I Signed the No Phone Home Pledge, You Should Too
July 1, 2025
I’ve joined nearly 100 experts across tech, policy, and civil liberties in signing https://nophonehome.com — a plea regarding the future of digital identity systems.
The principle is simple: digital identity systems must be built without the technological ability for authorities to track when or where identity is used. When systems “phone home” to verify credentials, they create surveillance infrastructure that will be misused.
As someone who’s spent years building privacy and security-focused software (from anti-tracking tools at Ghostery to identity infrastructure at JPMorgan Chase), I’ve seen firsthand how surveillance capabilities get baked into systems for well-intended purposes and how they inevitably get abused.
We’re at a critical juncture. Governments and corporations are rapidly deploying digital identity systems that will shape privacy for decades. The technical architectures we establish now will harden quickly, making future privacy protections nearly impossible to retrofit.
This isn’t about security vs. privacy (that’s a false choice). Privacy-preserving identity verification is not only possible, it’s essential. As engineers, we have the tools to build systems that protect both security and privacy.
I’m standing with the ACLU, EFF, Bruce Schneier, companies like Brave Software, and experts from leading universities. Some fights are worth having.
If you work in tech, policy, or civil liberties, don’t just read about this; act. Sign the pledge at nophonehome.com and help us build a future where privacy isn’t sacrificed for convenience.