Fighting the Privacy Washing of Big Tech with ProtonMail

Andy Yen, Founder & CEO at Proton, discusses how big tech is presenting a false sense of privacy to its users—and why this is dangerous. He also unpacks the confusion between privacy and anonymity, and how where you live impacts your right to each.  Key Takeaways: How Proton has attracted users and early adopters while sticking to a privacy-first marketing strategy. What we can learn from the cultural shift to environmental responsibility as it relates to privacy, and to the future rules of the Internet. Why being in control of your privacy starts with owning your identity. Guest Bio: Andy Yen is the Founder and CEO of Proton, one of the fastest growing consumer tech companies in Europe. Proton offers the world's first privacy-by-default ecosystem, providing encrypted email, calendar, file storage, VPN, identity management, and more, all built on the principle of “your data, your rules.” Andy launched Proton's first product, ProtonMail—now the world's largest encrypted email service—in 2014 while working as a CERN scientist. Since then, Andy has become a leading voice in the global privacy movement. Today, Proton has more than 100M accounts and a team of more than 400 people worldwide. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte