Protecting Your Digital Privacy, Preparing for a Supreme Court Decision on Roe

The recently leaked draft opinion of the US Supreme Court was fairly shocking to many people, as it indicates that the court might overturn Roe v. Wade, sending the right to have an abortion back to the states to manage. Presuming that Roe will eventually be overturned, some states have already passed laws that would punish women for getting an abortion, based solely on information that the state didn’t acquire directly.  

If data from a reproductive cycle tracker, search history for abortion pills, or geolocation data from a visit to an abortion provider was suddenly in the hands of someone motivated enough, you could face some life-altering consequences. As we live in a world where data leaks are relatively common and data brokers thrive by reselling user data, the idea of using your private data to make a legal case against you no longer seems so far-fetched. 

Decisions about what you’re willing to share and who you’re willing to share with should be your choice, especially ones relating to your personal healthcare. Maintaining your privacy can be difficult to do, even for the most tech-savvy of us. 

So, what steps can you take to reduce the possibility of your data being misused? 

Pay attention to who has access to your information

• Consider who might be able to access your online accounts and take steps to limit their access. Make sure to logout if you ever use someone else’s devices and be sure to lock your devices when they’re out of your direct control. And it should go without saying, but don’t share your passwords with others.
• Think about the companies that you’re entrusting with your information. Many sites and apps will use your data to show you “relevant” advertisements, if not just sell or share your data with their partners. Before you hand over your data, consider doing a little research to see what others know about the company or see if you can determine how they’re using user data. Also, consider installing an ad blocker on your browser. 
• In the offline world, think about who might have access to your info. A neighbor that you asked to pick up your mail, a landlord with keys to your apartment, the hairdresser you maybe share a little too much with. They’re not all bad actors, but someone snooping around or sharing sensitive information could create problems for you.

Be intentional about what you share and who you share with

• If you’re going to use social media, be purposeful about what you’re sharing. Consider what someone might do with the information you publish, regardless of how well you think you know them. Be extra cautious of large audiences, as you don’t know how everyone will react.
• If you need to communicate sensitive information with someone, consider using tools that feature end-to-end encryption along with automatic deletion of messages. Signal is one of the more well-known tools for this.
• Grow a healthy skepticism of every app, service, or website that you use; don’t just default to handing over your information. If you can’t bypass providing certain information, consider using dummy data instead. Does this site really need to know your birthday or the name of your first pet? 
• Do a little spring cleaning and delete any apps or accounts that are no longer in use. As part of that process, attempt to either delete all your data or request that your data be deleted. It might take a little more digging into the terms and conditions, but it could help you work to maintain control over your data. 

Apply some additional safeguards

• The days of only using multi factor authentication for your banking and email accounts are long gone. Set it up for any account you can, preferably with an authenticator app, rather than using SMS. Logging in is slightly more cumbersome, but it ensures you’re the only one with access.
• Use a password manager and start setting unique, complex passwords for each account/service. If one of your accounts is ever part of a data breach, a unique password will help limit your other accounts from being compromised as well. 
• Consider using a VPN vendor that specifically minimizes the data they collect, as well as ones that have a strong stance about data sharing with third parties.
• Only use a passcode to unlock your devices, rather than biometrics. Your face and fingerprint aren’t legally protected in the same way that a passcode is, so you can’t be compelled to unlock a device without a court order. 

While these steps might seem a bit excessive for preventing some seemingly far-fetched scenarios, they’re not entirely out of the realm of possibility either. As it appears like the US Supreme Court is working toward overturning Roe, your fundamental right to privacy may be in jeopardy, which likely will result in a more fraught experience for women seeking medical care in the form of an abortion. Strengthening your security posture and protecting your privacy is a good idea in general, but for those living in one of these states with new “snitch laws,” it could potentially help avoid legal issues.