5. Will your use of the software Are you adopting this application or service expose you? for the right reasons? In some places using encryption is There are many reasons we may be illegal. In others it is not, but will still interested in a new service or tool: it is draw suspicion from law enforcement designed beautifully, it has an interesting or intelligence agencies. This may lead name, it promises a novel service, it them to begin monitoring a person’s is growing in popularity, etc. Take a activity simply because they have begun hard, critical look at the reasons you’re using security or encryption software. considering adopting a tool and make sure It is important to understand your risk; those feel like the right reasons, given your in some contexts, not using encryption ethical and security needs and obligations. may be safer, even though the data is stored and sent unprotected (which is also risky!). It may allow you to keep a lower profile and attract less attention. Knowing your context is essential to 6. 7. It is very rare that any software or service meets all of these needs. The goal is not to find a unicorn that satisfies every requirement, but to make informed, intentional decisions about the making this kind of assessment. software we adopt. After reading this advice, do Is it practical for you to adopt you have recently adopted? Does it remain the this service or software? Some software or services may fit well into you feel differently about any tool or service that right choice for you? existing processes you’re using to collect, store, analyze, and share data. Others may demand a major shift to new processes. Even for software that promises security, practicality is an important question to ask. If it’s too hard to use or is not likely to be a sustainable practice, attempting to adopt it may end up being a waste of valuable resources in time, money, and energy. 67