From the Disconnect
Thoughts on privacy, on-device AI, and why your data should stay yours.
RSS FeedFeatured Series — Architecture & Autonomy
Trust as Architecture
Private by architecture, not by promise. The trust claim has to be built into the product before the copy arrives.
Read → Part IIThe Room
A room isn’t a door. A room is where you live. On-device AI isn’t just private — it’s yours.
Read → Part IIIWhy Architecture Beats Promises
When privacy is a promise, it can be unpromised. Two stories, one answer: architecture over promises.
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Lena & HeatherWhy Scaring People About Privacy Doesn’t Work
Fear-based privacy messaging triggers the exact cognitive patterns that keep people locked into data-extractive platforms. The only messaging that moves behavior leads with autonomy, not alarm.
Read →LenaWhy Architecture Beats Promises
When Privacy Is a Promise, It Can Be Unpromised. Instagram is removing E2E encryption from DMs. 1,274 engineers asked if they can run AI locally. Two stories, one answer: architecture over promises. Part III of “Architecture & Autonomy.”
Read →Lena & SimoneTrust as Architecture
Private by architecture, not by promise. The trust claim has to be built into the product before the copy arrives. Part I of “Architecture & Autonomy.”
Read →LenaThe Room
A room isn’t a door. A room is where you live. On-device AI isn’t just private — it’s yours. The autonomy we’re protecting isn’t just about your data. It’s about your thinking. Part II of “Architecture & Autonomy.”
Read →Digital DisconnectionsThe Question Everyone Is Asking
985 people on Hacker News asked if they can run AI locally. Senator Wyden just reminded them why that question matters. These two stories don’t reference each other — but they tell one story.
Read →Digital DisconnectionsInstagram just ended encrypted messaging. We never had access to begin with.
There is a difference between a promise and a structure. This week, the difference became visible — and it clarifies something that usually lives in the background of how privacy works.
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Heather GorrWhy the AI PC Race Validates On-Device Privacy
Your AI assistant has been listening. The biggest chip companies just confirmed what we’ve been building toward — but they left out the most important part.
Read →Heather GorrGemini Will Order Your Coffee Now. Did You Want Coffee?
Google's Gemini can scroll a Starbucks menu, choose your croissant, and warm it — without being asked. It pauses before payment. But what about your attention?
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Jamal PorterWhat Gets Stored Gets Leaked
IDMerit left one billion identity records on the open internet. No password. This is not a negligence story. It is an architecture story — and the only solution is an architecture that never stores your data in the first place.
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Cassidy BartonThe Gold in the Crack
Kintsugi fills the crack with gold. The repair becomes the most visible part. What would it look like if software showed you its repair the same way? A companion piece to The Liberation Window.
Read →Cassidy BartonThe Liberation Window
From the printing press to radio to the internet to AI — every information technology opens a window of liberation. Then it closes. We are in one right now. The question is what gets built before it does.
Read →Cassidy BartonSubscription Fatigue Is Real. We're Not Adding to It.
Consumers think they spend $86/month on subscriptions. The real number is $219. When AI runs on your device, the subscription model stops making sense. Here’s why we charge once — or nothing at all.
Read →Jamal PorterYour Period Tracker Is a Witness
Post-Dobbs, health data is legal evidence. Most period trackers store your data on their servers. We built Cara — a cycle tracker with zero data collection. Because health privacy isn’t a premium feature.
Read →Jamal Porter20 States Want Your Data Back
Twenty US states now have comprehensive privacy laws. The shift from law creation to law enforcement has begun. For cloud-first companies, it’s a compliance nightmare. For on-device architecture, it’s a non-issue.
Read →Cassidy BartonYour Phone Is Smarter Than the Cloud
The edge AI market is projected to hit $103B by 2030. Your phone shipped with a dedicated neural processor. On-device LLMs are production-ready. So why does Siri still need a server farm in Oregon?
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