ThinkPrivacy joins PrivacyTools.io

Earlier this month, ThinkPrivacy, an online privacy resource, joined privacytools.io in a move that will bring the two sites together in order to bring privacy education to a larger audience, helping make privacy-respecting apps, resources, and services more accessible to users of all types.

ThinkPrivacy will remain an active site devoted to user privacy, but in order to eliminate the overlap of the two sites, ThinkPrivacy’s direction will change.

PrivacyTools.io has long been a leading resource for those looking to avoid mass state-sponsored and private surveillance dedicated to open-source projects around the world. However, this can be overwhelming for your average internet user who is not worried about state-sponsored surveillance programs, but at the same time believes in privacy and the right to own or control their data.

ThinkPrivacy will seek to bridge that gap. In the coming weeks, the site will limit its scope and focus on tools and services to address individual needs of users helping them protect their accounts from hackers, and to help gain control of what data is shared with others.

It will accomplish this goal by widening the net of acceptable privacy software. While PrivacyTools.io takes great pains to default towards open-source software projects, and services that originate from countries with the strictest privacy laws, ThinkPrivacy will look towards user friendliness and accessibility from products with a history of standing up for privacy rights and defending their users. It’s one thing to recommend that someone to use a password manager, but not everyone is ready to run and manage a KeePass install. These users may be more willing to use services like 1Password, which can offer a more convenient and user friendly product while still dramatically improving user security. These types of recommendations can showcase great, privacy respecting services that may not meet the needs of our tech-savvy users, political activists, journalists, or others gaining the attention of government agencies, but do meet the needs of our parents, grandparents, and those whose time online is spent checking emails, catching up the news, and reading social media sites.

We understand that not every user is going to give up their Gmail account or delete their Facebook, but we believe that we can reach those users and still help them protect themselves better online and have more control over their data. Even small changes like using a password manager and two-factor authentication can help users protect important information such as their health records and financial accounts. ThinkPrivacy will be that resource, teaching users basic steps they can take to better protect themselves.

The goal of both sites has always been to educate the public about data and internet privacy, and through this effort we will be able to do so at various levels of user experience and need. With the addition of ThinkPrivacy, that goal will be realized in a whole new way that will bridge that gap between novice, intermediate, and expert users.

We are looking forward to what this partnership will bring, and are excited about casting a wider net and making privacy tools even more accessible. Privacy is for everyone, and we must all ensure it remains that way.