all-in-one privacy solution":["Proton Unlimited es una solución de privacidad todo en uno"],"Black Friday":["Black Friday"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Sin anuncios. Privacidad por defecto."],"People before profits":["Primero las personas, luego los beneficios"],"Security through transparency":["Seguridad con transparencia"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["Las mejores ofertas de Proton Mail en el ${ BLACK_FRIDAY }"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["El único servicio de correo electrónico del mundo financiado por la comunidad"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } hora","${ hours } horas"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["Tiempo restante: ${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } y ${ secondsLeft }"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } minuto","${ minutes } minutos"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } segundo","${ seconds } segundos"],"Limited time offer":["Oferta por tiempo limitado"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Cree múltiples direcciones"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Seudónimos de hide-my-email"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Cancele suscripciones a boletines rápidamente"],"Use your own domain name":["Use su propio dominio"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Tal como aparece en"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Obtenga un correo electrónico cifrado que protege su privacidad"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Oferta de Black Friday de Proton Mail: hasta un 40% de descuento"]},"specialoffer:newmetadescription":{"Get up to 40% off Proton Mail subscriptions this Black Friday. Find great deals on our secure end-to-end encrypted email plans.":["Aproveche las rebajas de Black Friday y obtenga suscripciones de Proton Mail con hasta un 40 % de descuento. Encontrará las mejores ofertas en planes de correo electrónico seguro cifrado de extremo a extremo."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Rebajas de Black Friday en Proton Mail | Hasta un 40 % de descuento en correo electrónico seguro"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["*Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante el primer año"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante los primeros 2 años"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["Garantía de devolución de dinero de 30 días"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante los primeros 2 años"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante el primer año"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Ahorre ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["-${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Amo mi Proton Mail"],"My favorite email service":["Mi servicio de correo electrónico favorito"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Gracias Proton por mantenernos a salvo en el complicado universo de Internet."],"You get what you pay for. In the case of big tech, if you pay nothing, you get used. I quit using Gmail and switched to @ProtonMail":["Obtiene aquello por lo que paga. En el caso de la gran tecnología, cuando uno no paga nada, se acostumbra. Dejé de usar Gmail y cambié a @ProtonMail"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Días"],"Hours":["Horas"],"Min":["min"]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["Y mucho más"],"Safe from trackers":["A salvo de rastreadores"],"Stay organized":["Mantenga todo en orden"],"Black Friday email deals":["Ofertas en correo electrónico del Black Friday"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["No confíe solo en nuestra palabra"],"Make your inbox yours":["Tome posesión de su bandeja de entrada"],"Our story":["Nuestra historia"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Transfiera sus datos de Google con un solo clic"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acceda a contenidos bloqueados y navegue de forma privada. Incluye más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } servidores en más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } países, se conecta con hasta 10 dispositivos, accede a servicios de transmisión de todo el mundo, bloquea malware y publicidad y mucho más."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Comparta su calendario con familiares, amigos y compañeros fácilmente y consulte calendarios externos."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Incluye compatibilidad con 1 dominio de correo electrónico personalizado, 10 direcciones de correo electrónico, 10 seudónimos de hide-my-email, posibilidad de compartir calendario, etc."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Incluye compatibilidad con 3 dominios de correo electrónico personalizado, 15 direcciones de correo electrónico, seudónimos ilimitados de hide-my-email, posibilidad de compartir calendario, etc."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["Administre hasta 25 calendarios, apps móviles, protegido con cifrado de extremo a extremo, importación de calendario con 1 clic desde Google y más."]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Más información"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["Tenga en cuenta que, en este momento, estamos experimentando problemas con el servicio ${ issues[0] }."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["En este momento, tenemos problemas con uno o más servicios."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["En este momento, tenemos problemas con el servicio Proton VPN."],"Learn more":["Más información"]},"steps":{"Step":["Paso"]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Sugerencias"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Subacategoria","Subcategorías"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } minuto","${ readingTime } minutos"],"Category":["Categoría","Categorías"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["¿No encontró lo que buscaba?"],"General contact":["Contacto general"],"Get help":["Obtener ayuda"],"Legal contact":["Contacto legal"],"Media contact":["Contacto para medios"],"Partnerships contact":["Contacto para colaboradores"],"Reading":["Lectura"]},"Support Form Platform option":{"VPN for Android TV":["VPN para Android TV"],"VPN for Apple TV":["VPN para Apple TV"],"VPN for Chromebook":["VPN para Chromebook"]},"Support troubleshooting":{"App version":["Versión de la app"],"Browser":["Navegador"],"Check if this helps":["Compruebe si le sirve"],"Choose a product":["Elija un producto"],"Did this solve your issue?":["¿Le ha resultado útil para resolver el problema?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away":["Solo le separan unos clics de una asistencia más rápida"],"How can we help?":["¿Cómo podemos ayudarle?"],"No, contact support":["No, contactar a soporte"],"Please fill out one field after another":["Complete un campo después de otro"],"Please make your selections":["Realice sus selecciones"],"Proton account":["Cuenta de Proton"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Gracias por sus comentarios"],"What can we help with?":["¿En qué podemos ayudarle?"],"Yes":["Sí"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Consulta"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Buscar"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Busco"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Para una resolución más rápida, reporte el problema desde la app Bridge: Ayuda > Reportar un problema."],"Information":["Información"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Seguridad de la cuenta"],"Contacts":["Contactos"],"Custom email domain":["Dominio de correo electrónico personalizado"],"Email delivery and Spam":["Entrega de correo electrónico y spam"],"Encryption":["Cifrado"],"Login and password":["Inicio de sesión y contraseña"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Combinar alias y cuentas"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migrar a Proton"],"Notifications":["Notificaciones"],"Other":["Otros"],"Plans and billing":["Planes y facturación"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Regístrese"],"Storage":["Almacenamiento"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Usuarios, direcciones e identidades"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Seleccione un tema"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Premios"],"Customers":["Clientes"],"Featured":["Destacados"],"Go to testimonial source":["Ir a la fuente testimonial"],"Open source of award":["Abrir fuente del premio"],"Open source of quote":["Abrir fuente de la cita"],"Reviews":["Reseñas"],"Videos":["Videos"],"Watch on TikTok":["Ver en TikTok"],"Watch on YouTube":["Ver en YouTube"]},"TestimonialCategory":{"Awards":["Premios"],"Customers":["Clientes"],"Featured":["Destacados"],"Media":["Medios"],"Reviews":["Reseñas"],"Videos":["Videos"]},"Text":{"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Si necesita ayuda, consulte nuestra ${ supportLink }."],"The page you’re looking for might have been removed, or it could be an\nold link.":["Es posible que la página que busca haya sido eliminada o que sea un\nenlace antiguo."],"Your question may already have an answer in our knowledge base:":["Puede que haya respuesta a su pregunta en nuestra base de conocimientos:"]},"Title":{"On this page":["En esta página"],"Related articles":["Artículos relacionados"],"Share ${ thisPage }":["Compartir ${ thisPage }"],"Switch to Proton Pass - Contact us":["Cambie a Proton Pass - Contáctenos"],"Thank you!":["¡Gracias!"],"this page":["esta página"]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acceda a contenidos bloqueados y navegue de forma privada. Incluye más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } servidores en más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } países, la mayor velocidad VPN, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } conexiones VPN, servicios de transmisión en todo el mundo, bloqueador de malware y publicidad y mucho más."]},"vpn_servers":{"Get Proton VPN Plus":["Obtener Proton VPN Plus"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Action":{"Get Proton Wallet":["Obtener Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage hero product link title":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage product navigation bar":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:menu item":{"Bitcoin guide":["Guía sobre Bitcoin"],"Proton Wallet news":["Novedades sobre Proton Wallet"],"Proton Wallet support":["Soporte para Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Pricing":{"Includes everything in Proton Unlimited and":["Incluye todas las funciones en Proton Unlimited y"],"Limited availability":["Disponibilidad limitada"],"The easiest way to securely own, send, and receive Bitcoin":["La forma más fácil de retener, enviar y recibir Bitcoin con seguridad"]},"wallet_signup_2024:ProductRange":{"Discover Proton Wallet":["Descubra Proton Wallet"],"Store and transact Bitcoin privately with an encrypted self-custody wallet.":["Almacene Bitcoin y negocie de forma privada con una cartera de autocustodia cifrada."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet bitcoin":{"Learn about Bitcoin, the Internet's value network.":["Infórmese sobre Bitcoin, la red de valor de internet."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet overview":{"Ensure you're always in control of your Bitcoin.":["Asegúrese de tener siempre el control de su Bitcoin."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet security":{"The encrypted, open-source wallet that puts you in control.":["La cartera cifrada de código abierto que le permite controlarlo todo."]}}},"base":"blog","cdn":{"enabledForAssets":true,"enabledForImages":true,"url":"https://pmecdn.protonweb.com/"},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
window.frameworkContext = frameworkContext;
const context = frameworkContext.base === '' ? '' : `${frameworkContext.base}/`;
window.__toAssetUrl = (filename) => {
if (frameworkContext.cdn !== undefined && frameworkContext.cdn.enabledForAssets === true) {
return `${frameworkContext.cdn.url}${context}${filename}`;
} else {
return `/${context}${filename}`;
}
};
})();
Many companies that handle personal information reassure their users by saying that all the data is “anonymized.” If you don’t know any better, that sounds reassuring.
However, the method most companies use to anonymize data and the size of modern databases make it easy for attackers to re-identify individuals. From medical records to cell phone data sets, it only takes about a dozen pieces of information to find the person behind each “anonymous” record.
Part of our mission at Proton is to make sure people understand the privacy risks of sharing data. Maintaining your data security means sharing your data only with trustworthy organizations that are clear about what data they collect and what they do with it.
Everyone leaves a trace
By definition, truly anonymized data is stripped of all the elements that could possibly identify the correct individual. (In this article, we’ll refer to this individual as the “data subject,” borrowing the GDPR(nueva ventana) term.) The most popular mode of anonymization is to remove personally identifiable information from a database, such as your name, your birth date, your phone number, your home address, etc.
On the surface, this might seem like enough to protect your privacy. However, as you begin overlapping different types of data, you can start to identify people. Indeed, one data anonymization company, Aircloak, even acknowledges that true anonymization is extremely difficult(nueva ventana): “as is the case with IT security, no 100% guarantee can be given, and often there is the need for a risk assessment.”
Here’s an example of re-identification(nueva ventana) from the Journal of Technology Science that can give you an idea of how this might work. In it, an “anonymous” medical record can be cross-referenced with another source of information (in this case a newspaper brief about a motorcycle crash) to identify the patient’s name.
It only takes 15 data points to make 99.98% of people identifiable in a database of 7 million people, according to one paper published in Nature(nueva ventana).
Fifteen data attributes may seem like a lot, but it’s not. The report references the Experian data breach(nueva ventana), which leaked an “anonymized” database containing 248 data points on 120 million Americans. Major political campaigns also keep massive databases(nueva ventana) (and distribute them to their allies) which include hundreds of data points on their data subjects.
Re-identifying data contained in a supposedly anonymized database is not just a neat statistical trick for academics. It has real-world consequences. Anonymized data is treated differently because it is supposed to protect the privacy of its data subjects.
Some countries do a better job of requiring effective anonymization. The European Union’s GDPR covers this in Recital 26(nueva ventana), which says that data must truly be anonymous to be exempt from the regulation’s data protection rules. And there are methods of anonymization, such as data generalization or perturbation(nueva ventana), that are more effective.
However, this issue touches on more than just the technical difficulties presented by anonymization. It also raises the misleading promises companies make when they talk about how they treat your data.
Data analysis can provide numerous benefits to citizens, organizations, and governments, and it is legitimate to collect and analyze data for specific purposes. The distributed privacy-preserving contact tracing(nueva ventana) project is one example of how data collection could be used to trace COVID-19 infections while protecting individuals’ privacy.
However, data collection must always be made clear to the data subject, and people should always have a choice. Many companies present vague or hard-to-decipher privacy policies(nueva ventana) that make it almost impossible for data subjects to know what data is being collected and who it is being shared with. These companies treat anonymization as a way to sell data while still meeting the minimum requirement for data security.
However, if malicious actors can re-identify you from anonymized data, it raises ethical questions about such a business model. As a user, it means you should evaluate the companies you share data with even more closely. And companies, at the very least, should notify their users of the risk of re-identification before they share their data. If not, it is impossible for users to give their informed consent.
The Proton solution
When it comes to data protection, the best approach is to collect as little as necessary to securely deliver service to users. At Proton Mail, we work hard to limit the amount of information we collect, as we make clear in our privacy policy(nueva ventana).
We’ve also removed financial incentives to access users’ data. Proton is funded through a subscription-based, ad-free business model(nueva ventana). This allows us to focus on our main mission: to increase freedom and privacy online. If we fail to protect your data, we will lose users, which means our interests are aligned with the community’s.
As a tech company made up of physicists and engineers, we recognize the value of data. However, where other companies see your data as a resource to be exploited, we see something personal that belongs to you and deserves safekeeping.
Proton Mail and Proton VPN are funded by community contributions. If you would like to support our development efforts, you can upgrade to a paid plan(nueva ventana). Thank you for your support.