If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my many years working in IT, it’s this: freedom is the foundation of everything we consider secure and trustworthy. Especially in technology, I constantly see how freedom is often sacrificed for the illusion of greater security. But in reality, it’s quite the opposite: freedom is what truly enables real security in the first place.
You might be wondering what exactly I mean by that. Allow me to explain.
🔍 Freedom means control — and that means security
When I speak of freedom in the context of IT, I primarily mean the freedom to decide for yourself what happens with your data. The freedom to use software as you see fit, fully aware of what it does behind the scenes.
The opposite of this is closed systems where you simply have to trust that a vendor is doing things right — without ever being able to verify it.
✅ Open Source software gives you this freedom back. Anyone can look at the source code and audit it. There are no hidden functions, no secret backdoors.
🔒 Encryption ensures that your data remains yours alone, accessible only to those you explicitly authorize — and to no one else.
So it becomes clear: freedom isn’t a risk here; it’s your strongest safeguard. As a user or business, you retain control. And from that, true security follows automatically.
🕊️ Edward Snowden, Julian Assange — and what that means for your IT
Edward Snowden revealed to the world just how deeply governments can invade our privacy when no one is watching. He warned us that surveillance and secrecy come at the expense of our freedom — and ultimately undermine our security as well.
Julian Assange, through WikiLeaks, exposed abuses of power that would have remained hidden otherwise. He made sure misconduct came to light. Both, in their own way, demonstrated that without transparency, there can be no freedom. And without freedom, there is no genuine security.
This is not merely a political debate. It directly affects your IT systems every single day. Because the more you rely on closed platforms, the less you know about what’s happening behind the scenes. And the more you depend on mere promises, instead of verifiable facts.
💼 How I, as an IT service provider, turn freedom into a security strategy
This is why I’ve made it a point in my work as an IT service provider to rely consistently on freedom software. That means:
- 🌐 I recommend open-source solutions, developed and reviewed by diverse communities.
- 🔒 I implement strong encryption so your data truly belongs to you.
- ✅ I rely on open standards that won’t lock you into a single vendor’s ecosystem.
This not only protects your privacy but also makes your systems more robust overall. Because flaws are detected and fixed more quickly. Because if needed, you can always switch providers or adapt the software without having to overhaul your entire business infrastructure.
In this way, freedom becomes the very foundation of your security — not its opponent.
✉️ My invitation to you
I invite you to take this thought with you:
Freedom first — and security will follow naturally.
Let’s work together to ensure your IT is set up so that you can act confidently and securely, not just today, but well into the future. For you as an individual, for your company, and for a digital world where we all get to keep our freedom.
If you’d like, I’d be glad to show you exactly what this could look like for your specific situation. Please feel free to reach out to me.
