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digital privacy

National Data Privacy Day: The Internet isn’t Anonymous Anymore

In the late 1990s, when the Internet truly hit the mainstream, people were often struck with a mixture of wonder and fear when they sat down at their computer desk. Back then, the Internet offered limitless information and global communication instantly, two things simply unheard of just a decade prior. When users browsed the Internet, it felt like an adventure, with websites acting as friendly navigators. Although the early Internet certainly had its problems, it didn’t feel like a business tool or high-tech gizmo. It felt like a toy for grown-ups.

As the Internet matured, this wonder eventually turned to familiarity. Gone were the days of simple AOL chat rooms and catching up on news. Businesses started to harness the Internet’s power, and the mystery of the Internet began to fade. The Internet wasn’t a toy anymore; it was a necessary tool that we had to use if we wanted to keep up with work, friends, and the world in general. And with the Internet becoming more ingrained in everyday lives, the anonymity of online spaces disappeared as well.

January 28th is National Data Privacy Day, and AXEL is celebrating by highlighting the importance of digital privacy and why stronger privacy protections are required for a safe, secure Internet.

Digital Privacy in the Early Internet

In the early days of the Internet, websites were radically different than they are today. In the late 1990s, nearly every site was built only using HTML and images, with no tracking capabilities. Because of how simple these websites were, few sites offered personal accounts, so users simply weren’t motivated to give information up. Simply put, users knew little about websites, and websites knew little about their users.

The Internet remained this way for a few years, offering simple services in exchange for a hefty fee. For example, AOL charged users over USD $20 per month to use its Internet software.[1] In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Internet was widespread, but there was still a significant barrier to entry. However, the invention of a delicious digital tool would soon change the business model of Internet-based companies: Cookies.

Cookies are small text files that are sent from website servers to a user’s computer, allowing a server to identify and remember a specific user.[2] While this sounds simple, Cookies spearheaded a massive change to website design and user accessibility. From remembering website preferences to revolutionizing online shopping, cookies offered a multitude of benefits to users. While cookies undoubtedly offered intuitive features for early Internet users, they also were a turning point in the prioritization of online privacy. After the widespread adoption of cookies, the Internet ceased being anonymous.

In addition to cookies, the rise of social media in the early 2000s radically changed how users approached the Internet. In the late 1990s, Internet users were typically wary of revealing personal information online, and for good reason. However, the rise of early social media sites like Friendster, MySpace, and Facebook changed the way users approached the Internet. No longer were people confined to anonymous AOL usernames; users could simply search their friends’ names in order to communicate with them online. While this was certainly an exciting feature in the early 2000s, it led to the normalization of digital footprints.

Online Privacy Today

Today, nearly everyone in the world has a digital footprint. Try it! Search your name and see what comes up. Websites and images from years ago regularly appear, even from posts and webpages that have been deleted. Worst of all, even if you delete all of your online accounts, those images are likely to stay there forever. While this de-anonymization does have benefits, say, looking people up for job interviews or first dates, it also represents a complete dissolution of online privacy.

While these digital footprints can be unnerving for some, they ultimately don’t have a massive effect on overall online privacy. After all, a few posts and images are nothing for Big Tech. What Big Tech can use, however, is data. And the vast majority of that data comes from cookies. Unfortunately, today’s cookies don’t just auto-fill URLs or remember your shopping cart. Modern cookies are built to track and analyze every single click we make. Using these cookies, Big Tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook are able to collect massive amounts of information on us. For example, Google likely knows if you have a medical problem, your current address, and what political party you support.[2] All of this information is then used for one purpose: Delivering hyper-targeted digital ads.

These pesky advertisements are the lifeblood of Internet-based companies. Think about it: Many of the web’s most used applications are completely free. Useful sites like Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter are completely free for all users, yet these companies are worth billions. This is Big Tech’s dirty little secret: They’re not selling their products and services to you. They’re selling you and your data to advertisers.[3] And the more data they have on you, the more they can charge advertisers. This is why companies like Amazon and Google typically sell many of their products at a loss. For example, when Amazon prices an Echo Dot at USD $20 during the holidays, Amazon isn’t making a profit off the sale of the hardware; it’s making a profit from all the new, personal data that users give to the device. Ultimately, Big Tech is financially motivated to collect more and more personal data, putting everyone’s digital privacy to the side.

What Should Be Done?

First, increased regulation of hyper-targeted advertisements would be a massive victory for digital privacy. The amount of data that Big Tech companies have on us is staggering, and they’re encouraged to collect as much as possible to sell to advertisers. Selling data about extremely sensitive subjects like medical history ought to be banned. After all, advertisers shouldn’t have access to people’s sensitive health information. Additionally, allowing users to opt-out of tracking would be another win for privacy advocates. Cookies do offer legitimate features for users, so most would still accept tracking. However, simply offering a choice to opt-out would be incredible progress for digital privacy in the 2020s.

Big Tech corporations make billions by trivializing our digital privacy and prioritizing advertisers over people. Unfortunately, these companies are financially motivated to collect as much data as possible, so without regulation, this trivialization of privacy is likely to continue. Fortunately, there is hope: The European Union has a law that allows users to opt-out of tracking cookies,[4] and similar legislation is possible in the United States. Although Big Tech would certainly fight back with shady tactics, an opt-out law would be the biggest victory for privacy of the 21st century.

About AXEL

Time and time again, Big Tech has prioritized its profits over privacy, putting their users at risk. At AXEL, we’ll never sell your data to third-party advertisers because we believe that your private information should stay private. That’s why we created AXEL Go. AXEL Go uses military-grade encryption, blockchain technology and decentralized servers to ensure it’s the best file transfer software on the market. Whether you need cloud video storage or cloud file management, AXEL Go is the secure file hosting solution. If you’re ready to try the best file sharing app for PC and mobile devices, try two free weeks of AXEL Go here.

[1] “AOL Hikes Price to US$21.95.” Wired. Conde Nast, February 9, 1998. https://www.wired.com/1998/02/aol-hikes-price-to-us21-95/

[2] Hill, Simon. “The History of Cookies and Their Effect on Privacy.” Digital Trends. Digital Trends, March 29, 2015. https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/history-of-cookies-and-effect-on-privacy/

[3] King, Bertel. “Why Targeted Ads Are a Serious Threat to Your Privacy.” MUO, April 1, 2019. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/targeted-ads-threat-privacy/

[4] Lomas, Natasha. “Europe’s Cookie Consent Reckoning Is Coming.” TechCrunch. TechCrunch, May 31, 2021. https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/30/europes-cookie-consent-reckoning-is-coming/

Everywhere is the New Office: The Rise of Digital Nomads

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition to at-home work was swift. Never before had so many workers been forced to work from a new location, with new software to learn, in such a short period of time. But after a few months of at-home work, a weird thing happened: Workers began to adore remote work compared to the traditional office. Although it took getting used to, now, 77% of workers prefer working remotely versus working in an office [1]. But now, with the pandemic under (some) control, workers are still figuring out ways to continue working from anywhere. This desire has led to an increase of “digital nomads” across the country, and the world.

Digital nomads are location-independent workers who travel often, while still getting work done due to consistent Internet availability. While digital nomads are nothing new, the popularity of the practice exploded during the pandemic. In fact, in 2020, the number of digital nomads in the United States reached 10.9 million, up 50% from 2019 [2]. With more businesses offering indefinite remote work, the practice will likely spread further as well. Because of its ever-growing popularity, it’s fair to ask: Is this the future of work? 

Why do Digital Nomads Love Their Jobs?

First and foremost, digital nomads (and at-home workers in general) like their work method because it allows a better work-life balance [3]. This includes taking more breaks, feeling less pressure and no more commutes. All of these perks are quite beneficial for remote workers, including digital nomads. It allows workers to continue earning an income, while also saying goodbye to some of the more stressful facets of traditional office jobs. For many of these digital nomads, remote work is a no-brainer. After all, if offices allow for remote work, why not enjoy these perks? The problem, however, is that not all offices want remote work to become permanent.

Numerous prominent business leaders have voiced their opposition to permanent remote work. Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings stated that he sees “no positives” regarding remote work, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said that remote work was “an aberration we’re going to correct as soon as possible [4].” So while remote work offers a multitude of benefits to digital nomads, it isn’t guaranteed their lifestyle will last forever. While some business leaders, such as Mark Zuckerberg [4], have sung the praises of remote work, the practice is far from universally admired.

However, it won’t be easy to rope digital nomads back into the office. After all, remote workers have the leverage right now. In 2020, efficiency actually increased, even though workers had to navigate the newfound difficulties of remote work [5]. With this information in mind, workers know that they are valuable, efficient employees. More importantly, business leaders know they are valuable and efficient as well. So while anti-remote work CEOs may want a return to the traditional office, making it a requirement risks losing employees to businesses more open to remote work.

The Digital Nomad Economy

Even some businesses have begun to market themselves to digital nomads. For example, Airbnb has shifted its focus from short-term vacation rentals to longer-term “workcations.” In fact, the number of long-term Airbnb stays nearly doubled in 2020 compared to 2019 [2]. And with more businesses becoming open to permanent remote work, this sector of the economy will continue to grow, adding even more benefits to remote work.

Put simply, remote work offers significantly more freedom for workers compared to office work. And for digital nomads, it’s about more than just freedom of location. Working remotely allows employees to get their tasks done on their time. With no supervisors looking over your shoulder or gossipy coworkers to worry about, employees can focus more on their work. With this increase of personal freedom for workers, it’s no wonder why efficiency jumped in 2020.

The Drawbacks of Remote Work

However, with this freedom comes responsibility as well. Without a boss or coworkers to surround you during work hours, temptations can arise. After all, what’s stopping workers from taking a two-hour break in the middle of the day? Additionally, remote work can actually cause worse work-life balance as well, as the lines between home-life and work-life can be blurred. Finally, security could be compromised by remote work as well. In fact, that’s partially why Apple CEO Tim Cook has been so enthusiastic about a return to offices [6].

Remote work offers a myriad of benefits for workers, with just a few drawbacks. Thankfully, there are ways to mitigate those drawbacks, particularly regarding security. Even better, most of these techniques are simple for remote workers, no matter where they are. First, ensuring that your software is up-to-date is the best (and easiest) way to protect yourself and your business. Bad actors typically attack through older versions of software, so keeping it up-to-date will minimize the risk of you becoming a target. Next, avoiding public wi-fi networks is another key tip. Public networks are prone to malware and can infect your computer, harming you and your business.

Protect Yourself with AXEL

Finally, using a secure file-sharing system is key to protecting your most vital files from data breaches and ransomware attacks. That’s where AXEL Go comes in. Offering industry-leading encryption and decentralized blockchain technology, AXEL Go is the best way to protect yourself and your business from unauthorized cybercriminals. In a world where remote work is becoming the norm, secure file-sharing is a necessity for any business. If you’re ready to try the best protection, get two free weeks of AXEL Go here. 

[1] Ballard, Jamie. “Most Remote Employees Don’t Want to Return to the Workplace after the Pandemic.” YouGov. January 19, 2021.  https://today.yougov.com/topics/economy/articles-reports/2021/01/19/remote-employees-work-from-home-poll.

[2] Lufkin, Bryan. “Is the Great Digital-nomad Workforce Actually Coming?” BBC Worklife. June 15, 2021. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210615-is-the-great-digital-nomad-workforce-actually-coming.

[3] Courtney, Emily. “The Benefits of Working From Home Beyond the Pandemic: FlexJobs.” FlexJobs Job Search Tips and Blog. September 03, 2021. https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/benefits-of-remote-work/.

[4] Kelly, Jack. “How CEOs And Workers Feel About Working Remotely Or Returning To The Office.” Forbes. March 19, 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/03/19/how-ceos-and-workers-feel-about-working-remotely-or-returning-to-the-office/.

[5] Curran, Enda. “Work From Home to Lift Productivity by 5% in Post-Pandemic U.S.” Bloomberg.com. April 22, 2021. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-22/yes-working-from-home-makes-you-more-productive-study-finds.

[6] Ryan, Kevin J. “Why Apple Employees Are Objecting to the Company’s Remote Work Rules.” Inc.com. July 20, 2021. https://www.inc.com/kevin-j-ryan/apple-employees-letter-return-to-office.html.

Digital Assistants are Invading your Privacy

Digital assistants have been a part of daily life for millions of people since Apple acquired Siri in 2011 and integrated it into the iPhone 4s. Now, all the big players are in the game. Google, Amazon, and Facebook are competing to be the consumer’s choice for in-home digital help. While the commercials make them look convenient and nearly indispensable for modern life, the truth is users are inviting Big Tech surveillance into their most private moments. In this blog, we’ll make the argument that you should think twice before using one of these services.

Privacy nightmares

The digital assistant marketplace is pretty crowded. Although many smaller companies and startups are coming up with solutions in the space, Apple’s Siri, the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Facebook Portal dominate the sector. All of Big Tech wants to have an always-on, AI-enabled voice recorder in your home. The question consumer should be asking themselves is ‘Why?’

Well, first off, it’s a growing industry. The market size is over $3 billion this year, and analysts believe it could grow to be an over $40 billion industry by 2027[1]. Obviously, this type of explosive growth is going to attract Big Tech investment.

But what other incentives are there? Well, we know that all of the major tech corporations have had issues with privacy violations in the past. Even Apple, which makes its money from hardware sales and has less reason to harvest mass amounts of user data, has had public privacy issues. To their credit, they at least seem to listen to privacy advocates and either change their policies or at least make them transparent. Unfortunately, you cannot say the same for the others in the space.

Amazon wants to sell more retail items and therefore wants as clear of a profile as possible on its users. That way, it can advertise to them more efficiently. Google and Facebook are even worse. Their entire business models revolve around offering free services to consumers. Nearly all of their revenue comes from personalized advertising. Thus, they have the biggest incentive to collect and analyze everything their customers do while using their products (and many times even after they’re finished using them!)

The pitch

So knowing that these companies don’t take privacy seriously, why do they keep attracting new users? They make a compelling pitch about modern convenience. We live in a society where time is at a premium, and any new gadget that can save a few precious moments is the next best thing. Digital assistants use voice commands, so users don’t have to type out questions or commands. Instead of tapping through a few screens on your phone, you can simply say ‘Call Grandma, ’ and before you know it, you’re chatting with granny about all the birds she’s seen in the yard that week.

This kind of functionality is powerful. You can make and begin music playlists for the big dinner party, schedule appointments on your calendar, or even integrate digital assistants into your smart home. Then, adjusting the thermostat or checking on the oven timer is easier than ever before. But just stop and think for a moment. How much time are you actually saving? Tapping a few buttons is already much more convenient than any previous generation. Suppose your swing-dancing, bird aficionado grandma wanted to make a playlist for a party. In that case, she’d need to have the records she wanted to play at the ready and manually change them out continuously. Sitting at a computer and pulling out your phone, and tinkering for five minutes is already so much easier. In our opinion, the marginal utility you gain from digital assistants is not enough to overcome the privacy issues.

The issue

The main problem with these devices is that they never stop listening as long as they receive power. They may not be recording until they hear the ‘activation word’ (typically some version of ‘Hey!’), but they always listen for that phrase. So, that in of itself is more than a little creepy. But, it opens you up to opportunistic hackers. If a malicious agent wanted to, they could exploit a vulnerability in the device’s software and then have full access to your personal conversations. In the case of the Facebook Portal, which comes equipped standard with a high-definition camera, a bad actor could gain access to video of your home. The truth is, this technology isn’t foolproof either. The devices can mishear the activation word and begin recording conversations you’d prefer to remain private.

Even if a hacker doesn’t actively target you for surveillance, the open secret about digital assistants is that a representative from the manufacturer’s company could be listening to you. They all are known to employ people to do randomized quality assurance checks. In fact, some have heard about the users’ illicit activities! In some jurisdictions, recordings from digital assistants can be used against you in a court of law[2]. Talk about an unwelcome snitch.

Overall, we believe that if you have any concerns about your privacy at all, don’t use a digital assistant. Do things the old-fashioned way (from 2010) and use your fingers. It may mean an extra 15 seconds multiple times throughout the day, but you get the peace of mind of knowing that your private moments aren’t compromised.

Privacy first

AXEL believes that privacy is a right and that tech companies shouldn’t infringe on it. This philosophy drives the development process of all of our software solutions, like AXEL Go. AXEL Go is a secure, private file storage and sharing platform. It gives you the power to choose precisely how private you want your files to be and never collects your personal information or mines your content. Try it now for free and receive a 14-day trial of our Premium service. All of the fantastic features are unlocked and you can see for yourself that tech products and privacy don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Take back control of your data with AXEL Go.

[1] Sneha Korad, Rachita Rake, Vineet Kumar, “Global Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market”, AlliedMarketResearch.com, 2020, www.alliedmarketresearch.com/intelligent-virtual-assistant-market

[2] Erica Vowles, Jeremy Story Carter, “Your Google Home or Fitbit could be used against you in court”, ABC.net.au, March 8, 2018, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-09/your-google-home-or-fit-bit-could-be-used-against-you-in-court/9510368

The 2021 Guide to Online Privacy

According to a 2019 survey, nearly three-quarters of Americans are “more alarmed than ever” about their online privacy[1]. This concern is well deserved, as it seems every day there’s another story about shady corporate data collection policies or a major data breach.

So, how can you protect yourself? Luckily, you don’t have to live off the grid without electricity while hoarding military surplus MREs from the Cold War to prevent total surveillance. While most of the Big Tech offerings don’t make user privacy a top priority, some alternatives do. Here, we’ll look into the common ways you can stay private online.

Web Browsers

The most popular web browser, by far, is Google Chrome[2]. Unfortunately, it’s also the worst for privacy. In fact, you may notice a running theme throughout this guide; stop using Google! Google is one of the top privacy offenders, and its suite of software and services is absolutely massive, so you probably use them frequently. Safer ways to surf the web include the following solutions.

Firefox. Developed by the non-profit Mozilla corporation, Firefox provides a wealth of privacy settings. However, many of these options are not on by default, so you will want to dig into them a bit to set things up how you want.

Safari. This is the standard web browser for iOS and macOS. As far as Big Tech companies go, Apple stands out as being better about privacy than the others, which holds true for its browser. Again, you will need to optimize the settings for privacy, but the interface is clear and intuitive. Apple makes its money from high-priced hardware, so it has less incentive to collect and sell as much data as possible.

Brave. Brave is a newcomer to the browser game, and it has made its name on protecting privacy. It blocks ads, trackers, scripts, and more. It offers high-performance compared to its competition too! However, there are two caveats; It serves you ads by default (although you get paid for viewing them and you can disable them), and it’s built off of the Chromium browser, which uses the same code base as the nefarious Chrome. On the plus side, this does make it compatible with popular Chrome extensions, so it really boils down to your risk-reward calculations.

Search Engines

Stop using Google! Just don’t. Now, for some searches, Google will likely return better results. But for the vast majority of occasions, one of the following alternatives will get the job done without tracking your every move.

DuckDuckGo. This is easily the most usable privacy search engine. It has most of the same features (Videos/Images/News/etc.) as Google, and they never track your behavior. It doesn’t employ invasive algorithms either; it parses search results via a simple traffic calculation, so you also don’t get the censorship prevalent on Google.

For most users, DuckDuckGo is going to be the way to go. Other privacy search engines are significantly more niche, but we’ll still cover a few of the more interesting ones.

Ecosia. This is a front-end for the Bing search engine, but it ditches the trackers associated with Microsoft’s product. So, you get the power of Bing without the drawbacks. One of the more novel aspects of this solution is that the Ecosia organization plants trees when you use it. Of course, to fund this, you have to deal with ads, but at least you’re not being surveilled.

Peekier. Peekier says it’s “The most privacy-oriented search engine,” and its official privacy policy is impressive. It uses its own algorithm and generates results with thumbnail images of the sites themselves. So, it’s aesthetically pleasing, albeit a bit more bandwidth-hungry (just something to be aware of if you’re dealing with low data caps from your internet service provider.)

SearX. This is a very interesting option that’s completely decentralized. In fact, you can set up your own instance of the search engine to help out with the project! It has helpful advanced search capabilities that can assist with finding particular files. Unfortunately, it’s also the least user-friendly (you have to click on an instance before searching) and can be buggy. Still, it’s definitely one to keep an eye out for if the team can iron out the kinks.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

One of the easiest ways to hide your location and identifying information when online is to invest in a VPN. They’re starting to become mainstream, as you’ve probably heard advertisements for them on your favorite podcast or YouTube channel.

With a VPN, you’re using a service that masks your network’s IP address. So, trackers online think the computer is in a completely different part of the world. Another benefit is the data sent between your computer and websites is encrypted and unreadable to would-be snoops. We recommend everyone use a VPN if they want to remain private on the internet. Many VPN providers are available, and we encourage you to do your own research about which is suitable for you. A quick DuckDuckGo search should put you on the correct path (see what we did there?)

Android vs. iOS

As we previously detailed, Apple is generally better with privacy. Android, a Google product, is pretty hopeless out of the box, but if you’re a tech whiz, it can be improved. If you need to get an Android phone for compatibility or price reasons, we recommend getting one you can install custom ROMs on and download a third-party privacy-based operating system. This isn’t for the everyday user and only works on specific phone models. The most popular privacy ROMs are LineageOS, CalyxOS, and GrapheneOS.

The first two attempt to replicate the functionality of Android while maintaining a semblance of privacy. GrapheneOS, on the other hand, goes much further and is recommended by people such as Edward Snowden. Be warned, while this will provide the most privacy possible, many people will be put off by the learning curve and lack of features/common applications.

There aren’t many non-Android or iOS alternatives. You could try out the Linux-based PINEPHONE, which offers a pared-down Linux experience and physical switches that can turn off the cellular radios, microphones, and more. It’s an inexpensive way to get robust privacy, but again, you will experience tradeoffs in usability.

One more privacy tip regarding your cellphones; don’t go with the major carriers. They will undoubtedly run credit checks and require all of your personal information when you sign up. Avoid these invasions by going with prepaid services. With these, you typically don’t have to give up any personal data if you don’t want to, and you can buy refills with cash at a variety of retail stores. They also tend to be significantly less expensive overall, and you’re also not locked into a burdensome contract. Furthermore, they all use the same networks that the big names do. It’s a no-brainer!

Alternative methods of payment

One of the worst feelings is seeing unaccounted-for charges on your credit card statements. It’s a hassle to reverse, and you may be without the stolen funds for days or weeks before it gets sorted out. It’s a situation that seems all too common in modern times, and most people accept it as a necessary hazard when putting your credit card information online. This doesn’t have to be the case!

You can protect your banking information by using payment services that provide users with masked credit card numbers. Companies like Abine Blur let you load up prepaid virtual cards that can be used anywhere (even for booking hotels). For privacy-conscious people, it allows the peace of mind that’s so sought after when making online purchases.

Social Media

Social media is tough to replace. The first recommendation we have is not to use Facebook. For businesses and those wanting to keep in touch with friends, this is a tricky proposition. If you don’t absolutely need it, however, do not use it. If you must, only put the bare minimum amount of personal information on it. There have been multiple scandals and instances of Zuckerberg’s company selling user data and behavior analysis to third parties without consent. This goes for its popular acquisitions, too, such as Instagram and WhatsApp.

As far as other platforms go, we recommend:

Invidious. This is a YouTube front-end that doesn’t track your behavior. It has other great features, such as the ability to download videos in various formats/qualities. Invidious also blocks all advertisements, and you can listen to the audio when the screen is turned off, making it fantastic for podcasts.

Like SearX for search engines, you have to use a specific instance, and we recommend www.yewtu.be, which doesn’t have much downtime. With this instance, you can even create an account not linked to your identity where you can maintain subscriptions to your favorite content creators. It’s the best way to enjoy YouTube.

Mastodon. Mastodon is a Twitter replacement that’s fully decentralized. It’s an open-source project that is entirely un-monetized. So, you’ll never see advertisements or promoted posts, and there’s no incentive to collect data since it won’t be sold. Of course, the community isn’t as large as Twitter’s, but it is growing steadily and is engaging enough to try out.

Messaging

Messing apps are an important way to talk to friends and family without using insecure SMS text messages. However, if you’re using Big Tech solutions like Facebook Messenger, GChat, or even the end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp (owned by Facebook), your communications aren’t necessarily private. If you want a more secure messaging app, use open-source, encrypted options like Telegram and Signal.

File sharing

Sending and storing files via the cloud is a convenient way to have all your documents at your fingertips. However, if you use common programs like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, your content is also at the greedy fingertips of Big Tech. Prevent corporate surveillance and data mining by using the decentralized, distributed AXEL Go.

AXEL Go combines secure blockchain technology, the InterPlanetary File System, and hardened military-grade encryption to provide the best privacy platform for sharing and storing your data. Sign up today and receive a free 14-day trial of our Premium service with all features unlocked.

The privacy revolution

As you can see, protecting your digital privacy isn’t impossible. You may have to make concessions or change your daily workflow a bit, but with the growing community around privacy-based software and services, you can stay out of the watchful gaze of Big Tech while still enjoying the utility of the internet.  We hope you give some of our suggestions a shot and see that the current reality of corporate surveillance and censorship doesn’t have to carry on into the future.

With your help, we can usher in a new era of the internet that delivers on its initial promise of expanding human interaction and knowledge without privacy issues. Join the privacy revolution. Change the world.

[1] Statista, “Share of internet users who are more alarmed than ever about their online privacy vs. their willingness to accept certain risks to their online privacy to make their life more convenient as of December 2019, by country”, Statista.com, Dec. 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1023952/global-opinion-concern-internet-privacy-risk-convenience/

[2] Statista, “Market share held by leading desktop internet browsers in the United States from January 2015 to March 2021”, Statista.com, March 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/272697/market-share-desktop-internet-browser-usa/