This article was first published in the July 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online
Gabriel WeinbergFounder and CEO, DuckDuckGo "The future of personal privacy depends on how much we demand more choice, control and transparency. Companies and governments could explicitly tell you what is happening to your personal information. They could allow you to opt out. They could give you granular control of your data. They could even tell you what you're getting when you give out pieces of information. Disclosure requirements could mimic those in areas like credit cards and mortgages, where bigger risks are highlighted. In other words, there's a lot we could do. If you like that future, demand it."
Nick MathewsonChief architect, The Tor Project "Governments have spent years declaring themselves simultaneously pro-security and anti-crypto; anti-hacker and pro-spy; pro-privacy and pro-identification. Meanwhile, corporations have been promising citizens more privacy, advertisers more targeting and consumers more features. Until we can face up to these contradictions, our desire for privacy will remain unfulfilled."
Harriet PearsonPartner, Hogan Lovells "With technological change occurring at a breakneck pace there is huge pressure on the legal and social frameworks that are supposed to deliver on our expectations of privacy. More than 100 countries have enacted data-privacy laws, but how will those laws evolve? How will businesses meet consumer expectations in a global marketplace? How will government limit its reach? Important debates ahead!"
Renate SamsonChief executive, Big Brother Watch "When all aspects of our lives become connected through the internet of things, the line between physical and online will blur. A move towards privacy will grow as the risks from oversharing become more pronounced. Privacy by design will become an essential part of R&D for new technologies. Control over personal data, through encryption and consent, will be integral to the security of society."
Ian GoldbergAssociate professor, Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo "Privacy is not only a personal right; it is also a benefit to society at large: a society without privacy is a society without freedom or personal autonomy. We are already seeing an increase in the use and deployment of encryption and other privacy technologies as the default way people communicate online. I expect to see more of this trend in the future."
Patrick JacksonCTO, Disconnect "In the wake of intense media coverage surrounding mass data breaches and surveillance, people understand more than ever before that any data they share may eventually become public or accessed in ways they do not like. In the coming years we will see mass adoption of products that encrypt data, minimise collection of data and provide more transparent data-sharing policies."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
