LibraryJan 13, 20262 min readAndrew Steven Pierce

My Privacy Principles (A Short Manifesto)

A short manifesto for sustainable, practical privacy.

Philosophy & AdvocacyOperational Privacy

I'm not interested in privacy theater.

I'm interested in privacy that works:

  • privacy you can keep during busy weeks
  • privacy that supports your goals
  • privacy that doesn't require becoming a security expert

Here are the principles I use to make privacy sustainable.

Principle 1: Reduce exposure before it becomes a crisis

Cleanup is always more expensive than prevention.
I prefer systems that reduce exposure continuously, so you don't need a panic sprint later.

Principle 2: Protect people, not just data

Privacy is about safety and dignity. Data is just the mechanism.

If a policy protects data but harms the person, it's not privacy.

Principle 3: Choose lawful, sustainable habits

If a tactic only works in a panic or in a gray area, it won't hold up.

Privacy should be legal, ethical, and maintainable.

Principle 4: Minimize what you publish

You can't un-share what you never post.

A smaller public footprint is simpler, safer, and more resilient.

Principle 5: Keep the system simple

Complex privacy systems fail under stress.

I prefer a small set of controls with high leverage.

What this means in practice

My default posture looks like:

  • one public identity + one private identity
  • fewer permanent identifiers in public contexts
  • quarterly cleanup of obvious exposures
  • clear boundaries between personal and business life
  • official channels that make impersonation harder

Privacy that works is boring.

And that's the point.

Educational only; not legal advice.