Let’s cut the crap. You’re being tracked. Not maybe. Not sometimes. Every damn second. From the moment you unlock your phone, to scrolling through socials, to just walking down the street with your GPS on. Big tech knows where you are, who you talk to, what you buy, even what you’re thinking about based on your clicks.
And here’s the kicker: they don’t need to hack your phone. You hand over that data willingly. Every app permission you accept, every “I agree” you mindlessly click, every “free” service you use is a brick in the prison they build around your life.
This isn’t conspiracy theory. It’s just business as usual.
Why Does It Matter?
Because data is power. The more they know, the more they control. Ads aren’t just ads anymore. They’re psychological nudges engineered to manipulate your behavior. Your choices, your beliefs, your wallet and they all get targeted with ruthless precision.
You liked a post. They mapped your political lean.
You clicked a shirt. They profiled your gender, income, and stress level.
You paused on a video. They guessed what you’re feeling.
You think you’re just “shopping online” or “liking posts.” Nope. You’re creating a digital profile. One that’s bought, sold, traded, and weaponized. And it’s not just for selling you stuff. It’s about shaping how you think and what you do without you even realizing it.
I Have Nothing to Hide Is Bullshit
Privacy isn’t about hiding crimes. It’s about not being owned.
If they know everything about you, they control what you see. What you fear. What you think matters. That’s not just surveillance, that’s engineering.
The illusion is that you’re in charge.
You’re not.
You’re being handled.
Trying to tweak your settings or switch to “privacy mode” feels like putting a band aid on a broken arm. These companies rely on your convenience, your laziness, and your acceptance that you can’t do anything about it. And you feed that beast every time you don’t read terms of service or blindly install an app.
So, What Can You Do?
Wake the hell up. Stop acting like privacy is optional or outdated. It’s the last line between freedom and manipulation. You don’t need to be perfect. Just deliberate.
- Question every app permission. Browser settings. Who gets your data and why?
- Use tools that don’t spy: Signal. Tor. SimpleX. Linux. GrapheneOS.
- Block the leaks: Stop using your real name, number, and email everywhere.
- Ditch the services that turn your life into a product.
- Don’t just accept defaults, lock your settings down hard.
- Be paranoid enough to survive, practical enough to live.
Final Word
They track you because you let them. No complex hacks, no high tech breaches. Your complacency is their open door.
It’s your data. Your life. Your choice.
Stop feeding the beast. Start taking control.
-GHOST
Written by GHOST, creator of the Untraceable Digital Dissident project.
This is part of the Untraceable Digital Dissident series — tactical privacy for creators and rebels.
Explore more privacy tactics at untraceabledigitaldissident.com.