Anytime someone on this subreddit asks how to respond to people who say they have nothing to hide, there’s always someone who will suggest “give me all your passwords.” That is so condescending it’s like I can feel their smug sense of self-satisfaction through my screen. Someone is saying “I have nothing to hide” and your response is essentially “yes you do, you’re just too stupid to realize it.” That will never change anyone’s mind.

Instead of trying to convince someone they have something to hide, explain how they have plenty to lose.

Most people would agree it’s a bad idea to post their Social Security Number on Facebook. Many people would also agree it’s a bad idea to post their bank account information on Facebook. Is this because their SSN or bank info is shameful? No, it’s because that person is worried about identity theft or having their bank account emptied out. These pieces of information are private because there is a potential for loss. Even a person with “nothing to hide” can have their identity stolen.

What about your home address? Is it safe to post that online? Some people might think that’s fine, others might be worried their home could be broken into. This is because privacy isn’t an on/off switch. It’s a sliding scale of how much you’re willing to share with the world and how much you’re willing to risk that information being used against you.

This means not everyone has to match your threat model. If you’re trying to convince someone they should care about privacy, that doesn’t mean they’re required to care about it to the same extent that you do. When someone says “I have nothing to hide” what they mean is “I have nothing I’m ashamed of.” All you’re trying to do is convince them that all information has value, rather than thinking only shameful information has value and must be kept private. Hell, you can even agree with them, they do have nothing to hide (good for them!) but that doesn’t mean they have nothing to lose. Having nothing to hide has nothing to do with whether privacy matters.