Privacy in Action: August Brice, Founder of Tech Wellness™
August Brice, Founder of Tech Wellness™ and Safertech™
Privacy in Action is a series of interviews with privacy-minded Startpage users from diverse backgrounds. The goal of the series is to explore different perspectives on privacy, how privacy takes action in their lives, and provide recommendations for people with similar backgrounds.
August Brice is the founder of Tech Wellness™ and Safertech™. She was CEO of HEILBrice, a successful advertising agency in Southern California that she founded with her husband, Hal for 25 years. Before that, August was an award-winning broadcast journalist. Perhaps most importantly, August is the mother of two beautiful young women in their twenties. August’s desire to see her daughters healthy and thriving is what inspired her to dive into the world of research and solutions for all things wellness, from health and mindfulness to cyber security and tech safety.
Interview with August Brice
Startpage: Fill in the blank: Privacy is _____.
August: Privacy is a high honor that we should cherish and shield.
Startpage: One a scale of 1 to 10, how private are you? How private do you think the general public is?
August: I’m a 9. I think the general public regards their privacy highly but is unaware that businesses are working hard to take their privacy from them.
Startpage: Why are data privacy and private search important to you? In your line of work? In your personal life?
August: There was a time when we just took it for granted that what we were reading, buying looking at, being curious about, and saying to friends or acquaintances, was simply our business.
When I started my first online platform, I was SHOCKED that I could see the names, addresses, credit card numbers, and purchases of people who bought from the site. It disturbed me greatly that I could also see anytime a visitor returned and what pages they were looking at. I felt like that information wasn’t for me to know. It was personal and private. I began to investigate the many ways our privacy was being undermined online and I sought alternatives, like Startpage, Duck Duck Go, and encrypted email.
At Tech Wellness we are passionate about making people aware of the consequences of living in a tech-filled world, providing solutions to live a balanced life and allowing people to take this new information and implement it into their lives as they see fit. To me, data privacy is a crucial pillar of living a Tech Well life and I feel a personal responsibility to share what I know and empower others to take steps towards privacy.
Startpage: What measures do you take to protect your personal data online and offline?
August: Many things! But here are a few that are important to me: I use a VPN. I’ve researched the various VPN providers and find Proton VPN to be the most trustworthy thus far. I use Firefox custom settings to block trackers, fingerprints, and cookies and I’m also very supportive of the progress being made by Safari’s new privacy commitment. I use Startpage, of course, and often use the View Anonymously tool (LOVE IT).
I also head over to Google, the database of the universe, and do some random searches for fun to keep them guessing. I change my passwords every month or so and use an analog password book to keep track of them. I never give actual true information for security questions- and keep track of those as well. I use Facebook and Instagram mindfully. I keep a PO Box for mailed information and packages. I don’t provide my social security, driver’s license or passport numbers to places that really don’t need them, but ask anyway like doctors’ offices and insurance enrollment forms. I realize that I often have the right to say no.
Startpage: How do you envision data privacy in the future? 1 year, 10 years, lifetime?
August: Better. Change begins with awareness. Awareness that our privacy is ours and losing it can be a costly proposition is compelling positive change. I think as businesses are encouraged to share and amend their anti-privacy actions, smart consumers will begin choosing more thoughtful businesses and begin to avoid the major privacy intruders like Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Bing.
Startpage: For anyone new to implementing wellness into their technological habits, what would you recommend as the first steps?
August: Be mindful and guard what you can online. It’s really simple to start with a privacy-focused browser like Firefox or now Safari. Tip: Do not create A Firefox account. It’s not necessary and it’s one more way your privacy could be compromised. Erase your cookies each time a session closes.
Next use a VPN. Add a private search engine. Browse anonymously- it’s a great gift. If you haven’t opened a Facebook account, use a nom de plume( not your real name) to really be stealth, a girlfriend of mine uses a storybook character name-it’s clever. Don’t use your actual birthday and connect the account to an email that doesn’t reveal your name–and make sure that email is with an encrypted privacy-focused email like Proton. Finally, use a made-up name for your phone, computer, and WiFi- no need to tell strangers who they’re standing next to or driving by. 🙂
Startpage: What drew you to tech wellness and why do you think this is something others should implement into their lives?
A surprise sensitivity to my first cellphone began my journey into finding ways to be healthy, balanced and well with technology. Technology permeates every area of life and how we choose to interact with it can affect every part of our being – mind, body, and spirit. I want everyone to have the opportunity to make small easy changes that will make a huge difference in their lives.
Startpage: What advice would you give people interested in detoxing from technology?
August: For your body, be aware that there is an invisible mist of wireless energy (EMF) emanating from all wireless technology. Turn off what you can and distance yourself from devices whenever possible. For your spirit, know that tech can steal your joy if you let it with distractions, fear, and comparison- so be aware and engage with it accordingly.
While a weekly 24-hour Digital detox is the gold standard, even a quick daily digital detox of 30 minutes will result in so many delightful benefits and help you control your phone instead of your phone controlling you. But if you want to incorporate healthier technology habits into your daily routine, check out Tech Wellness: https://techwellness.com/blogs/expertise/top-ten-daily-digital-detox-tips-easy-ways-break-phone-addiction
Startpage: What are your favorite privacy tools?
August:
- Search Engine: Startpage
- Browser: Firefox – but use carefully
- Email: ProtonMail
- Messaging: Signal
- VPN: ProtonVPN
Startpage: Would you rather: Never use social media again or be forced to post content on social media every single day?
Forced to post content for SURE. I’m lucky because I have passion for a message that I love sharing. I am happy to approach social media with balance and intentionality and be part of the solution in encouraging others to use mindfully.
Startpage: When folks meet you, what’s the number one thing you want them to remember about you?
August: My passion. I’m on fire about what’s important to me. Food, family, Tech Wellness, fitness, this magical mother earth.
We’d like to thank August for taking the time to answer these questions. If you are interested in participating in the Privacy in Action or would like to nominate someone to be interviewed by us, reach out to us at [email protected].
The views expressed in this Q&A are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of Startpage.
Newsletters
Was this article helpful?
