Digital Resilience
Staying strong in a digital world
Resilience means the ability to withstand shocks and adapt. In digital life, it's about staying safe and sustainable online even as technology and threats change.
What It Looks Like
For Individuals
- Recognizing phishing scams before clicking
- Using strong, unique passwords (via a password manager)
- Not getting overwhelmed by constant privacy fears
- Knowing how to adjust privacy settings on new apps
- Having habits and support to handle digital challenges
For Communities
- Backing up important community data
- Having a plan if a service goes down
- Training members so everyone's comfortable with the tools
- Keeping operations running safely even if platforms change or hackers target you
Digital resilience focuses on sustainability and adaptation; security culture focuses on shared norms that prevent harm in the first place.
The Privacy Fatigue Problem
Many people today suffer from "privacy fatigue" — feeling overwhelmed and giving up on protecting themselves.
A digitally resilient person has the habits and support to handle these challenges without burning out. It's sustainable, not paranoid.
Practical Examples
| Challenge | Resilient Response |
|---|---|
| Too many passwords | Use a password manager (like Bitwarden) |
| New app, unknown settings | Take 5 minutes to check privacy options |
| Platform goes down | Have backups and alternative communication channels |
| Phishing attempt | Recognize the signs, don't click, report it |
| Privacy fatigue | Focus on one improvement at a time |
Building Resilience
- Start small — One habit at a time
- Build support — Privacy champions help each other
- Create systems — Automatic backups, password managers
- Accept imperfection — Good enough is better than giving up
- Stay current — Threats change, so does your knowledge
The Goal
Digital resilience empowers us to use technology on our own terms without:
- Fear
- Fatigue
- Dependency on any single corporate platform
It's about staying strong in a digital world, together.
Foundational Concepts
- Threat Modeling for Regular People — Asking the right questions for your situation
- Privacy Security Encryption Defined — Understanding the three layers of protection
- Privacy is Power Not Secrecy — Why this matters
- Embracing Uncertainty as Strength — Navigating change without being paralyzed
Related
- Digital Self-determination — The parent framework
- Digital Sovereignty — Owning your infrastructure
- Privacy by Design — Tools that protect you by default
- Security Culture as Digital Literacy — Shared norms that protect people together
- Teaching Digital Self-determination — How to teach these concepts
- Privacy Tools Index — Tools to build your resilience toolkit
Resilience isn't about being perfect. It's about being prepared.