Why having more online privacy controls feels like we have less privacy than ever

An editorial piece by BBC News examining attitudes to privacy concludes that while we have more privacy controls than ever, online privacy in 2026 is increasingly viewed as a luxury rather than a right.

Thomas Bunting, an analyst at the innovation think tank Nesta, highlights that younger generations, having grown up using personal data as currency for digital services, often prioritise managing screen time and addiction over privacy concerns. This shift in attitude concerns cybersecurity experts, including Professor Alan Woodward of Surrey University. Woodward argues that privacy is not about having something to hide, but about protecting freedom of thought, experimentation, and dissent. As such, he warns that constant surveillance leads to self-censorship, thereby weakening free speech and democracy. This is reflected in social behaviours where individuals avoid certain activities in public for fear of being filmed and shamed online.

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