Welcome To The Data Resistance, Tim Cook
Come help us change the world, again
Last week, in an interview on US television, Tim Cook spoke of privacy as “one of the most important issues of the 21st century” — describing it as a human right, and saying he supported “some level” of regulation, even as he admitted that he’s “not a pro-regulation kind of person.”
It may not sound like much but as someone who’s been grinding away in the data privacy coal mine, Tim Cook’s acknowledgement of privacy as a human right is tectonic. It means that for the first time, data privacy zealots like myself finally have a tech giant fighting on our side.
What am I talking about?
I’ll put it to you like this: Apple is a trillion dollar company with over 1.3 billion active users. They have unparalleled global influence inside and outside the tech community and they just decided to align themselves with those of fighting to take back our privacy rather than those trying to exploit it.
As someone who’s been embedded in the privacy conversation for 5 years, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s been a struggle. The current landscape is not in our favor — companies like Facebook and Google have all but admitted that keeping their user’s data private is just something they say is valuable to assuage the public after a data breach. In other words, it’s bullshit.
Still, I’d like to take a moment to explain to you, Mr. Cook, the value in aligning yourself with those of us who also consider data privacy to be a human right.
- We are the moral high ground. Sure, you can’t sell this point to your investors but let’s set them aside for a second. By continuing to fight for data privacy you’ve made sure that Apple will always be a symbol of originality, inspiration and different thinking.
- We don’t prey on people’s fear. Instead, we appeal to people’s humanity. Our hope is to allow everyone to experience true unadulterated freedom by making it so that no one ever feels like they need to censor themselves.
- We’re not amateurs. At Dust, we’ve been working diligently to create the most private means of communication and soon plan to launch the most secure messenger out there. Additionally, other companies like Wickr, Signal, and Confide are also working to help people take back their privacy.
- History is on our side. I won’t sugar coat this last point. Social movements, the good ones at least, have the cards stacked against them. The privacy movement is no exception. Still, history has shown us that things like freedom and justice will prevail if people like you support the people’s movement rather than the monolith that suppresses them.
So where do we go from here?
Well, Mr. Cook, I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t have all the answers but I have an idea:
Come be the Nike to our Colin Kaepernick. Bring your influence, your power, your resources and your dedication and make it stand for something beyond the gold standard of technological progress. Make it so that the Apple symbol is recognized as the guardian of free thought.
If you do, I have no doubt that your users will take note and follow your lead. The people are primed for another technological revolution, one that does not pursue progress at the expense of their freedom. And if you need a Sherpa to help navigate beyond the summit, it would be my privilege to dedicate my experience in the privacy field to help usher in the social movement of the future into the present day.
