by Ralph Bolliger, April 2025
What if I told you that every click you make, every move you take, someone is watching you? Not in a dystopian novel. Not in some foreign regime. But here. Every day. In your pocket. By design.
Digital life is no longer a choice. We live, love, vote, cry, and die online. But the rules of this world? We didn’t write them.
They were written in code. By people we didn’t elect. For goals we didn’t agree to. Optimized for profit — not for people.
Let me ask you something: Who controls your digital identity? Is it you? Or is it a data broker in Virginia? A cloud server in Singapore? A black-box algorithm that decides if you get a loan — or a job — or a visa?
Freedom begins with control over who we are. Digitally. Data isn’t the new oil. Data is you. And taking your data — means taking power over you.
We were told:
“If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”
But here’s the truth: Where there is no privacy, fear rules — and freedom fades.
Now, the Cypherpunks of the '90s had a bold idea: They said, "We will write code. We will encrypt. We will disappear if we must." And in many ways, they were right. Without encryption, there is no safety online.
But let’s be honest: encryption alone won’t save us. It’s not enough if only tech experts can protect themselves — we need digital safety for all.
We don’t just need secure tools. We need secure systems. And just societies.
Because here’s the problem: Privacy today has become a luxury. You can buy it — if you know how. If you have the time, the money, the skills.
But what about the teacher with three jobs? The migrant without documents? The teenager whose phone is their only connection to the world? They don’t need a VPN. They need justice.
Technology is never neutral. Every line of code reflects a choice. Every algorithm carries a worldview. And every platform becomes a kind of power.
So no, Big Tech doesn’t just “connect people.” It shapes people. It governs people. And right now? It governs without consent. And let's be clear: Governments worldwide are building their own cages of control, often hand-in-hand with the platforms we use, demanding backdoors and data access.
Digital self-determination means saying: Enough. Enough of black boxes. Enough of surveillance capitalism. Enough of design optimized for addiction, manipulation, and control.
We demand a digital world built for dignity, not dominance. Where trust is optimized — not tracking. Where privacy is not a feature — but a default.
And here’s the good news: We don’t have to wait. We can start now.
We can:
- Demand and build systems based on transparency, user control, and open standards.
- Champion public digital infrastructures immune to corporate capture and state control.
- Foster algorithms designed for fairness and human dignity, not just engagement metrics.
- Establish digital rights that don’t expire after a software update.
But that requires all of us. Not just hackers. Not just lawmakers. But teachers, nurses, artists, parents, skeptics — you. Whether you organize, educate, design, advocate, legislate, or simply speak up – your contribution matters. Because you don’t need to write code to write history.
So here’s my invitation: Don’t settle for “terms and conditions.” Demand a say. Be a builder. Be a critic. Be a pain in the server rack.
Because digital self-determination starts now. And it starts with you.