all-in-one privacy solution":["O Proton Unlimited é uma solução única de privacidade"],"Black Friday":["Black Friday"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Sem anúncios. Privacidade por padrão."],"People before profits":["Pessoas acima do lucro"],"Security through transparency":["Segurança por meio da transparência"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["As melhores ofertas de ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } do Proton Mail"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["O único serviço de e-mail do mundo apoiado pela comunidade"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } hora","${ hours } horas"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft }, e ${ secondsLeft } restantes"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } minuto","${ minutes } minutos"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } segundo","${ seconds } segundos"],"Limited time offer":["Oferta por tempo limitado"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Crie vários endereços"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Use aliases do hide-my-email"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Cancele a assinatura de newsletters rapidamente"],"Use your own domain name":["Use seu próprio nome de domínio"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Destaques"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Obtenha um e-mail criptografado que proteja sua privacidade"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Oferta de Black Friday do Proton Mail - Até 40% de desconto"]},"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.":["Obtenha até 40% de desconto nas assinaturas do Proton Mail nesta Black Friday. Confira ótimas ofertas em nossos planos de e-mail seguro com criptografia de ponta a ponta."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Oferta de Black Friday do Proton Mail - Até 40% de desconto no e-mail protegido"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["* Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } no primeiro ano"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } nos primeiros dois anos"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["Garantia de reembolso de 30 dias"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } nos primeiros dois anos"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["Com o preço de ${ TOTAL_SUM } no primeiro ano"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Economize ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ DISCOUNT } off":["-${ DISCOUNT }"],"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["-${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Adoro ProtonMail"],"My favorite email service":["Meu serviço favorito de e-mail"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Agradecemos ao Proton por nos manter a salvo no complicado universo da 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":["Você recebe pelo que paga. No caso das grandes tecnologias, você se acostuma quando não paga nada. Parei de usar o Gmail e troquei para o @ProtonMail"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Dias"],"Hours":["Horas"],"Min":["Min"]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["E muito mais"],"Make your inbox yours":["Deixe a caixa de entrada do seu jeito"],"Safe from trackers":["A salvo de rastreadores"],"Stay organized":["Mantenha-se organizado"],"Black Friday email deals":["Ofertas de e-mail da Black Friday"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["Não confie apenas em nossa palavra"],"Our story":["Nossa história"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Transfira seus dados do Google com um clique"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade. Inclui ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } servidores em +${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } países, conecte até 10 dispositivos, acesse serviços de streaming do mundo todo, malware e bloqueador de anúncios e muito mais."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Compartilhe facilmente seus calendários com amigos, familiares ou colegas e visualize calendários externos."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Inclui suporte para 1 domínio de e-mail personalizado, 10 endereços de e-mail, 10 aliases do hide-my-email, compartilhamento de calendário e muito mais."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Inclui suporte para 3 domínios de e-mail personalizados, 15 endereços de e-mail, aliases ilimitados do hide-my-email, compartilhamento de calendário e muito mais."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["Gerencie até 25 calendários, apps para dispositivos móveis, protegidos com criptografia de ponta a ponta, importação de calendário com 1 clique do Google e muito mais."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["No momento estamos enfrentando problemas com o serviço Proton VPN"],"Learn more":["Saiba mais"]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Saiba mais"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["No momento, estamos com problemas no serviço ${ issues[0] }."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["No momento, estamos com problemas em um ou mais serviços."]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Sugestões"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Subcategoria","Subcategorias"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } min","${ readingTime } min"],"Category":["Categoria","Categorias"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["Não encontrou o que procura?"],"General contact":["Contato geral"],"Get help":["Obter ajuda"],"Legal contact":["Contato jurídico"],"Media contact":["Contato de mídia"],"Partnerships contact":["Contato de parcerias"],"Reading":["Leitura"]},"Support categories":{"Browse Proton product support":["Navegar pelo suporte a produtos da Proton"]},"Support category":{"There is no article in this category yet.":["Ainda não há nenhum artigo nesta categoria."]},"Support troubleshooting":{"--- Select ---":["--- Selecionar ---"],"App version":["Versão do aplicativo"],"Browser":["Navegador"],"Check if this helps":["Confira se isso ajuda"],"Choose a category for your question":["Escolha uma categoria para sua pergunta"],"Choose a product":["Selecione um produto"],"Did this solve your issue ?":["Isso resolveu seu problema?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away — please make your selections":["Assistência mais rápida está a apenas alguns cliques de distância — faça suas seleções"],"No, contact support":["Não, entrar em contato com o suporte"],"Proton account":["Conta Proton"],"Proton Bridge":["Proton Bridge"],"Proton Calendar":["Proton Calendar"],"Proton Drive":["Proton Drive"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Proton Mail":["Proton Mail"],"Proton Pass":["Proton Pass"],"Proton VPN":["Proton VPN"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Agradecemos pelo feedback"],"Troubleshooting":["Solução de problemas"],"What can we help with ?":["Como podemos ajudar você?"],"Yes":["Sim"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Consulta de pesquisa"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Pesquisar"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Estou procurando"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Para uma resolução mais rápida, informe o problema no aplicativo Bridge: Ajuda > Comunicar um problema."],"Information":["Informações"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Segurança da conta"],"Contacts":["Contatos"],"Custom email domain":["Domínio de e-mail personalizado"],"Email delivery and Spam":["Entrega de e-mail e spam"],"Encryption":["Criptografia"],"Login and password":["Início de sessão e senha"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Combinar alias e contas"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migrar para a Proton"],"Notifications":["Notificações"],"Other":["Outros"],"Plans and billing":["Planos e faturamento"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Criar conta"],"Storage":["Armazenamento"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Usuários, endereços e identidades"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Selecione um tópico"]},"swiss_baseed_feature":{"Swiss based":["Sediado na Suíça"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Prêmios"],"Customers":["Clientes"],"Featured":["Em destaque"],"Go to testimonial source":["Ir para a página inicial de depoimentos"],"Reviews":["Avaliações"],"Videos":["Vídeos"]},"Text":{"Find the plan that's right for you":["Encontre o plano certo para você"],"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Se precisar de ajuda, confira nossa ${ supportLink }."],"The page you’re looking for might have been removed, or it could be an\nold link.":["É possível que a página que você está procurando tenha sido removida ou seja um\nlink antigo."]},"Title":{"On this page":["Nesta página"],"Related articles":["Artigos relacionados"],"Share ${ thisPage }":["Compartilhar ${ thisPage }"],"Thank you!":["Obrigado!"],"this page":["esta página"]},"Tooltip":{"More information":["Mais informações"]},"tooltip_calendar":{"Create up to 20 custom & shareable encrypted calendars. On top of that, add up to 5 calendars from friends, family, colleagues, and organizations.":["Crie até 20 calendários compartilháveis personalizados e criptografados. Além disso, é possível adicional até 5 calendários de amigos, família, colegas e organizações."]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade. Inclui mais de ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } servidores em mais de +${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } países, VPN com a mais alta velocidade, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } conexões VPN, serviços de streaming no mundo todo, malware e bloqueador de anúncios e muito mais."],"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, 10 VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade. Inclui mais de ${ TOTAL_SERVERS } servidores em mais de +${ TOTAL_COUNTRIES } países, VPN com a mais alta velocidade, 10 conexões VPN, serviços de streaming no mundo todo, malware e bloqueador de anúncios e muito mais."]},"version_history_label":{"Version history":["Histórico de versões"]},"version_history_tooltip":{"Store up to ${ versionHistoryNumber } versions of each file for up to ${ years } years":["Armazene até ${ versionHistoryNumber } versões de cada arquivo por até ${ years } anos"]},"vpn_features_link":{"View VPN plans":["Visualizar planos de VPN"]},"vpn_features_useCase":{"Access blocked content and browse privately":["Acesse conteúdo bloqueado e navegue com privacidade"]}}},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
// We need to import data (the framework context) from the server
// This Astro feature with define:vars works well but creates an inline script
// So we can't directly import the initFramework helper, we have to store the context
window.frameworkContext = frameworkContext;
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The worst privacy washing of 2023 and trends to expect in 2024 | Proton
The biggest new threat to privacy in 2023 wasn’t any surveillance program. It was the false advertising Big Tech companies use to trick people into thinking their products are private.
Like oil companies claiming fossil fuels are “green”, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and others increasingly try to convince people their surveillance-based advertising models are “private” when they’re not. This sneaky marketing practice is known as privacy washing(new window).
We expect this trend to increase in the coming years, and it’s important for everyone to understand the reality that surveillance capitalism is incompatible with privacy.
Three factors are pushing privacy washing to new extremes:
The increasing consumer demand for online privacy
Stronger privacy regulations around the world
Pressure on ad revenue because of ad blockers and other privacy-protecting technologies
These are headaches for Big Tech, and they’re not going away. Their only response so far is to offer the illusion of privacy while continuing to profit off your personal information.
Because being alert to these strategies is one of the best ways to protect yourself from new forms of data collection and manipulation, we devoted multiple articles last year to exposing privacy washing. Let’s look at some of the biggest privacy-washing stories of 2023. Then we’ll consider some new trends we might see in 2024.
Privacy washing year in review
2023 was the year of privacy washing. We worked to expose some of the most egregious examples.
Google branded a tracking tool as ‘enhanced ad privacy’
Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, and the company uses it to monitor what you do online. Last year, Chrome rolled out a feature(new window) that claimed to offer more privacy. Instead, the feature just gives Google exclusive rights to collect your data. By branding this as a privacy feature, the company is trying to redefine privacy as “no one can track your data — except us”.
Then Google brought the same ‘feature’ to Android
Just like the Chrome ‘ad privacy’ feature, the Android version(new window) blocks other apps from collecting your data while giving Google a surveillance monopoly. And once again, Google used dark patterns to force people to accept the change, turning the feature on by default with only a notification and a “Got it” button.
Apple’s iCloud isn’t as private as you think
Apple has a stronger reputation for privacy than Google, but that doesn’t mean Apple can’t see your personal information. Contrary to what you might think, Apple can see your photos, emails, calendar events, contacts, voice notes, messages, and many other categories of data by default. So much for “privacy, that’s iPhone(new window)”.
Facebook’s new Threads app is a privacy nightmare
Meta introduced a new Twitter-like app called Threads last summer, but anyone who signed up became subject to a surprisingly broad data collection regime(new window). Threads wasn’t even initially available in the European Union over concerns about regulatory compliance.
Google Chrome’s “fake” Incognito Mode led to a $5 billion lawsuit
In what is essentially a lawsuit contesting one of the original versions of privacy washing, plaintiffs say Google’s marketing of Chrome’s “Incognito Mode” amounts to wiretapping and a breach of contract, among other allegations. While assuring you can “browse privately”, the company in fact continued to monitor people’s browsing, the lawsuit claims(new window).
Google’s lobbyists reveal the company’s true values
In its marketing to you, Google says it values your privacy. But when talking to policymakers, Google’s lobbyists are pushing in the opposite direction, successfully arguing that more privacy would be an economic disaster. We found multiple examples of Google’s anti-privacy lobbying(new window).
IP Protection protects nobody
Taking another page from Orwell, Google marketed its new IP Protection feature as enhancing your privacy. Instead, once again, it just blocks other companies from tracking you while Google continues to spy on everything you do online. IP Protection offers zero privacy benefits, especially compared with a no-logs VPN(new window).
Privacy washing trends to watch in 2024
We’re already starting to see hints that we’ll be inundated with privacy washing again in 2024. Google and the other Big Tech players will continue introducing “privacy features”. But other companies will also try to muddy the waters to obscure their own exploitation of personal data, including automakers, internet service providers, and insurance companies.
Here are some of our predictions for this year.
New forms of data capture
The demand for data is only increasing because companies are building machine learning tools that require it. As companies move more of your communications behind encryption, they will race to develop new ways to track you, such as mining your conversations with AI chatbots or scanning your documents and photos(new window).
State-level privacy laws in the US will let Big Tech off the hook
Big Tech companies have invested tens of millions of dollars trying to push weak privacy laws through statehouses in the US. For them, this is preferable to a strong federal law comparable to the EU’s GDPR. We explained how surveillance tech companies are pushing to pre-empt democratic policymaking in our article about Google lobbying(new window), and the strategy seems to be working.
Your car will start privacy washing, too
Vehicles are trackers with wheels(new window). They have cameras, microphones, GPS, and other sensors — and there is very little privacy oversight. Many car manufacturers collect far more data than they could possibly need. For example, Kia’s privacy policy(new window) states the company collects information about your “sex life or sexual orientation”. As more people become aware of the ways their cars are spying on them, auto manufacturers will join Big Tech in the privacy washing game. Car insurance companies may also increase their use of privacy washing to hedge against privacy concerns. For example, Liberty Mutual(new window) tracks and shares your “predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes” with third parties.
‘Privacy control’ overload
Companies will roll out more and more privacy settings and push these options to you on all your apps and devices, asking you how you would like your data to be used. European regulators are already concerned(new window) about the way tech companies use dark patterns to bypass valid consent, and Google’s privacy settings are so confusing even employees couldn’t understand them(new window). By bombarding you with an avalanche of confusing “privacy choices”, tech companies are hoping you’ll simply agree to surveillance rather than invest time figuring it out.
People want real privacy
Privacy washing is a shameful form of false advertising that takes advantage of people. But the fact that companies are doing it is an indication that attitudes regarding privacy are changing. People are sick of sharing their private lives with corporations just to use the internet.
At Proton, we crossed a major milestone back in April when our community grew to over 100 million accounts. This is another indication that people are ready to give up the surveillance-based business model that has dominated the internet for almost 20 years.
Our revenue comes from community support, not advertising. And our apps, including Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, and Proton Drive, collect as little data as possible. Only you can see your emails, events, photos, notes, and other data. (The privacy disclosures in iOS speak for themselves.)
Stay tuned in 2024 for more articles exposing the worst privacy washing offenders. And consider switching to privacy-first tech to join our fight for a better internet.
If you’re a United States citizen or permanent resident, you have a Social
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linked to everything from your tax records to your credit cards. Theft is a
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Compromised passwords are a common issue and probably one of the biggest
cybersecurity threats for regular people. How do passwords get compromised, and
is there anything you can do to prevent it?
* What does compromised password mean?
* How do pa
WeTransfer is a popular service used by millions worldwide to send large files.
You may have wondered if it’s safe or whether you should use it to share
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Dictionary attacks are a common method hackers use to try to crack passwords and
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While these attacks may be effective against people with poor account security,
it’s extremely easy to protect yourself against them by usi
Data breaches are increasingly common. Whenever you sign up for an online
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such as email addresses, passwords, phone numbers, and more. Unfortunately, many
online services f
Secure, seamless communication is the foundation of every business. As more
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