Previously there was the ability to end-to-end encrypt messages on Discourse. Since this plugin has been deprecated, Signal has been introduced as an alternative channel to reach the team.
Have a tip for us, or need to share some sensitive information? The best way to get in touch with us securely is via
@privacyguides.01on Signal. This group account is monitored by Jonah, Niek, Em, and Jordan.
No, I really don’t think so. I understand that it seems extreme and that family and friends are often the most difficult to stand up to, but you were pressured into taking a photo which was then posted despite your clear objection. Boundaries are extremely important and should be respected in all situations including relating to privacy.
Just to be clear, by tip do you mean like when a whistleblower might tip a reporter? I also think that if someone is considering becoming a whistle-blower, even if it’s not on a Snowden or Assange scale, they might also want to seek advice about how to proceed in a secure communication channel.
Thanks. This is helpful!
I figure I should encourage you to work it out in person before resorting to a GDPR request to have the image removed.
I didn’t write the quoted paragraph so I don’t know exactly what they mean by a tip but yes I imagine it could be something along those lines although obviously smaller scale. It might also be that you wish to report a team member (one that doesn’t monitor the Signal chat) for something where doing it on Discourse wouldn’t be ideal.
I’m not sure it is a good place for seeking 1 on 1 advice since they are all very busy people. In such a case it is probably better to create an account on this forum anonymously using Tor and get relevant help without deanonymising yourself.
Setting boundaries is something I teach my kids with their bodies. I remember the forced kisses and hugs from visiting relatives and getting reprimanded if I didn’t allow them to kiss me because they were family. Yet few people knew that family or close friends are often the ones that sexually abuse children due to the trust they have in the circle.
Bodily autonomy and encouraging kids to ask for privacy as they are able to do toilet things by themselves is kind of the entry way to teaching about general sentiments of privacy. We should apply the same to ourselves and now in full reflection mode, this statement makes a lot more sense in this context.
I think a lot of the lessons we were taught as children tend to creep into our own views on privacy more than we think.
No I have a public signal for this online Identity, anyone can always contact me there. And even if the signal phone number was compromised somehow it’s not tied to my real identity and can always buy another to change to
I think the rest had been well answered by @phnx
thank you for the service.
Unfortunately, people are often only willing to validate the boundaries of others to the same extent that they value and uphold their own. Boundaries in regards to privacy should be respected as equally inviolable as those relating to bodily autonomy.
I completely agree, and I think it’s only natural that valuing privacy would stem from an upbringing emphasising core principles like democracy, freedom, and justice.
To answer your question, the PG team has been dedicating more resources towards independent journalism and content creation lately. I would expect to see more privacy tool reviews, independent investigations, and interviews in the near future 
While our public Signal tipline could be used for whistleblowers, we probably won’t reach that usage case until we reach some level of notoriety (hopefully!). At least for now, it acts as a cost-effective method for our members to contact our team without relying on Discourse PMs or email. If there is a need for an anonymized tipline, we may eventually invest in a Hushline or SecureDrop instance.
Got it. Yes, thank you both. I don’t have a public Signal account, i.e. a second Signal account. Because of that, if I had to have a one on one conversation with a complete internet stranger that is sensitive, I’d probably use Sessions since it doesn’t require a phone number and is more anonymous.
That said, any chance you could assist on this?
I think the public conversation about this specific intimacy invasion involving children is fairly new. And I know the MeToo movement has contributed a lot to it.
I have seen videos of parents who shared that they now tell their toddler children that if they’re not in the mood for appropriate physical affection wiht anyone, it’s ok for them to say no. I think that’s great.
Thank you Brian! I’m very happy you liked my article
I agree with you, there is a lot of nuance to this one. I do think organizations like the Internet Archive should absolutely keep records of every government websites, for example. Everything founded by the public should be accessible to the public.
But, I don’t think they should keep records of people’s personal Facebook pages, or people’s personal Mastodon account pages, or even people’s personal websites, unless they request it themselves.
Similarly, taking a screenshot locally to remember something is different from taking a screenshot without asking and posting it somewhere else. Same as it would be to take a photo of your friends just to keep for yourself, versus posting it on a popular platform without asking them first.
I don’t think a fix rule can be established for when this is right or wrong because there is so much nuance to it, but I think we should ask ourselves each time we do this if we think it is and how much harm this could cause to someone else.
I wish we had some cultural system more established when going to public events. For example, wearing a red button for no photos, a green button for photos okay. Some events have started doing this and I think it’s wonderful. Then, if you take a photo of a parade, you could blur/block the faces and specific characteristics of the people you cannot see the green button of, for example.
But I think your conclusion on this is very sensible. Although, it’s also important to stay mindful not to re-share content without consent and without proper attribution either.
Thanks for elaborating. I think that’s fantastic!
Yes! This is an excellent point you raise PurpleDime!
And this highlights how important consent is in privacy. And coerced or pressured consent isn’t consent, in any situation, including this one.
I am sorry you experienced this. She did not respect your boundaries in this situation and this is wrong. No picture is too pretty to respect the people in it.
You are in your right to have your boundaries respected. Even at events, even at weddings, even (and especially actually) at Christmas parties.
Something I started doing personally when there’s a photograph present, I go straight to them and explain that I don’t want to be in any picture they take. It has been going well so far. Then, I try to hangout in their back to be safe, haha
Wow, that is bold. And also amazing that the photographer respected your wishes. I haven’t been in that situation yet, but I feel like the closer you are to the bride and groom, the tougher it becomes to request not to have your picture taken or shared. Especially if you’re the best man or a bridesmaid. The least demanding request might be to ask not to be tagged if you are on social media.
I think your post opened a very important conversation about consent in the context of privacy, and what is appropriate and inappropriate to share. I hope to add to that conversation with some posts of my own, as I think there are gray areas that can be very tough to call.
For eg, in a recent podcast I was listening to, the host talked about whether it’s appropriate to talk about your family, friends, sex partners, on a podcast, even if you anonymize it. Talking about it on a podcast is one thing. But she also questioned if it’s inappropriate to talk about your sex life with your best friend if you’re in a relationship. She said that it might bother her boyfriend, but to the extent that her boyfriend is a huge part of her life, she cannot not share certain things about him that affect her.
I guess this is where the details of how and the what are crucial. And obviously in the context of domestic abuse, all bets are off but that’s not what I’m referring to here.
No long ago I read The Ethics of Privacy and Surveillance by Carissa Véliz which is a excellent book that delves into these thorny questions. I highly recommend it.
Not knowledgeable with XMR outside of maybe Cake Wallet a bit. Sorry.
Thank you!
Please do keep this conversation going!
We need to talk more about this and spread the word so it becomes a cultural conversation and help us develop more respectful customs and practices that people and organizations adopt.
Ah yes, this podcast raises important points as well. How much can we share about the intimacy of others when ours is also part of it? All important questions to ask oneself and discuss as a society to develop new more respectful norms about sharing data on others. And indeed, the context of domestic abuse changes a lot about this here, thank you for highlighting this.
And thank you for the book recommendation! That seems like a fantastic book indeed!
The street photography horse bolted long before the Internet. Street photography and reportage has been a thing as long as photography became practical. If you’re at public event, especially if you’re part of that event, you’ve given up privacy already. You might wind up in the news. Consent is implied by taking part. The confounding issue now is social media.
Implied consent is an extremely dangerous concept which flips the narrative and places the burden of responsibility on the victim rather than the perpetrator of aggression. Even if the concept were sound in principle, it wouldn’t be reasonable to assume consent from the mere action of going into public. It is completely impossible to live your private life without, for example, going out to buy groceries or commuting to work. Do you seriously believe that a person whose only ‘crime’ is quite literally wanting to survive can be assumed to consent to having a microphone and camera shoved in their face and their location tracked at all times when in public?
The implication was also drastically different, as you yourself admit, before social media. I would of course be much less upset about a photo of me in public that isn’t shared on social media than one that is but I’m perfectly justified in being unhappy with both outcomes.
Although I agree with you in this particular case, in implied consent scenarios there is neither a victim nor an aggressor. The bigger question is whether it’s really a case of implied consent—and even if it isn’t, that doesn’t automatically make someone a victim, depending on the case or situation.