The safety and security of the Internet impacts us all. We should be able to understand what is happening to our data, and have the ability to control how it is used.

From the phones in our pockets to the biometric databases that identify us to government officials, our personal stake in digital security is growing. You can have ‘nothing to hide’ and still not want to be targeted by aggressive advertisers or snoopers.

Our Web browsing is tracked and logged, online cameras are ubiquitous in cities, and we are welcoming more Internet connected devices into our homes. We have gained endless daily conveniences and ‘free’ services from these innovations, but the data they generate is crunched, archived and repurposed for marketing and surveillance.

We face risks now that were unimaginable only a decade ago, and many companies and governments are acquiring and using data in ways that do not have people’s best interests at heart. Unfortunately, those we trust to handle our data sometimes fail us.

Better security – and more choice – is the antidote for a decline in trust of online services. We need to push for more lean data practices, meaning that less personal data is shared and logged in the first place.