On Kim’s recent travels to Europe, she pops by the headquarters of Startpage, located in The Hague, to discuss the evolution of their email component of their organization, called Startmail. After many years of being on a privacy mission to keep peoples searches safe, Startmail has been one of the few Email Services that has managed to make PGP, (Pretty Good Privacy), accessible to the average person, without having to be a programmer. Based in The Netherlands, the company is poised to scale the service so that more people around the world can protect their electronic communication from massive surveillance, archiving, third-party interlopers and more. Tough questions are asked of Alex Van Eesteren, Starmails Early Adapter and EU Media Relations Director. If you ever wondered if you are really doing the right thing by using your free email accounts with all of your personal and professional information, this segment will be a useful way to reconsider if it is really in your best interest to use free email accounts. If you have any questions, feel free to write in your comments and enjoy the show.
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Hi Kim, I have not listened to your interview with Alex Van Eesteren yet, but I have the following to say. I have been using Startmail for three years now. The problem is that, none of my friends would pay $5 a month to have a secured email account. There is really no privacy or security when it is only done one way.
A friend who has something like two thousands “friends” on Facebook that publishes her daily activities said that she would never ever pay for a private email account, as “they” already know everything about us. The only way that privacy can be have is that people don’t use credit card, don’t have a bank account, don’t fill income tax and etc. To which I answered, yes, I realize that, but I do not want to assist “them” in invading my privacy.
Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving!
Best Wishes,
Alice
Dear Alice,
Thank you for your comment and here is my understanding. Privacy can occur in an encrypted form, even if only
one person has Startmail, if the person who uses Startmail deploys the encrypted part of their messaging. The
other person whose not using a private email like Startmail, agrees to open it with an agreed upon passcode for every and any
message. So it’s doable.
Unfortunately, the internet has contributed to a culture that expects everything for FREE and if they don’t get it,
they reject paid services and products, which are often much better. This on line mentality has grown and infected hundreds of millions of people around the world.
People are way too accessible with their banking, credit card and address information. You are so right!
Thank you for your best Thanksgiving wishes. Have a wonderful holiday season and New Year!