Privacy is a fundamental human right, woven into national constitutions and protected by laws that upheld liberty, dignity, and autonomy. Rooted in the physical, analog world, It forms the foundation of a free society—one where individuals can live, think, and express themselves without fear.

However, as we transition into the digital age, these foundations are rapidly eroding.

The rise of data-driven economies and algorithmic systems—controlled by powerful entities driven by profit and influence—erodes individual agency, control, and self-determination. At the same time, it imposes new epistemic frameworks, reshaping how we engage in democratic processes, participate in markets, construct our identities, and connect with one another.

“The rapid spread of information online, out of context and against our privacy expectations, has too often eroded our communities, driven out our cultural heritage, and created a global monoculture.” Tang & Weyl, 2024

Reclaiming Human Agency in an Algorithmic World

In today’s world, technology stands at the apex of epistemics, transforming nearly every aspect of our lives into an object of technological knowledge and control. This unchecked visibility into human thought and behavior enables unprecedented levels of surveillance and manipulation.

Screens have become the dominant lens through which we understand ourselves and the world around us, offering colorful and catching alternate realities or simulations, reshaping perceptions and influencing decisions on an unprecedented scale.

“We celebrated the new digital services as free, but now we see that the surveillance capitalists behind those services regard us as the free commodity. We thought that we search Google, but now we understand that Google searches us.
- Shoshana Zuboff, 2019

Redefining Privacy Beyond Data

Data protection has failed.

We have lost control over our personal information, largely because we willingly trade it for convenience. We use services designed to profit from our data, unaware of the cost. Yet, when we attempt to reclaim our privacy through anonymity tools, we are treated not as individuals protecting a right, but as criminals hiding a crime.
- Alexis Roussell

To reclaim privacy, we must redefine it—not as mere data ownership or protection, but as the foundation of true autonomy. Privacy is not just freedom from control; it is the power to shape our own meaning, free from imposed narratives.

When did we grant corporations and institutions the authority to know us, label us, and shape our identities and political decisions with more power than we ourselves possess? - Meredith Whittaker

Caring for Freedom: Defining What Truly Matters

If we see freedom only in opposition—only as resistance—we remain trapped in a reactive cycle, forever fighting against what we fear rather than building what we believe in.

We cannot defeat manipulation and control without first defining what we stand for.

Without a clear vision of the good, "evil" becomes nothing more than a shifting excuse, dictated by convenience and impulse—leaving us vulnerable to manipiulate.
- Timothy Snyder

The most effective way to challenge the epistemic authority of entities that claim the right to define us, they way we connect, co-create meaning, and express our political beliefs, next to developing better policies, is to opt out. We must turn to existing solutions that reflect our values and drive the change we all deserve.

The Impact of Care Surpasses the Power of Cypher

The past 30 years of relentless effort and innovation should have made one thing clear: innovation and hacktivism alone won’t change the world.

Cypherpunks can build the tools, but to change the world, those tools must be used. Reaching the masses requires designers, marketers, writers, journalists, artists, and social scientists. Their work must be protected and legitimized—this is where lawyers, policymakers, politicians, and NGOs come in, shaping the legal and regulatory landscape. And to give their movement depth and staying power, they need the intellectual foundations provided by academics, philosophers, and sociologists.

Real change isn’t just about code—it’s about culture, law, and society. True impact comes from care and collaboration.

From Cypherpunk to Carepunk: lets unite-only together are we strong.

Efforts to restrain Surveillance Capitalism are scattered among communities, professions and perspectives.

We have fantastic scholars, researchers, advocates who are focused on privacy, others who are focused on disinformation, others who are focused on the nexus with democracy - Shosana Zuboff

Divisiveness runs deep in our society. Leaders thrive on fear-mongering and divide-and-conquer tactics, while our tech-driven world offers fewer chances for genuine human connection. As facilitators, leaders, and conveners, we play a crucial role in creating spaces for solidarity and meaningful relationships.

This matters because the solution to [surveillance capitalism / centralization / corruption / injustice…] isn’t a one-size-fits-all killer app—it’s a diverse ecosystem of perspectives, skills, and actions working together.

Let’s Forge and Empower Relationships of care

To address the challenges of our time, we must unite and harness our collective force. This can only be achieved by fostering understanding and solidarity, building bridges, and creating shared vocabularies.

Not everyone writes code or has the time to navigate the complexities of self-sovereign technologies. But many share the ideals behind them—and would join the cause if given the opportunity.

Let’s make cypherpunk ethos impactful. Let’s reframe it through positive narratives and practical solutions that resonate with the broader public so to drive social and political change. Together.

People act on what they understand and value. Let’s meet them there.

By making privacy accessible and relevant, we can unite voices from all walks of life—not just tech—expanding the movement’s reach and impact.

This is why we must move beyond cypherpunk and embrace a broader framework: carepunk. By welcoming diverse perspectives, skills, and communities, we can advance freedom in this digital era.

A definition of Carepunk: the New Comprehensive Resistance

CAREPUNK fuses these forces into a ethos that resists systems reducing human agency to a commodity.

It champions autonomy, mutual aid, and defiance against exploitation; demanding a redistribution of power and responsibility throught a pro-positive and practical action.

Carepunk is about a radical and practical reimagining of society—one where autonomy, solidarity, and community take precedence over exploitation and neglect. This transformation begins with the individual, extending to family, community, and society. It starts with you: staying true to your principles, values, and caring for them.

Conclusion: The Journey Ahead

To safeguard the fundamental principles that have historically protected our rights, it is imperative for individuals to actively engage and collaborate in finding more effective ways to advocate for freedom in the contemporary digital landscape.

The challenge of our time is to balance between leveraging the immense potential of technology but ensuring that this does not come at the expense of privacy, autonomy, and justice.

Technology is the most powerful force transforming our world…and remains our single greatest lever to shape our collective future… Reality is defined not just by who we are, but how we connect. — Tang & Weyl, Plurality book, 2024

The fight for privacy is the fight for autonomy, dignity, and the preservation of what it means to be human in the digital age.

Welcome to the conversation. The future depends on it.

-PG