Stay on Pinterest or Instagram long enough and you will inevitably find a photo of a quirky typewriter. While typewriters saw a regain of interest in recent years because they're ‘cool’ and lack distractions, the German government may revert to using them to avoid NSA spying.

The growing number of anonymous communication platforms highlights the importance and scale of the desire for privacy online. Anonymity has gained a sense of authenticity and safety – and only by understanding this can brands continue to communicate effectively.

Easy-to-use personal security measures are a welcome antidote to the privacy fears that plague a post-PRISM scandal world. But are encrypted text messages a necessity, or just a fan to the flames of a paranoia epidemic?

iBeacon is an in-store tracking technology that gives retailers the opportunity to send location-based offers to its customers. But while it's appearing in stores all around the world, it is struggling to make an impact in Germany, where privacy concerns are growing.