Privacy Concerns for 2026: What I Think About the Future

I recently encountered a discussion online expressing apprehension about the future of online privacy as we approach 2026. The concerns revolved around upcoming legislation and the general erosion of anonymity in the digital sphere. This got me thinking deeply about the challenges ahead and what we can do to safeguard our privacy. It's a topic that's central to everything we do at AdBlock for Mobile, and I want to share my perspective.

Let's delve into some of the key concerns and practical steps we can take to mitigate the risks.

The Growing Threat to Online Privacy

It's no secret that our online activities are increasingly tracked and monitored. From targeted advertising to government surveillance, the digital landscape is becoming less and less private. Several factors contribute to this trend:

Data Collection: Companies are collecting vast amounts of data about our browsing habits, location, and personal information. This data is often used for targeted advertising, but it can also be shared with third parties or used for other purposes without our explicit consent.
Legislation: New laws and regulations are being introduced around the world that could further erode our privacy. Some of these laws require companies to collect and store more data, while others give governments greater access to our personal information.
Technological Advancements: New technologies, such as facial recognition and artificial intelligence, are making it easier to track and identify individuals online. These technologies can be used to monitor our movements, analyze our behavior, and even predict our future actions.

One of the specific concerns raised was about a particular piece of legislation set to take effect in 2026. While I won't name the specific bill, the underlying issue highlights a broader trend: the increasing tension between security, convenience, and individual privacy.

Understanding the Different Facets of Privacy

Before we discuss solutions, it's important to understand the different aspects of online privacy:

1. Data Privacy

This refers to the control we have over our personal data. It includes the right to know what data is being collected about us, the right to access that data, and the right to correct or delete inaccurate information. Data privacy also involves protecting our data from unauthorized access or disclosure.

2. Communications Privacy

This concerns the privacy of our communications, including emails, messages, and phone calls. It involves protecting our communications from interception, monitoring, or disclosure to third parties. Encryption plays a crucial role in ensuring communications privacy.

3. Anonymity

Anonymity is the ability to engage in online activities without revealing our identity. While complete anonymity is difficult to achieve, we can take steps to minimize the amount of personal information we share online and to obscure our identity.

4. Location Privacy

This refers to the control we have over our location data. Our mobile devices and online services often track our location, which can be used for targeted advertising or other purposes. Location privacy involves limiting the amount of location data we share and preventing unauthorized tracking.

Practical Steps to Protect Your Privacy in 2026 and Beyond

While the challenges to online privacy are significant, there are many steps we can take to protect ourselves. Here are some practical tips:

1. Use a Privacy-Focused Browser

Choose a browser that prioritizes privacy and security. Some popular options include:

Brave Browser: Brave has built-in ad blocking and tracker blocking features, as well as a private browsing mode that doesn't save your browsing history.
Firefox: Firefox offers a wide range of privacy extensions and settings, allowing you to customize your browsing experience to protect your privacy.
DuckDuckGo Browser: The DuckDuckGo browser automatically blocks trackers and provides a private search engine that doesn't track your searches.

2. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in a different location, masking your IP address and making it more difficult to track your online activities. Choose a reputable VPN provider with a strong privacy policy.

3. Use a DNS-Based Ad Blocker

As you know, we're big fans of DNS-based ad blocking. It works at the network level, blocking ads and trackers before they even reach your device. This can significantly improve your privacy and security, as well as speed up your browsing experience. Services like NextDNS, AdGuard DNS, and Quad9 offer excellent DNS-based ad blocking solutions.

4. Enable Privacy Settings on Your Devices

Most operating systems and mobile devices have built-in privacy settings that allow you to control the amount of data you share. Take the time to review and adjust these settings to maximize your privacy.

iOS: Go to Settings > Privacy and review the settings for Location Services, Contacts, Calendars, Photos, and other apps.
Android: Go to Settings > Privacy and review the settings for Permissions Manager, Autofill service from Google, and other privacy-related options.

5. Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication

Protect your accounts with strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. This will make it much more difficult for hackers to access your personal information.

6. Be Careful About What You Share Online

Think before you post anything online, especially on social media. Once something is online, it can be difficult to remove it completely. Be mindful of the information you share and who can see it.

7. Use End-to-End Encryption for Communications

When communicating with others online, use end-to-end encryption to protect the privacy of your messages. Apps like Signal and WhatsApp offer end-to-end encryption by default.

8. Regularly Review Your App Permissions

Many apps request access to your personal data, such as your location, contacts, and photos. Regularly review the permissions you've granted to apps and revoke access to any apps that don't need it.

9. Use a Private Search Engine

Search engines like Google and Bing track your searches and use that data to personalize your search results and target you with ads. Use a private search engine like DuckDuckGo that doesn't track your searches.

10. Stay Informed About Privacy Issues

Keep up to date on the latest privacy news and developments. This will help you stay informed about the threats to your privacy and the steps you can take to protect yourself.

DNS-Based Ad Blocking: A Deeper Dive

Since we're all about ad blocking here, let's explore DNS-based ad blocking in more detail. As mentioned earlier, it's a system-wide solution that blocks ads and trackers at the network level. Here's how it works:

When you visit a website or use an app, your device sends a DNS query to a DNS server to resolve the domain name (e.g., example.com) to an IP address.
With DNS-based ad blocking, you configure your device to use a DNS server that filters out requests to known ad and tracking domains.
If your device tries to connect to an ad server, the DNS server will block the request, preventing the ad from loading.

Benefits of DNS-Based Ad Blocking:

System-Wide Protection: DNS-based ad blocking works across all apps and browsers on your device.
Improved Performance: By blocking ads and trackers, DNS-based ad blocking can speed up your browsing experience and reduce data usage.
Enhanced Privacy: DNS-based ad blocking can prevent trackers from collecting data about your online activities.
Easy to Set Up: Setting up DNS-based ad blocking is relatively simple, especially on Android and iOS.

Popular DNS-Based Ad Blocking Services:

NextDNS: Offers highly customizable blocklists, detailed analytics, and support for multiple devices.
AdGuard DNS: Provides easy setup, good default blocklists, and fast servers worldwide.
Quad9: Focuses on security and blocks malware domains.
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1: Extremely fast and privacy-focused, with a great app interface (use the Families version for some blocking).

The Importance of Proactive Privacy Measures

The concerns about the future of privacy are valid, and it's crucial to take proactive steps to protect ourselves. Waiting for legislation to catch up or relying on companies to prioritize our privacy is not enough. We need to take control of our own data and implement privacy-enhancing technologies and practices.

While I can't predict the future, I believe that by staying informed, using the right tools, and being mindful of our online activities, we can significantly reduce the risks to our privacy. It requires effort and vigilance, but the rewards are well worth it.

Privacy is not just a luxury; it's a fundamental right. It's essential for freedom of expression, personal autonomy, and a healthy democracy. Let's work together to protect our privacy in 2026 and beyond.

Remember to check out our setup guides for detailed instructions on configuring DNS-based ad blocking on your devices.