This one surprises people.
I’ll say something like,
“Your computer looks solid. Nothing malicious. You’re actually pretty secure.”
And the response is often:
“Then why does it feel like everything knows so much about me?”
That’s the moment where security and privacy quietly split apart.
A Very Common Real-World Setup
This describes a lot of people:
- Your laptop is encrypted
- You use strong passwords
- You have two-factor turned on
- Your software is up to date
From a security standpoint?
That’s excellent.
But at the same time:
- You’re logged into Google or Apple all day
- Your phone tracks location by default
- Your browser remembers searches and visits
- Apps ask for (and keep) more permissions than they need
Nothing is “wrong.”
Nothing is broken.
You’re secure — but not especially private.
Security Stops Break-Ins. Privacy Controls Visibility.
Security answers this question:
“Can someone access my stuff without permission?”
Privacy answers a different one:
“Who can see, collect, or learn from my activity?”
Those two don’t automatically move together.
A locked house can still have:
- open curtains
- security cameras pointing inward
- delivery records, visitors logs, and utility usage tracked
Digital life works the same way.
Why This Feels Creepy (Even When It’s Normal)
Most people don’t feel uneasy because of hackers.
They feel uneasy because:
- ads feel too accurate
- devices “know” where they’ve been
- services remember things they forgot they shared
That’s not usually a security failure.
It’s data doing what data is designed to do.
Understanding that difference helps dial down the anxiety.
The Myth That Causes the Most Confusion
I hear this one constantly:
“But my device is secure.”
Yes — and that’s great.
But security doesn’t mean:
- no tracking
- no data collection
- no profiling
It just means the system is protected from unauthorized access.
Authorized access (by companies you signed into) is a privacy issue — not a security one.
What Actually Improves Privacy (Without Breaking Everything)
You don’t need extreme measures.
Small, reasonable steps go a long way:
- review app permissions once in a while
- limit location access to “only while using”
- use a privacy-respecting browser or search engine if you want
- understand what you’re trading for convenience
The goal isn’t zero data.
It’s intentional data.
The Big Takeaway
If this post had one sentence, it would be this:
👉 Being secure keeps you safe.
Being private gives you control.
You can — and should — aim for both, but they’re not the same thing.
What’s Coming Next
Next up in the series:
Why anonymity is often misunderstood — and when it actually makes sense
Spoiler: most people don’t need it, and that’s okay.