In the second part of the series “Security Is Not Privacy”, we turn our attention to what experts are calling the Guard Tower PC — a term used to describe modern personal computers that prioritize security monitoring over genuine user privacy.

At first glance, today’s operating systems and cloud-connected devices appear safer than ever, boasting biometric authentication, anti-virus integrations, and sandboxed apps. But critics argue that these features resemble surveillance tools more than protective barriers.

Unlike traditional privacy-focused models — where the user controls what leaves the device — the Guard Tower PC is built to report in multiple directions: to the OS developer, cloud service providers, advertisers, and occasionally, governments. From telemetry to automatic content scanning, the device is less of a private workspace and more of a surveillance terminal in disguise.

Privacy advocates warn that this architecture, while marketed as secure, erodes autonomy. “You’re not being protected from the tower — you’re being watched by it,” says cryptographer and activist Alex Halderman.

With consumers more reliant on cloud services and app ecosystems, the lines between convenience, security, and surveillance continue to blur. This raises a fundamental question: Can we have digital safety without sacrificing privacy — or have we already given it away?