If you knew that this was the only chance you’d ever get to read this sentence, would you pay closer attention? Snapchat’s ephemeral messages are a more human way of relating digitally, but they offer more than just a carefree share. Their fleeting nature asks us to stop and pay attention.

Ever since Edward Snowden leaked documents about mass surveillance, people in Germany have been amongst the most spooked by the notion of government spying. Much of the fear is being stoked by German media, but telecoms companies are stepping up data protection on their networks nevertheless.

High-profile data leaks over recent years have seen internet users wise up to the dark side of connectivity. In Germany, where privacy is highly valued, email provider ProtonMail is easing fears through end-to-end encryption, ensuring that neither governments nor hackers can access inboxes.

The German media is still seething over allegations that the US and UK governments spied on Germans’ phone calls and internet usage. Will the emotion around spying lead Germans to abandon the likes of Google and Facebook for the sake of privacy?