Opinion: Evin McMullen, Billions Network Co-Founder and CEO, Privado ID Co-Founder
Population monitoring has evolved over the years. First, it was from someone else. After that, it was data collection. In 2025, wearable technology will become the new frontier for widespread public surveillance.
This is not necessarily dystopian or comfortable. This is a new paradigm in how we interact with each other and our data. It is inevitable that people will need to redefine their expectations of privacy as we enter this new era of surveillance, but now is the time to seize the opportunity to shape this new normal before technology relegates us from active participants to passive subjects.
The way to do this is through encryption.
Surveillance through the ages
For most of human history, surveillance and intelligence were limited to the visible. This meant that police officers and detectives were the main sources of official data, and the public accepted this as necessary for the state to protect their safety.
As technology advances, such as satellite imagery and internet surveillance, advances in surveillance methods have also increased societal discomfort. CCTV initially sparked outrage among civil liberties groups over the creation of a so-called “Big Brother” society. But over time, people came to understand that these forces exist to weed out malicious actors.
Today, we are on the cusp of a new era of surveillance, driven by the pervasive and fascinating influence of wearables, decentralized networking, and, of course, AI. This “infinite panopticon” era will be defined by the proliferation of technology and broader acceptance of surveillance.
Remember Google Glass? The wearable computer developed by Google in 2013, now a museum exhibit, popularized the idea that technology is an extension of the self.
Fast forward to 2025, and augmented reality (AR) devices will become more common and sophisticated. In addition to smartphones, we have smartwatches, cars, televisions, “personal assistants” and doorbells, all of which collect data 24/7. This trend is expected to continue, with the latest products incorporating more advanced AI.
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Consider Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. This allows users to make calls, send texts, and control features. Apple is getting in on the fun with its own smart glasses, scheduled for release in 2026. The smart glasses offer “multimodal AI,” integration with Siri, and the ability to “analyze” the wearer’s environment.
This is the same proposition that Big Tech has been making for decades. We offer the future in exchange for more intimate data.
How is it different from wearables? They’re not monetizing your searches, they’re monetizing all the little private things that make us who we are, like the tone and emotion of your conversations.
Still, most people will accept that this is the next stage in how the service works, as has happened with CCTV and social media tracking. Although not without controversy, this benefit will open many doors and encourage widespread acceptance of these practices.
Fortunately, there are technologies in place that can minimize invasiveness while maximizing benefits.
Increasingly sophisticated technology
This explosion of technological surveillance has sparked much legal and ethical debate about individuals’ privacy rights in the digital age. Developments like Edward Snowden’s revelations about the National Security Agency spying on ordinary Americans and the Cambridge Analytica scandal are reminding all citizens of the value of data. Despite these revelations and debates, most users will still embrace digital monitoring due to its benefits.
This represents a growing demand for new models of how we interact with privacy. Users become active participants in their own sovereignty and have a say in what data they allow to be collected and ultimately how that data is used. The paradigm is changing, and humans are now in control of their digital footprints for the first time.
What makes this paradigm shift acceptable is a type of cryptography: zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs. ZK proofing means that data can be analyzed and confirmed to be valid without revealing what it is. This is key to making widespread data collection fair and secure for the broader public. Just because an automated system verifies your age, address, and other information doesn’t mean a human needs to see it.
This means that the way people view privacy will change significantly in the future. No one is advocating the destruction of personal obfuscation, but between encryption and authorized access, there will still be a wall between you, your data, and most of the world.
The truth is, the benefits of modern technology only come from data capture. For users who desire these benefits, some degree of intrusive monitoring is inevitable. The infrastructure and devices used for surveillance now shape the norms of daily life.
Fortunately, encryption provides an avenue through which everyone can benefit from a world where intelligent surveillance is part of society’s daily experience. Still, a new way of looking at privacy will be needed.
Opinion: Evin McMullen, Co-Founder and CEO of Billions Network and Co-Founder of Privado ID.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be taken as, legal or investment advice. The views, ideas, and opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.