Beautiful cat on your shoulder, she looks very happy, to be with you. We recently had a chance to check out #mastodonDotAfrica, unfortunately, media there is served by Amazon (aka scAm-azon) servers.
Are you aware?
Are there ethical alternatives available in #SouthAfrica in term of #hostingt? Using s'zon means that they or their partners are in a possible position to see what media ppl are consuming to influence them.
"After quizzing these companies about data practices, I learned that most are sharing what’s happening in my home with Amazon, too. Our data is the price of entry for devices that want to integrate with Alexa. Amazon’s not only eavesdropping — it’s tracking everything happening in your home."
#GeoffreyAFowler, 'Alexa has been eavesdropping on you this whole time'
We are talking about one of the single worst corporations on earth.
> possible AI panic rejection of IA by 'scam'azon
That'd be rich, given they're a primary AI #oceanBoiler. To repent they ought build another fash #datacenter to serve more training data through their Eth blockchain to CloudGlare for serving hcaptchas to hapless humans to train auto-mil drones.
@strypey@pluralistic@PC_Fluesterer@phlogiston
Speaking of #copyright, and how it might be used for good, over the past 3 years (to the month) we've been working on a fediverse icon in collaboartion with random fedizens. We always added on the #copyleft license how the design is AGPLv3 for AGPLv3 softwares that comprise the fediverse. Meaning it cannot be used to link to FalseBook Threa(t)s and their proprietary garbage.
If fedizens use it, it'll nip FBook's #extinguish op in the bud..
@strypey@pluralistic@PC_Fluesterer@phlogiston.
If WP block IA, then IA could block WPost's IP address. Just to make their life a bit more difficult when doing research. Forcing employees to use mix-nets like Tor or I2P, or a VPN/backchannel/proxy etc. :P
If WPost block IA then conceivably they'd need to block Tor, too. Good. Limit access to corporate media even more.
AI is lazy we asked it to spend two cups of water making a meme and it has clearly ignored us.
We made the language accommodate "free-license open-source" licenses. So we think it would be enforceable against actors like Threats/helladoge (latter for years hiding "code" behind a 404, on MSGriftHub).
Its code. SVG. But yes, if we could pay to trademark for softwares that could be stronger, we ourselves, can't do that atm.
Yes the SVG is AGPLv3. And the copyright embedded in the files states the AGPLv3 for AGPLv3 and explains what that means.
We will need to embed the license in the metadata of the files actually.
We think CC-BY-SA is not really the right choice, because it implies we want to to be credited, we don't, we just want to stop malware like Flipboard, Threa(t)s etc.
We want to make it clear that ppl can adapt it, they just need to keep the same copyleft license.
(Aside: Forgot to drop @pluralistic from mentions as we said we would to limit uncalled messages. Will drop @pluralistic and @fsf in next message unless they call)
There is a regrettable #jumpFromTheFrypan (and into the fire)-#tinkeringAtTheEdges, vibe to most of the solutions proposed in #GeoffreyFowler's writings. Article lampoons FBook, scarcely broadening scope. Common. It also elevates (cr)apple and scAm-azon services.
@strypey@phlogiston
The tone is also also defeatist in many ways, with "if you have the time" contact these entities to tell you don't want to be tracked- we mean- seriously.
@strypey@phlogiston@rms
To be fair the "don't use FBook's app" advice is fine, too. But again… tinkering.
FBook is a bad actor. Suppress inconvenient speech to engineer elections (known), and abuse ppl (known), and the author should know that fediverse exists.
Again seems like tinkering-at-the-edges with no real solutions.
Dangerous.
Its dangerous because ppl think they are being informed.
Reminds us of ppl we quizzed in 2021, who boasted "I use #DuckDuckGo now."
@strypey@fsf@phlogiston Interesting history re CC-BY-SA, thanks, we'll be licensing it "CC-BY-SA for AGPLv3 softwares that comprise fediverse". We'll do the clarification soon.
> Very few people know the fediverse exists
If he's worth his salt he'd know about it in 2021, we think the omission is poor. He does suggest deleting an Fbook account but without pointing a person to an alternative, its nullifys that suggestion. A search for 'decentralised social network' is all it takes.
> Using DDG instead of Goggle is a step in either the right direction.
DDG is one option.
> What web search engines do you recommend?
We stopped doing recommendations. We literally roll a dice to pick a #searchEngine these days. They can be played off each other, too. It was super-interesting that #DDG found NOTHING about one FOSS publishers details recently whereas another #searchEngine found plenty.
> He is writing for a general audience, for whom correct use of Tor and TAILS are far beyond the level of adaptation.
No. No. If ppl care they'll adapt to anything. Anyway, Tor is designed to be easy to use. In fact, its too dumbed-down. We have to help ppl by instructing how to use NoScript addon in Safest Mode, like basically everyone who has used Tor for years. Also #uBlock.
As we said "for the more tech savvy", TailsOS is a good option". Ie. just say "for the more tech savvy".
@strypey
> Current fediverse software is nowhere near being a complete replacement for FB.
Disagree strongly
> socio-technical challenges of replacing FB
To be fair Fowler created that idea of deleting one's Fb account. We joined Fedi in 2019 because Fb was total suppressive garbage. We never left Fb we were "suspicious activity'ed" in 2020 for supporting Assange, calling out scams (cough MMT) and being against contact tracing in hands of corporate state. Since 2020 ban, we don't miss FB.
That link has a few dot points and its a good page to reference, but for the average person who just wants to open a browser and do some searches #Tails is pretty wonderful, in every way, really.
Even though we're not fans of GNOME desktop and dislike that they dropped I2P, its still good. Flash-a-USB and forget, almost.
@strypey
We knew that would fire you up. Let's agree to disagree. The effect of the money printer these past years means we're taking our opinion to the grave.
@strypey
FBook is an anti-service. Its a false book, people go on there to be abused in a myriad documented ways, frankly. We do take FB seriously, very seriously, in case you haven't noticed. Everything we need is able to be done on fedi. And better. Groups? There's a service for that too. We've used it and it is fine.
FBook is a awful. And not comparable to fedi. We see a person use it and the bubble they're in is sad. Also they can barely nav the site.
@strypey
Money printer has multiple faces. We are not getting into this. Just drop it, please. We said MMT half-joking and we meant a host of things that were happening 2019/2020.
We're sorry to bring it up, because we know you support inflationary policy.
@strypey
Organisational pages… what now? There are plenty of orgs on fedi.
All those things are possible with fedi, there not a button for some, but there are ways to do the same or very similar thing. It just takes an #askFedi.
FB started out and became popular as a very simple (glorified) subscription service, most grift that came later few need and we think most ppl, if you asked them what they want, really don't care for them. They are largely hostage to #habit and #networkEffect.
Once you see that what the #centralBanks do is deliberate, and they help themselves at the expense of the 97%, and they do it repeatedly, we believe you'll stop defending them.