They’ll start to understand once a few of them have been rounded up for liking the wrong brand of breakfast cereal.

Dox them

Everyone’s being so despondent. Of course it’s possible to convince someone to care about privacy. If they’re your friends, you’ll know them better than we do. What do they value? What do they care about?

In my experience more people care about privacy than you think. But they just think it’s hopeless. They’re constantly being told “There’s no point. Every company already knows everything about you. Give up.”

Bullshit. Even if ad companies have a nice tailored set of data on someone’s interests, behaviours, routines, etc. the moment that person cuts off the supply, that data starts becoming less relevant, less useful and less valuable every day. Once I explained that to a few people I had a bit more luck getting them to install ad blockers and stop posting so much personal info online

Talk to them in a language they’ll understand. If they deal drugs, tell them they’re much less likely to get caught using encrypted messaging apps. If they’re into true crime, point out how many stalkers were able to track their victims down using what they’d posted on social media

I try to go after the biggest improvement. Aka I recommend a different browser when the opportunity arrives. Like when they complain about ads.

You don’t and stop worrying. I told BIL TVs are spying cause let’s be real it isn’t just LG. And he still hooked up his TV to the internet. Probably thinks I’m super paranoid. People just don’t care.

You don’t. They will either come to it themselves, or they will end up in the gulag.

You can’t control or convince others.

What you can do is live your best life and let them know it. Not in an annoying way, but in a real way.

How many conversations do I hear about spam calls or text messages? Everybody hates them and they get in on this commonality thing of yeah we all hate that it sucks. Then I bust out with a, yeah I’m glad I don’t really deal with that anymore… Wait what? I have a solution?

Then I break it down, and I’m very clear my measures are not for the faint of heart. But its a spectrum and there’s some low hanging fruit they can do to dramatically change things from where they are. Do they do it? No. But they now know there is a better way and acknowledge it, then actively choose not to do it.

Does that change anything? Yes and no. No, nothing technically changed. But yes, they understand a little more now. So now they don’t treat you like a crazy person or if you say you’d rather not use WhatsApp or whatever they aren’t so insistent that this is all you being weird.

Stop making it a confrontation is my point. That makes you the bad guy. You’re not, the companies and governments are. Let them see that.

you exploit them and teach them an illegal lesson !

First, don’t expect to change their mind with anything you say.

Second, keep it simple and only provide details if they ask.

Third, make it less about logic and appeal to pathos and ethos more. If they’re Christian, talk about your “God-given right” to privacy. Talk about how you don’t like your fourth amendment rights being stepped on. If they ask about that, then start adding in some actual arguments. “If the governments not allowed to invade my privacy, then who do these corporations think they are?” “The governments not allowed to invade my privacy without a warrant, but they just buy my data from these corporations anyway, it’s basically illegal!”

You can try telling them about all the ways their information is used against them. Collect information about how the current govt is using all sorts of information to target and harrass people, especially immigrants.

You can teach them about surveillance pricing, and how companies are using their personal data to drive up the cost of goods.

Realistically, from experience, you just annoy them, and they dislike you.

To put it plainly, we’re just fucked. We continue absolutely careening towards a surveillance dystopia, and very few people seem to care at all.

Here’s the thing: You don’t. You can’t. There are no magic words to make someone see things your way. You can give them ideas to mull over, but you can’t convince someone who doesn’t want to be convinced. You can be open, express your views and give your reasons to anyone willing to listen, but that is the extent of what you can do. Some people may eventually come to you for advice; welcome them and guide them as you can. Most people may take some bits from you but never start actually caring. That’s ok, that’s their way.

You can’t force people to do things your way, nor should you try. Just be honest.

“brave” is joke?

Depends on the audience but I’ve found adding “it’s just common sense” to the end of my argument tends to be more effective than citing sources.

I talked to a guy like you a while back, and then he also mentioned he used “Brave” and he was surprised when I mentioned the awful things behind it. So perhaps re-evaluating your suggestions and own choices is the first step?