Digital privacy requires more than personal vigilance and individual security measures, according to University of Colorado Boulder media scholar Nathan Schneider, who argues that true online safety demands collaborative community action and systemic change. Drawing from decades of personal research and experimentation, Schneider emphasizes that the modern internet’s privacy challenges mirror broader societal issues that can’t be solved through individual action alone.
The digital landscape presents three distinct categories of privacy threats, each requiring different defensive strategies. Traditional cybercriminals, including hackers and scammers, pose the most visible threat through direct attempts to steal identities and financial information. More insidiously, data brokers operate in regulatory shadows, collecting and selling personal information to advertisers and law enforcement without user consent or oversight. Perhaps most concerning are established institutions, including major tech companies and government agencies, which offer protection while simultaneously harvesting user data for their own purposes.
These challenges have far-reaching implications beyond personal privacy. As African American studies scholar Ruha Benjamin notes, online surveillance has evolved into what she terms a “new Jim Code,” where automated systems perpetuate discrimination by excluding individuals from opportunities based on digital profiling. This systemic abuse of personal data highlights the need for comprehensive reform rather than just individual protective measures.
While basic security practices remain important, their effectiveness depends largely on collective adoption. Password managers, two-factor authentication, and privacy-focused browsers provide foundational protection, but their impact is limited when most users continue relying on surveillance-based services. For example, using encrypted email offers little benefit if most correspondents still use Gmail, as Google still processes these communications.
Schneider advocates for a phased approach to improving digital privacy. The first phase involves basic “digital hygiene” practices such as using privacy-focused browsers and search engines. The second phase encourages shifting away from surveillance-based services to privacy-respecting alternatives like Proton Mail and Signal. The third phase involves building new technological foundations through what Schneider calls “governable stacks” – community-managed digital infrastructure that reduces dependence on major tech companies.
Some organizations are already implementing these principles. Academic institutions and privacy-conscious businesses are establishing independent digital infrastructure, running their own servers and communication platforms. These efforts demonstrate the potential for communities to maintain control over their digital tools and data while reducing reliance on surveillance-based services.
Community initiatives like “cryptoparties” have emerged to help people learn about privacy tools collectively. These gatherings reflect a growing recognition that digital safety requires shared knowledge and coordinated action rather than isolated efforts. Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation are pushing for stronger privacy protection policies, arguing that the current surveillance-based business model underlying much of the internet represents a fundamental threat to user privacy.
Schneider criticizes the tendency to frame online safety as purely individual responsibility, comparing it to victim-blaming. He argues that the primary threat to online privacy stems from the lack of public policy and collective power to prevent surveillance from being the internet’s basic business model. This perspective suggests that meaningful privacy protection requires both community organization and policy reform.
The path forward involves shifting organizational technology spending away from surveillance-based services, supporting privacy-focused alternatives, and advocating for stronger data protection regulations. While perfect online safety may be unattainable, just as roads and cities can never be completely safe, communities can work together to create significantly safer digital environments.
As digital threats continue to evolve, the challenge of maintaining online privacy grows more complex. However, by approaching digital safety as a shared responsibility rather than an individual burden, communities can work together to create more secure and equitable digital spaces for everyone.
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