Writing · in progress

Unknown Unknowns in Claude Code

A series for people who are not computing people. If you hold other people’s data — students, patients, clients, research subjects — and you have started using an AI assistant that runs on your own computer, there are about six risks you probably cannot yet see. Each installment explains one in plain language and ends with something you can do that same day.

Version one

The desktop app

For readers who use Claude Code inside the Claude application window — the ordinary app you download and run. Start here if you have never opened a command line and have no intention of starting now.

Start here

Post 0 — the case for the series

Why these risks stay invisible to non-coders, and a preview of all six.

Unknown unknown #1

First, Build a Fence

How to confine the assistant before you ever use it — the first thing to get right.

1
One Folder, Every Time: Where You Start Decides What It Can Reach
Part 1 · the folder dropdown is the most important privacy decision in the app
2
Two Kinds of Fences You Need: A Sandbox for Commands, Permissions for What Files It Can Touch
Part 2 · Coming soon
Coming soon
Version two

The Terminal (CLI)

The same series, for readers running Claude Code on the command line in the Terminal app. The ideas are identical; the folder names, the commands, and the wording on screen are not.

Start here

Post 0 — the case for the series

Why these risks stay invisible to non-coders, and a preview of all six.

Unknown unknown #1

First, Build a Fence

How to confine the assistant before you ever use it — the first thing to get right.

1
One Folder, Every Time: Where You Start Decides What It Can Reach
Part 1 · where you launch it from decides what it can reach
2
Two Kinds of Fences You Need: A Sandbox for Commands, Permissions for What Files It Can Touch
Part 2 · Coming soon
Coming soon
Start here

Not sure which version you need?

Post 0 makes the case and previews all six risks. It reads the same either way — pick the version that matches how you open Claude Code, and if you don’t know, choose the desktop app.