Privacy for Sluts: A DefCon-Inspired Guide

I just returned from DefCon, the world's largest hacker conference, and I'm buzzing with inspiration. Between picking locks and handcuffs (!), learning to defeat tamper-evident seals with acetone, and firmware hacking demos, one talk particularly resonated with me: Naomi Brockwell's presentation in the Privacy Village on digital privacy fundamentals.

Her talk crystallized something I've been thinking about for years: privacy isn't just a nice-to-have.

Privacy is essential infrastructure for a free society. Individual privacy creates the necessary counterbalance to institutional power, whether corporate or governmental. Without it, we lose the space to be authentically ourselves.

This got me reflecting: as someone who lives openly and unapologetically, what am I doing to protect my own digital privacy? And how can I help others do the same?

Why Privacy Matters for Sex-Positive People

The reality is that sexual expression, even completely legal and consensual activities, can be weaponized against us. Career consequences, family relationships, housing discrimination, and personal safety can all be at stake when intimate details become public without consent.

Privacy tools give us the power to share what we choose, with whom we choose, on our own terms.

Building Privacy Culture

Privacy isn't just individual. It's collective. In sex-positive spaces, we need to advocate for:

• Consent for all content: Photos, quotes, and identifying information

• No outing policies: Protecting others' privacy as carefully as our own

• Pseudonym normalization: Using code names and handles to protect everyone involved

Essential Tools I Actually Use

Secure Messaging: The Non-Negotiable

Signal has become my dating prerequisite. I won't go on dates (or exchange nudes) with anyone who refuses to use it.

Signal offers end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and has been thoroughly vetted by security researchers. Unlike SMS or most messaging apps, your conversations remain private even if the company's servers are compromised.

I've successfully convinced hundreds of people to install Signal, using my hot girl privilege for digital security advocacy. It works surprisingly well. Turns out people really like my nudes ;)

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ALERT ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

If you do nothing else today, please do this: If you don’t already use Signal, go to https://signal.org/download/ and install this free app. It takes 5 minutes and it will make me so very happy!!

But if you’re already using Signal but still a relative privacy beginner, what else can we do, and how do we make this fun?

🎮 The Privacy Game: Level Up Your Digital Defense

Level 1: Browser Boss Battle

Choose your fighter:

• Brave Browser: The tank build: heavy armor against trackers

• Firefox + Extensions: The versatile class: customizable and powerful

• Tor Browser: The stealth assassin: maximum anonymity mode

Mini-Game: See how many trackers you block in a day. My personal record is over 1,000!

Level 2: VPN Victory Lap

Challenge: Pick a VPN that matches your threat level:

• Casual mode: ProtonVPN

• Hardcore mode: Mullvad (accepts cash payments like a proper cyberpunk)

Fun Fact: Using a VPN while traveling makes you feel like an international spy. Embrace it.

Level 3: Email Encryption

New Quest Unlocked: Switch from Gmail to ProtonMail for encrypted email that actually stays private.

Level 4: The Mobile Fortress

Expert Quest: Installing GrapheneOS (Android wizards only, requires pixel phone)

This is the final boss of mobile privacy. I haven't unlocked this achievement yet, but it's on my 2026 roadmap.

Privacy Bingo: How Many Can You Check Off?

Make it social! Share your bingo card with friends and see who can get the most squares. Privacy is more fun when it's collaborative. (Or make your own bingo board and share in the comments below!)

The DefCon Experience

Did I have sex at DefCon? Yes, I did have sex at DefCon this year, in the conference hall. I would give you details, but my friends tell me that if I do, they'll patch the vulnerability next year and the same opportunity won't be available for future conference-goers. All I can say is, there was some successful penetration testing. 😉

Resources to Level Up Your Privacy Game

Want to learn more about digital privacy? Here are my go-to resources:

• Follow Naomi Brockwell on Twitter (@naomibrockwell) and check out her technical tutorials on YouTube

• Listen to Darknet Diaries podcast for fascinating stories about cybersecurity and privacy

• Join r/privacy on Reddit for community discussions and tool recommendations

• Read Extreme Privacy. This is the best book I’ve read on privacy

What privacy achievement are you going to unlock next? Show me your privacy bingo card!