Insights from the Hard Fork episode “She’s Fought Online Spying for 30 Years. Here’s What’s Next.”, published June 17, 2026.
In "She’s Fought Online Spying for 30 Years. Here’s What’s Next." (Hard Fork, June 2026), cindy Cohn, former EFF executive director, argues that digital surveillance is not an inevitable byproduct of technology but a choice. She warns that mass surveillance tools are increasingly weaponized against ordinary people…
In "She’s Fought Online Spying for 30 Years. Here’s What’s Next.", Privacy nihilism acts as a barrier to activism by suggesting that the fight for data sovereignty is already lost. Cohn argues this is a dangerous misconception; since data loses value over time and surveillance remains an active choice, every…
In "She’s Fought Online Spying for 30 Years. Here’s What’s Next.", This model has turned the tech giants into adversaries of privacy. Because their profit margins depend on tracking every movement of the user, they have lost their previous incentive to stand with the user against government surveillance.
In "She’s Fought Online Spying for 30 Years. Here’s What’s Next.", Cohn reframes freedom of speech to include the 'freedom to leave.' She argues that being forced to participate in platforms that don't respect privacy or permit abuse is fundamentally inconsistent with the spirit of free speech.
Cindy Cohn, former EFF executive director, argues that digital surveillance is not an inevitable byproduct of technology but a choice. She warns that mass surveillance tools are increasingly weaponized against ordinary people, making advocacy more critical than ever.
Topics: Privacy, Digital Rights, Surveillance, Big Tech, Civil Liberties
