Why Your Online Security Matters

A short animated explainer from Amnesty International on why online security matters for everyone. Through a conversation between a government agent and an ordinary citizen, the video shows how quickly the "nothing to hide" argument unravels, and lays out the strict criteria that legitimate surveillance must meet.

This transcript is an accessible copy of the original video transcript (opens in a new tab) published by Amnesty International. It has been lightly edited for readability, and speaker labels have been added.

"You've got nothing to hide, right?" (0:00)

Agent: You don't care about digital security, do you?

Citizen: Yeah! If you aren't doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to hide, right?

Agent: That's right. If people are innocent, why is privacy so important to them? What are they trying to cover up?

Citizen: Yeah, they're probably terrorists.

Agent: You've got nothing to hide, right?

Citizen: That's right.

Agent: You don't care what the government sees, right? So it's fine if we look at your emails.

Citizen: Sure, there's not much in there, really.

Agent: Yeah. Plus, then we can see who your family and friends are and what they're discussing.

Citizen: Why do you want to do that?

Agent: You know... security. And I'm sure you're cool with us using the microphone and camera on your computer and phone to listen in and see what you're up to.

Citizen: Wait, you could do that?

Agent: Also, we'll be setting up a webcam in your bathroom, and I know that won't bother you.

Citizen: The bathroom?

Agent: Yeah, it's just for fighting terrorism and stuff.

Citizen: In the bathroom?

Agent: It'll be really small. You'll barely know it's there.

Citizen: Hold on—none of this is okay.

Agent: You're not doing anything wrong, are you?

Citizen: Well, no, but what about privacy?

Agent: I thought you said privacy only mattered to terrorists.

Citizen: Well, I didn't mean that exactly.

Agent: Don't you trust the government with your most personal information?

Citizen: Yeah, I mean, no. Not really. Why would you want that kind of personal info? I'm not comfortable with that.

Agent: Now you're starting to sound like one of those human rights defenders.

Citizen: I'm starting to get their point. Why should people have unrestricted access to my most personal info?

Agent: I thought you had nothing to hide.

Citizen: I don't, but that doesn't even matter.

Agent: Don't you support your country?

Citizen: I do.

The right to privacy (1:30)

Citizen: And my country is made up of people. People with the right to their own privacy. If governments want to indiscriminately collect all your data—emails, phone calls, webcam images, and internet searches—that's not okay.

Narrator: There are legitimate reasons for governments to use surveillance of communications, but because it interferes with the rights to privacy and freedom of expression, it must be done in accordance with strict criteria: surveillance must be targeted, based on reasonable suspicion, necessary to meet a legitimate aim, proportionate to that aim, and non-discriminatory.