We live in a time where everything we do leaves a trail—our likes, our searches, the apps we use, even how long we pause while scrolling. Little by little, we’ve become walking algorithms, predictable through our digital footprints. Companies know what we’ll buy before we do. Algorithms can guess our habits, moods, and even political leanings. And while that might sound convenient, it also makes us vulnerable.

Protecting information used to be something we associated only with national security or spy movies. But today, it’s personal. It’s about your data, your privacy, your identity. And history has shown us just how powerful information can be—especially when it’s protected or manipulated.

Take Operation Mincemeat, for example. During World War II, Allied forces needed to trick Nazi Germany into defending the wrong coastline. British intelligence dressed a deceased man as a military officer and planted fake documents on him that suggested the Allies would invade Greece instead of Sicily. They let the body wash ashore in Spain, knowing it would fall into enemy hands. The Nazis bought it. Hitler moved his forces, and the Allies invaded Sicily with much less resistance. That one strategic lie saved thousands of lives.

That’s how important information can be—misleading your enemy while keeping your real plans secure.

Fast forward to today: the stakes are different, but the principle remains. If you’re not careful, your information—what you post, click, or even say near your phone—can be used to target, manipulate, or mislead you. Just like in WWII, the side that protects its data (and uses information wisely) wins.

We don’t need to be paranoid, but we do need to be aware. What we share should be intentional. What we protect should be valued. Because whether it’s on the battlefield or on your phone, the information you control (or lose) can shape the outcome of more than you think.

In the age of oversharing, sometimes the smartest move is saying nothing at all. Sometimes the byte is bigger than our stomachs can handle.