This has been going on for over a decade. Of course, privacy is becoming a luxury. You are right on the money. I am glad other people are starting to have this realization.
High-end smartphones are a luxury few can afford
To me, this became very clear when Apple products, especially the iPhone, started being promoted as better for privacy than Android and Windows. I know that the primary reason most people buy an iPhone is not privacy, but it doesn’t change the fact that there is truth to the idea that many people buy Android because they can’t afford an iPhone. That’s why they get made fun of. Most people who buy Android don’t buy high-end Androids.
For me, if I can’t pay for something cash, it means I cannot afford it. I can’t afford to pay $500, let alone $1000+ for a phone. I paid for an iPhone once in my life, and it cost me USD $60+/month for 2 years. It was the first and last time I paid for one. The 2nd time I got an iPhone was because my cousin gave me her old iPhone since she was buying a new one. When it eventually died, I still could not afford an iPhone and have been buying entry level to mid-range Android phones ever since. I can’t afford a high Android like the Google Pixel.
I agree that a lot of free tools people don’t use are available, and it’s sad that it can still be a hurdle to persuade them to try those tools.
It doesn’t cost money to quit social media but there is still a cost. For some people social media is their only social connection and their best chance at finding work, love, and friends. I definitely think I’m paying a cost for not being on LinkedIn and FB.
I highly recommend you read @em’ article Stay Safe, but Stay Connected. The discussion for it is here.
I think what @Cyber-Typhoon is saying is that having a paid Proton address is an indicator of what you can afford. I tend to agree. By itself, it doesn’t mean you’re rich, but for those who recognize it, it indicates that you have the means to afford a paid Proton account.
I am not an expert on cutlery, and hence would not recognize a super expensive, fancy brand if I saw it in someone’s home. But I know people who would.
I agree with OP.
Privacy can be a status symbol. Especially if it’s a paid privacy tool. Someone who is already in the club might not read it as such, but to someone for whom it is inaccessible, I can 100% see how it would be a status symbol.
I personally don’t know anyone IRL who uses Proton Mail or Tuta. If I ever encountered such a person, I would be impressed. I see the iPhone and all Apple products as a status symbols. Even if it doesn’t necessarily mean the person who owns them is affluent, it’s still a status symbol, and to some degree an indicator of class because they are expensive products.
When I see people mention they have a visionary Proton account, I see it as a status symbol.