Signal CEO: Privacy is a fundamental human right

Cybernews reports that Signal CEO Meredith Whittaker has issued a forceful critique of the tech industrys pervasive data collection practices, arguing that privacy is a fundamental human right, not a luxury or a concern only for those with "something to hide."

In an interview, Whittaker challenged the common dismissal of privacy concerns by posing a thought experiment about the exposure of every private message and online interaction, questioning what individuals would do to prevent such information from being shared with loved ones. She contends that the industry's business model, fueled by ad revenue and "know-your-customer" policies, incentivizes the maximal harvesting of personal data, which is then monetized through sales to brokers or used to train AI.

This environment, she warns, makes shared personal details dangerous as they can be exploited for authentication attacks or identity theft. In stark contrast, Signal operates as a non-profit focused on collecting "as close to no data as possible," often rebuilding core technology to avoid surveillance-based methods.