What's the biggest privacy threat that most people don't know about?

What's the biggest myth or wrong impression that people have about data privacy?

If you could only use ONE privacy tool to protect your data, which one would you choose and why?

What made you realize it was time to start taking your digital privacy seriously?

It's officially Data Privacy Week! We want YOUR help teaching people why and how to protect their privacy...and there's a potential FREE YEAR of StartMail in it for you. We'll be asking digital privacy questions all week, and gifting subscriptions to the best responses 👍

Hundreds of satisfied customers across the globe can't ALL be wrong, can they? True privacy makes a difference, especially when it's coupled with industry-leading features and real life human support!

Researchers have discovered another version of a data pilfering attack that allows them to extract private user information from ChatGPT, even after OpenAI introduced safeguards: https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/01/chatgpt-falls-to-new-data-pilfering-attack-as-a-vicious-cycle-in-ai-continues/

Windows 11 lags behind older versions in a variety of speed tests, contradicting Microsoft's claims that it's the fastest and most secure version of the OS: https://www.techspot.com/news/110817-windows-11-performs-worse-than-older-windows-versions.html

How do you know when someone ACTUALLY cares about your privacy? They don't collect more information than is absolutely necessary. We may need to know your country for tax purposes, but we don't need your address. We have to collect payment info, but your bank doesn't need to know your email address.

Instagram says that it's fixed a bug that left the site vulnerable to attackers, but denies reports of a data breach that allegedly left 17 million accounts exposed: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/instagram-denies-breach-amid-claims-of-17-million-account-data-leak/

Several AI industry insiders have launched a project called "Poison Fountain" that allows website operators to add links to their sites that sabotage AI crawlers: https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/11/industry_insiders_seek_to_poison/

Disney has agreed to pay a $10 million penalty to resolve allegations that they've violated children's privacy by covertly collecting their data, according the Justice Department: https://www.reuters.com/world/disney-agrees-10-mln-penalty-injunction-alleged-violations-childrens-privacy-2025-12-30/

Some of you already know this, but it's worth repeating for those who don't: there is no such thing as a free email address. If you're not paying for it with money, then you're paying for it with your personal and private data. And who's buying it? There's not many restrictions.

Despite predictions that AI would allow them to work faster, a new study shows that utilizing AI tools made experienced devs perform tasks 20% slower on average: https://fortune.com/article/does-ai-increase-workplace-productivity-experiment-software-developers-task-took-longer/

Australia has begun enforcement of a new rule that requires search engines to conduct ID checks to verify the ages of their users: https://reclaimthenet.org/australia-enforces-age-id-checks-for-search-engine-users

One shocking crime has helped illuminate how OpenAI attempted to selectively hide user data after ChatGPT began enabling and fueling their mental illness: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/openai-refuses-to-say-where-chatgpt-logs-go-when-users-die/

Having an encrypted inbox is great...but if your recipients don't use encryption, then your data could still be at risk. Luckily, StartMail users can create password protected messages that keep your info private even if your recipients use spymail. Plus they can send your encrypted replies!

A pioneer of AI has now issued a warning that, because bots are showing signs of self-preservation, humans need to be ready to pull the plug: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/dec/30/ai-pull-plug-pioneer-technology-rights

AI Data Centers are forcing dirty "peaker" power plants back into service, poisoning surrounding communities and raising questions of the technology's viability: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ai-data-centers-are-forcing-obsolete-peaker-power-plants-back-into-service-2025-12-23/

We get the same question from so many GMail users: "why would I go through the trouble of switching away from an email that's already free and convenient?" Thing is, no email is free. And we have SO many former GMail users who wish they had made the switch sooner...so why not give us a try?

Thanks to the EU's Digital Markets Act, the upcoming version of iOS 26.3 will allow non-Apple accessories to pair and sync as easily as Apple's own accessories. https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/22/ios-26-3-dma-airpods-pairing/

This photo essay documents the surveillance systems that governments around the world are using to violate the rights and privacy of their citizens...along with its victims: https://apnews.com/photo-essay/chinese-surveillance-silicon-valley-tech-photo-essay-2da6d9ae5c29d973955e761fa42f7798#

When it comes to online surveillance, you've got more to worry about than Big Tech. Spy agencies have back doors built into some of the biggest data repositories in the world, and they also buy information from data brokers to circumvent warrants. Never let them collect that data to begin with...

The State of California has launched a state-run portal where residents will be able to submit their information and have it removed from data brokers' databases. It's the first program of its kind in the world: https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/

Mark Zuckerberg and others agreed to pay out an $8 billion lawsuit settlement over the Cambridge Analytica scandal, just days before they were set to testify: https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20250717-zuckerberg-settles-8-billion-lawsuit-over-cambridge-analytica-scandal-avoids-testifying

A new study by Kapwing shows that over 20% of videos shown to new YouTube accounts are AI generated, despite the company's stated goal to crack down on AI generated content: https://www.techspot.com/news/110735-over-21-youtube-now-ai-slop-report.html

Tech giants, advertisers, and data brokers use your email address to track your activity across the Internet. That's why having features like email aliases are so important for your privacy. And there's only one private email provider who offers unlimited aliases to ALL of their users...

This tool allows bad actors to track Signal and WhatsApp messages without a user's knowledge by weaponizing delivery receipts: https://cyberinsider.com/tool-allows-stealthy-tracking-of-signal-and-whatsapp-users-through-delivery-receipts/

Surveillance company Flock left at least 60 of their AI powered cameras exposed to the open internet, letting anyone watch or download footage without a login or password: https://www.404media.co/flock-exposed-its-ai-powered-cameras-to-the-internet-we-tracked-ourselves/

2025 saw a ton bad behavior by tech giants locking users into restrictive ecosystems, sabotaging their products, invading users' privacy, and forcing so-called AI into everything. In the new year, it's time for users to choose privacy and freedom, two values we've stood for from the very beginning.

Despite warnings of an AI bubble, a survey of CEOs from hundreds of publicly traded companies indicate that they still intend to bet big on AI despite no clear path to profitability: https://www.techspot.com/news/110653-most-ceos-ready-spend-even-more-ai-2026.html

A right-to-repair nonprofit is paying hackers to disable firmware and unlock devices that companies have abandoned: https://www.techspot.com/news/110590-nonprofit-paying-hackers-unlock-devices-companies-have-abandoned.html

Browser extensions, which already have 8 million downloads, are harvesting users’ complete and extended AI conversations and selling them for marketing purposes: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/12/browser-extensions-with-8-million-users-collect-extended-ai-conversations/

After exposing his boss and fleeing to the US, this Chinese whistleblower is still looking over his shoulder as Beijing uses American tech to try and track his every move: https://apnews.com/article/whistleblower-china-surveillance-tech-silicon-valley-adbd0bcfbb0892bfcb85948acb3f515f

It's easy to send and receive email without knowing much about all the technology and steps at work behind the scenes. That's no accident! It's part of how tech giants trick you into thinking that your "free" email is secure...but don't be fooled!

AI labs like Meta, Deepseek, xAI, and others have received troubling scores on multiple safety indexes from the Future of Life Institute...with no single company scoring an overall grade above a C+: https://futureoflife.org/ai-safety-index-winter-2025/

Whether it's Santa Claus or Big Tech, we know that you don't want ANYONE watching you 24/7. Here's to keep your Holiday plans and everything else away from invasive eyes, and enjoying time with your loved ones in peace and privacy! 🎄 🤐

How much is your average citizen ACTUALLY being surveilled? Who's doing the spying and how? How can you lessen your data footprint? This expert has important answers to these questions and more: https://www.vice.com/en/article/we-asked-an-expert-how-are-regular-people-being-spied-on/

Hackers used poisoned AI chats to funnel traffic from Google to fake search results that installed the AMOS Infostealer malware on their machines: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/google-ads-funnel-mac-users-to-poisoned-ai-chats-that-spread-the-amos-infostealer

The U.S. has indicated that it will start requiring tourists to disclose their social media history, email address history, and personal data from their family: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/travel/social-media-tourists-visa-border-patrol.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7k8.Vy6b.NGMmIT44Xeiq

We get it...paid, private email might sound odd to someone who's used to a "free" service like GMail. But there's a reason why SO many customers and reviewers keep recommending us. We give you more of what you need, and nothing that you don't. So why not give us a try?

Millions of older adults are either disabling or refusing to use health monitoring devices because of privacy concerns: https://spectrum.ieee.org/privacy-health-tech-seniors

A new mobile phone provider lets users sign up without giving their name, address, or any other personal information...all that's needed is a ZIP code: https://www.androidauthority.com/privacy-focused-mvno-phreeli-zip-code-3622387/

Multiple studies suggest that AI chatbots are influencing the way that real people speak...making it harder and harder to distinguish bots from people: https://gizmodo.com/chatbot-dialect-2000696509

A new leak has exposed the inner workings of "mercenary spyware company" Intellexa, the makers of spyware that has fueled "documented human rights harms" around the world: https://securitylab.amnesty.org/latest/2025/12/intellexa-leaks-predator-spyware-operations-exposed/

Now that more users want privacy in their technology, how can you differentiate who's truly serious about protecting your data. Our founder and CEO lays out two key things to look for, and they've been part of StartMail from the very beginning...

As AI fuels layoffs, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that people will "have to work through societal disruption." https://fortune.com/2025/12/02/ai-wipes-jobs-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-everyday-people-to-adapt-accordingly-we-have-to-work-through-societal-disruption/

Private email isn't just good for minimizing your data footprint. Most online shopping sites ask for your email and offer discounts to "first time" customers. So if you have unlimited aliases that let you enter a "new" email for every purchase...you can get discounts all year long!

Over 120,000 home cameras have been hacked in South Korea to obtain 'sexploitation' footage for an overseas website: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj01q6p7ndlo

A long-running operation known as "ShadyPanda" has amassed over 4.3 million installations of seemingly legitimate Chrome and Edge browser extensions that evolved into malware: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/shadypanda-browser-extensions-amass-43m-installs-in-malicious-campaign/