Introduction: The Illusion of Control

For years, we’ve clung to the comforting idea that we can "manage" our privacy online: tighten app permissions, clear browser histories, switch to incognito, or install VPNs. These actions may make us feel in control—but control is not privacy. In today’s hyperconnected world, true digital privacy has become a mirage, a concept we chase but never quite attain. The truth is unsettling but urgent: digital privacy is a myth, and it’s time we stopped pretending otherwise.

The Age of Surveillance: We Are the Product

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From the moment we wake up and check our phones, we are being watched. Not necessarily by sinister figures in dark rooms, but by algorithms trained to predict and shape our every move. These are built and operated by tech giants—Google, Meta, TikTok, Amazon—whose business model thrives on surveillance capitalism. The more data they gather, the more accurate the ads, and the more profits they rake in.

This isn’t just about personalized ads anymore. This is about knowing your heart rate from your smartwatch, your menstrual cycle from a period tracker, your cravings from food delivery apps, and your deepest thoughts from late-night search queries. As Shoshana Zuboff, author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, put it: "Everything we do is now a behavioral surplus, mined and repackaged to manipulate future behavior."

Data Collection Is Not the Problem—Lack of Consent Is

Many tech companies defend their practices by saying users "agreed" to the terms. But what does consent look like when it’s buried in 60-page terms and conditions no one reads? Is it really consent when opting out means being denied access to a basic service?

Most people aren’t opposed to data collection in itself—it’s the covert, all-consuming nature of it that’s alarming. We can’t turn off the data faucet. Even if you delete an app, your data is still stored. Even if you switch to a privacy-conscious browser, data brokers may still harvest your information from other sources—smart TVs, security cameras, facial recognition in shopping malls.

In Africa, where digital literacy is still catching up with access, the risks are doubled. Millions of users engage with platforms without fully understanding how much of their personal information is exposed, sold, or compromised—often without any clear legal recourse.

From Convenience to Compromise

We have traded privacy for convenience. Voice assistants, cloud storage, smart homes—all make life easier, but at what cost? Every time you tell Alexa to turn off the lights, it’s listening. Every time you use Google Maps, your location is logged. Convenience is no longer a neutral feature—it’s a trap.

This dependency becomes more dangerous when governments get involved. In countries with fragile democracies or authoritarian leanings, mass surveillance tools are being deployed under the guise of national security or digital transformation. For example, some African governments have introduced biometric IDs and mandatory SIM card registration—moves that, while promising efficiency, also hand the state unchecked access to private information.

The Rise of the Data Economy—and Its Victims

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Data has become the new oil. But unlike oil, we generate it involuntarily and continuously. This data is bought, sold, and traded on shadowy marketplaces. Some of it is scraped by AI models like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini. Some is leaked in massive data breaches. Others are exploited for disinformation campaigns, election manipulation, or targeted hate.

Take the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which showed how data from millions of Facebook profiles was used to influence voter behavior in the US and Africa. Or more recently, how TikTok has faced scrutiny for potentially handing user data to Chinese authorities. In such a world, the myth of digital privacy isn’t just naïve—it’s dangerous.

Africa's Digital Future: Open or Owned?

As Africa’s digital economy booms, there’s a huge push for innovation—mobile banking, fintech, e-governance, health tech. But without robust data laws, this growth becomes a gateway for exploitation. In 2021, Kenya’s Huduma Namba digital ID project was paused after serious concerns about data protection and exclusion. Nigeria’s NIN (National Identification Number) also raised alarms over its centralized database and possible misuse.

Despite these concerns, very few African countries have strong data protection frameworks or independent oversight bodies. And when such laws do exist, they are poorly enforced or easily circumvented. The result? Citizens are exposed, tracked, and commodified—without knowledge or defense.

Why “I Have Nothing to Hide” Is a Dangerous Mindset

One of the most common retorts against digital privacy is: "I’m not doing anything wrong, so why should I care?" But this argument misses the point. Privacy is not about hiding wrongdoing—it’s about maintaining dignity, agency, and autonomy.

If your health records, private chats, or financial details were leaked tomorrow, would you still feel the same? Privacy is a human right. When we trivialize it, we normalize surveillance. And when surveillance becomes normal, oppression becomes easier.

This is especially critical for journalists, activists, and marginalized communities in Africa who rely on encrypted platforms to organize, speak out, and seek justice. Without privacy, free expression becomes a liability.

Digital Illusions: The False Promise of Privacy Tools

While there’s a growing movement for privacy-focused tools—Signal, DuckDuckGo, ProtonMail—their impact is limited. Big Tech still dominates the ecosystem. Most people still use WhatsApp, Google, Instagram, and YouTube. And most of these tools don’t protect you from system-wide surveillance, third-party trackers, or backend data collection.

Even when users make an effort to protect themselves—using VPNs, turning off cookies, blocking ads—the game is rigged. A single slip, click, or download can reset all your efforts. The myth lives on not because we believe it, but because the alternative is too overwhelming.

A Call for Digital Honesty—and Action

If we are to have any real conversation about digital futures, we must start with honesty. Let’s stop pretending we’re in control. Let’s admit the system is broken by design. Then, and only then, can we begin to push for real change.

That change looks like:

• Tougher privacy laws, with enforcement mechanisms.

• Education campaigns to raise digital literacy, especially in the Global South.

• Open-source platforms and alternative technologies driven by the public, not profit.

• Civic coalitions to demand transparency from tech companies and governments alike.

Until then, let’s stop saying, “At least I’m not being watched.” You are. We all are.

Conclusion: The Price of Pretending

The sooner we realise digital privacy is no longer a default, the sooner we can fight to reclaim it—not just as users, but as citizens. The cost of pretending is too high. In a world where surveillance is the default setting, awareness is resistance, and refusal is power.

Let us stop pretending. Let us start acting.