Two futures stand before us: a world where surveillance is the norm, or one where confidentiality is built into the very fabric of the Internet. The future of privacy depends on the choices we make today.
This is Episode 4 of Zama Invisible Revolution. After exploring the Confidential Internet begins (EP1), the rise of creators (EP2), and the math of FHE (EP3), we now face the critical fork in the road.
In September 2025, the signs are everywhere:
- The EU AI Act is debated in Brussels, with proposals that could enforce mandatory monitoring of training data.
- The controversial Chat Control resurfaces, raising fears of mass scanning of private messages “for security.”
- In the U.S., class actions pile up against AI companies accused of scraping medical and biometric data without consent.
- Meanwhile, crypto users watch as “transparent by design” blockchains make wallets traceable, often permanently.
Convenience has never felt so costly. The question is no longer abstract: if we don’t change course, surveillance won’t just be possible, it will be the default.
The path of surveillance
If nothing changes, the Internet of the 2030s may look disturbingly familiar:
- Digital IDs tied to every transaction, justified as “anti-fraud.”
- AI copilots offering personalization, but powered by continuous monitoring of everything you type, say, or click.
- Financial networks that make every stablecoin transfer searchable in real time by corporations and governments.
- Social platforms where your metadata is stored forever, even when your content is deleted.
This is not paranoia, it is the trajectory we’re already on.
Surveillance capitalism has become so normalized that most people don’t even notice anymore. Yet every new database, every new regulation, every “AI upgrade” adds another layer to the same story: a world where privacy is eroded not by choice, but by inertia.
The real danger? By the time people realize what’s happening, it will be too late to undo the defaults.
Choosing the future of privacy today
The alternative is not utopia. It is math.
Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE), combined with open-source infrastructure, makes it possible to compute without exposing raw data.
- Healthcare apps that analyze encrypted scans.
- Financial systems that grant loans without revealing history.
- Smart contracts executed privately on-chain.
This is what Zama is building: not a walled garden, but a Confidential Internet, where privacy is not optional, but the default.
Why Europe’s role matters in the future of privacy
Most of today’s Internet giants are American. Most hardware dominance is Asian. But cryptography, and particularly FHE,has a chance to be Europe’s contribution to the future of privacy.
Zama, founded in Paris by Dr Rand Hindi and Dr Pascal Paillier, is not just an academic project. It is a French unicorn, valued at over $1B, backed by Pantera, Blockchange Ventures, and others. Its mission goes beyond technology: it is about digital sovereignty, an Internet where Europe isn’t dependent on foreign infrastructures.
A decision that cannot wait
The fork is clear:
- Continue with surveillance, hoping regulation will catch up.
- Or build confidentiality into the Internet’s foundation now.
One path extracts trust.
The other scales it.
And history shows us something simple: technology hardens into infrastructure. The decisions we make today will define the defaults of tomorrow.
Conclusion – The future of privacy is ours to choose
Most revolutions are loud. This one is invisible.
Episode 4 of Zama Invisible Revolution asks a simple question:
👉 Do we want an Internet where privacy is patched after the fact, or one where it is guaranteed from the start?
Zama is betting on the latter. The choice is ours,and it defines the future of privacy.
FAQ – Choosing the future of privacy
1. Why is surveillance the default today?
Because business models and infrastructures were built around data extraction, not confidentiality.
2. How does FHE change this?
It encrypts data during computation, making surveillance technically unnecessary.
3. Why is Zama’s role unique?
It combines open-source tools (Concrete, FHEVM, TFHE-rs) with global adoption, led by a European team.
4. Can individuals influence this choice?
Yes, by supporting projects, creators, and tools that prioritize privacy by design.
5. What’s next in the series?
- Episode 5: Code, Culture, and the Confidential Internet of 2030
- Episode 6 : Surprise
