#ChoosePrivacy Explained

You might have seen the hashtag #ChoosePrivacy showing up in your Twitter feed and on Facebook since the start of May. If you’re wondering what exactly the fuss is about, then we’re happy to clear up the confusion.

So What is #ChoosePrivacy?

The hashtag #ChoosePrivacy is related to the annual Choose Privacy Week. It’s an event that aims to raise awareness of the various ways in which our data is being stored and used without our explicit knowledge.

There's little enough transparency on data privacy as it is and even with new legal efforts most internet users are blissfully unaware of their data being stored and processed for profit and other uses.

Even when made aware, many users simply don't understand why their privacy matters. They don't have any reasons to care about it. #ChoosePrivacy is an active attempt at breaking the ignorance and apathy that abounds among web users.

Who is Behind the Hashtag?

The event is hosted annually by the American Library Association and the ALA has provided many resources to help educate the public on internet privacy.

The idea is actually to empower librarians with the knowledge of internet privacy protection. This way public libraries can become centers of excellence for citizens who want to know how to protect their privacy online.

However, the hashtag and sentiment behind #ChoosePrivacy have become more widely adopted than just by librarians and patrons. Thanks to social media other privacy-related organizations such as VPN providers and blogs like TechNadu have taken notice. So you'll see plenty of discussion and information sharing on sites like Twitter contributing to the privacy debate.

Why Am I Only Hearing About This Now?

#ChoosePrivacy has been running for years. So why is it only getting traction now? A definitive answer is hard to come by. However, the issue of privacy has been pushed from many sides.

With a series of scandals, such as the Cambridge Analytica disaster, the issue of internet privacy is on everyone's minds. Which means that a slogan such as "choose privacy" is perfect to gain attention. So now in 2018, the hashtag is trending.

What Does #ChoosePrivacy Mean for You?

Choose Privacy Week comes with many opportunities. If you care about internet privacy, it's now a good time to engage with friends and family. There's also a lot of good content being shared using the hashtag. So even if you feel well-versed in privacy matters there's stuff to learn.

So keep an eye on the discussion. Save the infographics and guide articles for later use. This is one of the few times when everyone wants to talk about a "boring" subject such as privacy.

Visit the Choose Privacy Week Twitter Page for updates. Also, be sure to have a look at their official blog. It has tons of great resources.

What #ChoosePrivacy Means to TechNadu

We are a publications that cares first and foremost about your privacy and security. So it's no surprise that we support #ChoosePrivacy. The more people are educated on their own privacy, the better off we all will be.

We still think that VPN technology is the first and most effective safeguard against privacy violations. We like the fantastic ExpressVPN quite a lot and it's a good place to start.