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Everybody Has Something to Hide: Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
6 days and 23:47:50
100 copies available
U.S. only
"Everybody Has Something to Hide succeeds because it does not traffic in fear or abstraction. It explains, clearly, practically, and remarkably, why privacy matters and how to reclaim it. If we want a future where democracy endures, we must use and defend the tools that make free expression possible."
—Ro Khanna, Member of Congress
Everybody has something to hide. Not because they have done something wrong, but because privacy equals freedom. Everybody Has Something to Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being explains why secure communication now matters to ordinary people, not just spies, activists, or criminals, and shows exactly how to take control of your messaging using Signal.
You probably heard about Signal when senior members of the Trump administration misused it. If nothing else, this book will prevent you from making the same mistakes. It explains, in plain language, what Signal is, how it works, and why it has become the gold standard for private messaging worldwide. It makes clear what Signal protects, what it does not, and how small mistakes can still expose sensitive information.
Through vivid, relatable case studies, the book shows how different people use Signal in real life. Journalists protect sources. Doctors safeguard patient conversations. Attorneys preserve confidentiality. Educators communicate without surveillance. Politicians avoid opposition research traps. Activists organize safely. Families protect personal and financial information. Everyday people reduce harassment, stalking, and data exploitation. Each scenario connects technology to human consequences.
This is not a technical manual for engineers. It is a practical guide for normal people who use messaging every day. Step by step, it covers setup, verification, contacts, disappearing messages, group chats, backups, screen security, and common myths. The book is written with clarity, urgency, and respect for the reader’s intelligence by Guy Kawasaki, chief evangelist of Canva and former chief evangelist of Apple, and Madisun Nuismer, the co-producer of the Remarkable People podcast.
It makes the case that secure messaging is not extreme or political. It is prudent. It is modern hygiene. It is an act of self-preservation. You do not need to disappear. You do not need to fear the future. You simply need better tools and better understanding. This book gives you both.
—Ro Khanna, Member of Congress
Everybody has something to hide. Not because they have done something wrong, but because privacy equals freedom. Everybody Has Something to Why and How to Use Signal to Preserve Your Privacy, Security, and Well-Being explains why secure communication now matters to ordinary people, not just spies, activists, or criminals, and shows exactly how to take control of your messaging using Signal.
You probably heard about Signal when senior members of the Trump administration misused it. If nothing else, this book will prevent you from making the same mistakes. It explains, in plain language, what Signal is, how it works, and why it has become the gold standard for private messaging worldwide. It makes clear what Signal protects, what it does not, and how small mistakes can still expose sensitive information.
Through vivid, relatable case studies, the book shows how different people use Signal in real life. Journalists protect sources. Doctors safeguard patient conversations. Attorneys preserve confidentiality. Educators communicate without surveillance. Politicians avoid opposition research traps. Activists organize safely. Families protect personal and financial information. Everyday people reduce harassment, stalking, and data exploitation. Each scenario connects technology to human consequences.
This is not a technical manual for engineers. It is a practical guide for normal people who use messaging every day. Step by step, it covers setup, verification, contacts, disappearing messages, group chats, backups, screen security, and common myths. The book is written with clarity, urgency, and respect for the reader’s intelligence by Guy Kawasaki, chief evangelist of Canva and former chief evangelist of Apple, and Madisun Nuismer, the co-producer of the Remarkable People podcast.
It makes the case that secure messaging is not extreme or political. It is prudent. It is modern hygiene. It is an act of self-preservation. You do not need to disappear. You do not need to fear the future. You simply need better tools and better understanding. This book gives you both.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2026
86 people are currently reading
1244 people want to read
About the author
Guy Kawasaki
97 books2,653 followersHost of Remarkable People podcast. Chief evangelist of Canva. Former chief evangelist of Apple.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 4, 2026
Everybody Has Something to Hide is one of the most comprehensive, practical, and human‑centered guides written about digital privacy — and specifically, about learning to use the Signal app. Guy Kawasaki and Madisun Nuismer created a book that is remarkably approachable, even though it covers topics that often feel intimidating, technical, or overwhelming.
What makes the book stand out is its clarity and purpose. It isn’t fear‑based, and it isn’t written for tech experts. Instead, it opens with a compelling reminder: privacy isn’t about hiding wrongdoing — it’s about protecting the space where everyday people think, speak, and live freely. The authors blend this philosophy with straightforward, step‑by‑step instructions that walk readers through everything from downloading Signal to mastering advanced features like sealed sender messages, disappearing chats, backups, device security, and more.
This is truly a learning guide. The structure is friendly, visual, and intuitive: chapters are organized by real user tasks (like “Getting Started,” “Sending Messages,” “Using Groups,” “Keeping Your IP Address Private,” etc.), and each section includes “Gist” summaries that make it easy to skim or revisit as a reference manual. The writing style is conversational and often witty, which makes the deeper privacy explanations surprisingly enjoyable to read.
The book doesn’t shy away from real‑world context either. It shows why encrypted communication matters for journalists, doctors, parents, activists, coworkers, and ordinary people navigating sensitive moments. And the authors make it extremely clear how to use Signal correctly, with detailed guidance for iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows users.
Most importantly:
It empowers readers.
It removes excuses.
And it gives everyone — regardless of their tech comfort level — the tools to protect their privacy, security, and well‑being.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn Signal, help others onboard it, or simply understand why private communication matters, this book is an invaluable resource.
What makes the book stand out is its clarity and purpose. It isn’t fear‑based, and it isn’t written for tech experts. Instead, it opens with a compelling reminder: privacy isn’t about hiding wrongdoing — it’s about protecting the space where everyday people think, speak, and live freely. The authors blend this philosophy with straightforward, step‑by‑step instructions that walk readers through everything from downloading Signal to mastering advanced features like sealed sender messages, disappearing chats, backups, device security, and more.
This is truly a learning guide. The structure is friendly, visual, and intuitive: chapters are organized by real user tasks (like “Getting Started,” “Sending Messages,” “Using Groups,” “Keeping Your IP Address Private,” etc.), and each section includes “Gist” summaries that make it easy to skim or revisit as a reference manual. The writing style is conversational and often witty, which makes the deeper privacy explanations surprisingly enjoyable to read.
The book doesn’t shy away from real‑world context either. It shows why encrypted communication matters for journalists, doctors, parents, activists, coworkers, and ordinary people navigating sensitive moments. And the authors make it extremely clear how to use Signal correctly, with detailed guidance for iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows users.
Most importantly:
It empowers readers.
It removes excuses.
And it gives everyone — regardless of their tech comfort level — the tools to protect their privacy, security, and well‑being.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn Signal, help others onboard it, or simply understand why private communication matters, this book is an invaluable resource.
February 5, 2026
Required Referencing, Maybe Not Reading, But That’s OK
The start of this book is interesting for the reason that it exposed me to a world that I thought I knew, and clearly didn’t. Guy and Madison make a great case for using Signal, and why we ought to consider it for many of the things we use other apps like text messaging, social media messengers, video sharing, and phone calls. Signal is remarkable in its depth and breadth of offerings within a simple package. Guy and Madison spend the rest of the book going into remarkable detail on how to use it, set it up, communicate, enhance, and protect yourself through it.
The result is an enormously useful, but somewhat tedious read. That’s not bad writing, it’s the nature of the task at hand, and I’m grateful to them for writing this. I’ll refer to it as I embark on embracing this technology and tool and evangelize it with my friends, family and co-workers. That makes this book indispensable.
The start of this book is interesting for the reason that it exposed me to a world that I thought I knew, and clearly didn’t. Guy and Madison make a great case for using Signal, and why we ought to consider it for many of the things we use other apps like text messaging, social media messengers, video sharing, and phone calls. Signal is remarkable in its depth and breadth of offerings within a simple package. Guy and Madison spend the rest of the book going into remarkable detail on how to use it, set it up, communicate, enhance, and protect yourself through it.
The result is an enormously useful, but somewhat tedious read. That’s not bad writing, it’s the nature of the task at hand, and I’m grateful to them for writing this. I’ll refer to it as I embark on embracing this technology and tool and evangelize it with my friends, family and co-workers. That makes this book indispensable.
February 11, 2026
Everybody Has Something to Hide is a must-read for anyone serious about protecting their privacy online. Guy Kawasaki explains why privacy matters and walks you step-by-step through using Signal, making security simple, practical, and accessible. I came away feeling empowered to safeguard my personal information without feeling overwhelmed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2026
Guy Kawasaki has built the essential firewall for the modern leader. This isn’t just about privacy, it’s about Operational Integrity in a world that has lost its way, a remarkable, tactical blueprint for anyone serious about architecting a secure future.
February 25, 2026
This will help me move people to Signal!
A comprehensive rationale and guide to moving messaging to Signal. It is hard to change habits. But it’s easier when you have a good reason AND there’s someone to help with the how.
A comprehensive rationale and guide to moving messaging to Signal. It is hard to change habits. But it’s easier when you have a good reason AND there’s someone to help with the how.
January 31, 2026
Very in depth, clear, and practical
How and importantly why you should use signal for secure communication. Shows click by click instructions for iPhone, android, Mac and Windows.
How and importantly why you should use signal for secure communication. Shows click by click instructions for iPhone, android, Mac and Windows.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews