Boxfish is a speculative privacy device inspired by the tropical boxfish, designed to help users control their personal data. It uses biomimicry-based strategies—defense, camouflage, and toxin—to manage security posture, obfuscate data, and enable deletion. As a physical intermediary between users and the internet, it empowers individuals to negotiate data sharing on their own terms.

Prioritizing data minimization, the device uses a simple LED matrix instead of a touch display and replaces cookie banners with a physical object that responds to blurred boundaries between the digital and physical worlds.

The Boxfish device acts as a protective intermediary, analyzing internet traffic and safeguarding sensitive data on its own servers, preventing unsolicited data collection. It “negotiates” data-sharing terms based on user preferences, rather than those set by data companies.

The need for an easy-to-use privacy device emerged from research on the privacy paradox, where users compromise privacy for immediate benefits despite knowing the risks. Testing across age groups and tech familiarity showed the biomimetic approach effectively communicates data protection. The project proposes principles for regaining control over data in today’s complex ecosystem.