Personal freedoms, also called civil liberties, are a basic human right that grants personal guarantees or freedoms to an individual without arbitrary government interference. These liberties include but are not limited to the freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom from torture, the right to life, right to bodily integrity, right to a free trial, right to defend oneself, right to own property, right to equal treatment under law, and right to vote. 

It simply means to be free to do what you want to and to live your life the way you wish to. Constitutions of most democratic countries protect the civil liberties of its citizens. The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights protect the civil liberties and rights of the U.S. citizens.

Scholars and philosophers in history had different opinions on personal freedom. According to Karl Marx, freedom is only possible in a communist system when individuals are free from exploitation and the social classes are absent. Quentin Skinner endorsed the republican theory of freedom, which is the absence of arbitrary power or domination. For the supporters of Libertarianism, liberty is the core value that’s important for all other values of social life. 

Today, the value of freedom has become more important than ever because what’s the point of having a beautiful house, money to travel, and a loving family if you can’t enjoy your life the way you want to! 

 

Digital age and personal freedom

When you’re using social media, you’re expressing your thoughts about life, political and cultural issues, and global affairs. When you browse through different websites and search engines, you’re accessing information. You choose to keep some of your information and searches private but without your knowledge, all your online activities might be getting monitored and most of the times, your government can access this information. So, in a way, you’re not entirely free from government intervention. One of the first steps in protecting yourself is with a sturdy VPN like this one.

 

Government’s control through taxes

You might not support certain projects and causes of your government but because of the laws, you might be forced to fund those projects through your tax money. For example, the Democrats want to convert the American health care to a single-payer system where the government will have complete control over the healthcare system. As a result, taxes will increase and the quality of health care is expected to worsen. Most people oppose the idea and want the decision-making for healthcare to be transferred to families and individuals. But what can you do if the government still goes on with its plan and you’re just left with no option than to pay for it! 

 

Control-freak governments

The governments have become control-freaks placing stronger measures in the name of national security, which is a serious threat to individuals’ privacy and the right to express themselves. 

For almost a decade, the United States tracked billions of international phone calls. Apple gave the government access to more than 25,000 phones and other devices. The Chinese government is on its way of developing a surveillance system that will monitor every citizen’s political beliefs, associations and consumer habits to assign them a credit score based on their behaviour. This is not because amid the political struggles and rising demand from citizens for free and fair structures as well as more empowered decision-making framework, the regulation will increase and your individual freedom will always be at risk. 

So what can you do to maximize your personal freedom? There are some ways you can navigate your way around the legislation and enjoy the right of being free. Let’s look at them in detail.

 

Know your rights to attain your personal freedom

As clichéd it sounds, it’s the first step toward realizing your rights in the jurisdiction you’re based in. The Constitution and laws can often be difficult to comprehend for both, citizens and law enforcement agencies, so knowing about the rights you’re entitled to can help you protect them. 

While your basic rights will remain the same in every free country, some laws may change from a country to country. Norway, Sweden, Canada, Netherlands, and Australia are countries that give the most freedom. 

 

Maximize the privacy of your online browsing and email

According to security experts, unprotected data can put hundreds and millions of households at risk. While it’s impossible to keep all your online activities private, there are ways you can minimize the risk of leaving a digital footprint.

When you’re surfing the internet, your browser saves the URL of every website you visit and the files you download. This stored data is called data cookies that record all your activities. You can protect your data by using the private browsing tools like the Incognito or InPrivate mode because private browsers don’t save the information and make sure no one else gets access to it. 

Sometimes, when you visit a website, you’ll notice that a screen would pop up asking for your permission. Never hit the ‘allow’ option because it’s basically asking you to allow you to send notifications and access your information.   

 

Keep your digital assets in secure data systems 

If your country has breached the privacy of its citizens, you can secure your data in countries that have secure cloud privacy laws. Switzerland is considered the best place for digital privacy. The Swiss data protection laws are robust and prohibit processing and disclosing sensitive data to unauthorized parties leas to penalties. The Norwegian Data Protection Authority is responsible for protecting an individual’s privacy. Romania has strong e-commerce & -privacy laws that protect online data. 

 

Navigate your way through taxes

Economic or financial freedom is essential to ensure your personal freedom because you should be the one deciding how to spend your money. If your country has an aggressive tax policy that you find unfair, you can navigate your way to reduce the tax burden legally. For example, you can apply for residence in a no-tax or low-tax country like Panama or Belize or you can incorporate your company in a tax jurisdiction that’s favourable for your income.