

#11 “There is no privacy in a world where your private data can be stolen”

“...security is the foundation of privacy—because there is no privacy in a world where your private data can be stolen with impunity. Never before has this threat been more profound, or its consequences more visible. From scams and social engineering attacks to massive data breaches and targeted disinformation, the dangers we face do more than compromise our data. They compromise our freedom to be human.” – Tim Cook

*Of course since Cook's speech, Apple has come under fire for collecting user data even when their iPhone settings say otherwise. Seems that Apple can talk the talk, but can't walk the walk when it comes to data privacy and security. But we'll leave the quotes as they are...may they act as a reminder to never trust big tech!

Data privacy and security matters

So many people still underestimate how important online privacy is. It's not necessarily about what you choose to share on social media, it's about all the other data that is being collected without your knowledge or your consent. And the dangers that can lead to.

Although data protection policies like GDPR and California's CCPA are an attempt to protect the rights of web users, they simply aren't good enough. Even VPNs and privacy-focused browsers aren't capable of providing 100% anonymity or ensuring online privacy— despite what they say.