Happy 10th anniversary to Spyware 2.0 – the video we released at the launch of Ind.ie (what is now Small Technology Foundation¹).
Have we learned any lessons in those ten years, I wonder.
#spyware #SiliconValley #BigTech #technology #fascism #technoFascism #peopleFarming #surveillance #capitalism #surveillanceCapitalism
We’re reading “the Sirens’ Call” by MSNBC commentator Chris Hayes. The book brings together several themes that interest me: the evils of #surveillancecapitalism; disinformation on #socialmedia; #privacy rights; and how our personal freedom is harmed by abuses in these areas.
He quotes Phaedrus, a book I’ve always meant to read since encountering it in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance decades ago. Maybe now I will.
A banality just occured to me. I love when that happens. It often signals something important stirring inside. It is that there's no position from which you can see all of the #Fediverse. Donna #Haraway calls it the god's eye view. Instead, knowledges are "situated" - specific servers from which you see something particular, not everything. It is baked into the protocol. The task now is to unlearn the paradigm of #surveillancecapitalism, care for our worlds and build bridges between them.
Mozilla can suspend or end anyone’s access to Firefox at any time for any reason, including if Mozilla decides not to offer Firefox anymore.
Does this sound like any Open Source app or organisation that you know? Or does this sound like proprietary software? It begs the question will Firefox remain Open Source?
5/N
Every once in a while, Mozilla may decide to update these Terms. We will post the updated Terms online. We will take your continued use of Firefox as acceptance of such changes. We will post an effective date at the top of this page to make it clear when we made our most recent update.
Why not use Firefox to notify changes? There's already a version check. User hostile / deceptive pattern. Very techbro 
4/N
How to opt-out of parties using your data, for AI training or other purposes:
...yep, the short one that you can only really use with #GoogleMaps
I avoid them because #SurveillanceCapitalism and also it's really useless at detail compared to @organicmaps or #osmand
@organicmaps supports the long version not the short.
#what3words is awful for reasons that the fedi discusses at length.
numeric lat,lon are hard to read and #signal makes it impossible to copy them from a message.
degrees, minutes, seconds don't share well.
I wish OLC was better supported.
Good Night, Tech Right!
PDF #Zine
„We’re excited to announce a new zine version of Good Night, Tech Right: Pull the Plug on AI Fascism, a deep-dive into the influence of far-Right and neo-fascist politics on the emerging bloc of tech billionaires within the Trumpian state, and its push to cement Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a new regime of capital accumulation.
With anger only rising against techno-fascists like #ElonMusk and calls for protests against #Tesla growing, we hope this zine offers people a resource and chance to start discussions around our shifting landscape.“
https://itsgoingdown.org/good-night-tech-right-pdf-zine/ via @igd_news
i need checkout clerks to start shouting the amount i spend per item on over-priced groceries, then blare the total amount across the store for all to hear what a sucker i am, or the volume on the self-checkout machines can fuck off!
The Enclosure of Information: Alternative Data, Bossware, and the Societies of Control
"If the enclosure of land led to peasant revolts, what forms of resistance might emerge against the enclosure of data? The answer is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the commodification of information serves only to reinforce class hierarchies. As financial elites manipulate alternative data for speculative gain and employers use bossware to extract ever more surplus-value, the question we must ask is not merely how to regulate these practices, but how to dismantle the very system that enables them. A society built on the enclosure of knowledge is not a free society. It is a society of control, and it is time to resist."
Internet per Satellit: Welche Gefahr birgt Elon Musks Starlink?
Die Macht des Techmilliardärs
„Trump-Berater Elon Musk hat nicht nur Einfluss auf die US-Regierung, leitet Tesla und die Social-Media-Plattform X – er baut mit Starlink auch eine weltweite Internet-Infrastruktur auf. Inzwischen verhandelt das erste EU‑Land mit ihm über einen Deal. Wie gefährlich ist es, wenn selbst das Internet in der Hand des reichsten Mannes der Welt liegt?“
This is so relevant.
fire by @aral - 5 years ago, but so relevant it feels like it was given yesterday
Good Night, Tech-Right: Pull The Plug On AI Fascism
„The Tech-Right is united, but less by their scattered reactionary ideologies, and more by their shared class interests. They want us divided, thinking we’ll fight each other over the scraps they offer us, or by generating the latest outrage on social media platforms they control.
We need to organize and build around our shared class interests, reaching across divisions, around common goals and struggles. We want homes for everyone. We want a livable planet for our children. We want control over our labor. We want to abolish the systems that are destroying us.
In the 1990s, anarchists, labor unions, anti-sweatshop activists, and environmental groups helped mobilize thousands in militant protests against corporate globalization, all under a Democratic president. Using decentralized networks, independent media, and affinity groups, they helped to create a growing movement, rooted in anti-capitalist analysis and direct action. We did it before, we can do it again.“
The oligarchs want a king. Let’s give them a peasants’ revolt instead.“
Via @igd_news
https://itsgoingdown.org/good-night-tech-right-pull-the-plug-on-ai-fascism/
Hi all, joining all the cool kids over here 
#introduction
I’m probs a weird addition to the #infosec server. I’ve always been anti techbro (of the Muskian kind) and #surveillancecapitalism , but burned a decade in the ivory tower on evolutionary biology (#genomics). Now I work in #healthdatascience and have stumbled into dev work on data privacy, ethics, #GDPR, and safer (?!) data sharing. And… yikes!
A cybersec buddy linked me. I’m here to learn, and glad this community exists. 
Tussen de middag tijdens de lunchwandeling jullie podcast beluisterd:
Mooi om jullie zorgen over de "broligarchs" te horen die tijdens Trumps inauguratie aanwezig waren.
Gaan we op #Tweakers nu wat meer artikelen lezen over Europese alternatieven voor X, Meta en wellicht Europese Cloud alternatieven voor Amazon en Azure? En wat meer over ont-googelen en ont-Apple-en?
Ik zie er naar uit!
@aral I would argue that capitalism per se is not the problem. 'Capitalism unrestrained by democratic institutions' is the killer.
And #surveillancecapitalism is a new form of capitalism this century that is particularly bad due to its covert nature.
I’m sorry folks but I’m going to remove Windows support from Kitten¹.
It’s been a long time coming (read what’s in the Windows tab of the current installation section – https://kitten.small-web.org/#get-started – if you want a longer rant) and I simply refuse to even test under that horribly hostile operating system. I don’t want anything to do with it and nor will I pay Microsoft a single Euro cent for the pleasure of having its AI and surveillance shoved down my throat so I can support that shitty platform with my work.
Windows has absolutely nothing going for it. Want a proper proprietary OS that isn’t shit? Use macOS. Want a proper free and open OS? Use some modern flavour of Linux. There’s no reason to use a proprietary OS that exploits you while having all the usability of a Linux desktop from ten years ago.
(The only valid use case I can see for Windows is if you’re forced to use it by circumstances beyond your control – e.g., your employer dictating it, etc. And that’s why I’ve supported it so far – and then only under WSL, which has its own issues, making the Windows experience sub-par to the macOS and Linux experience anyway.)
I’m only one dev and this move will simplify the codebase further (always a good thing) and free up cycles that can be used to better test/support Kitten on a wider range of Linux distributions.
Balancing Privacy and Assistive Technology: The Case for Large Language Models
In today’s digital world, the tension between privacy and technology is more pronounced than ever. I’m deeply concerned about the implications of surveillance capitalism—especially the spyware embedded in our devices, cars, and even our bodies. This pervasive technology can lead to a loss of autonomy and a feeling of being constantly monitored. Yet, amidst these concerns, assistive technology plays a critical role, particularly for those of us with neurological impairments.
I recently read a thought-provoking post by @serge that highlighted the importance of sharing perspectives on this issue.
<iframe src="https://babka.social/@serge/113754269997543779/embed" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-forms"></iframe>
With the rise of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, we’re seeing a shift toward more accessible and user-friendly technology. Local LLMs offer a viable alternative to big tech solutions, often running on specially laptops or even compact devices like Raspberry Pi. For many, including myself, LLMs are invaluable tools that enhance communication, summarize information, transcribe voice, facilitate learning, and help manage tasks that might otherwise feel overwhelming. They can help strike the right emotional tone in our writing and assist in understanding complex data—capabilities that are especially crucial for those of us facing neurological challenges.
While the goal of eliminating surveillance capitalism is commendable, banning technology outright isn’t the answer. We must recognize the significance of LLMs for individuals with disabilities. Calls to remove these technologies can overlook their profound impact on our lives. For many, LLMs are not just tools; they are lifelines that enable us to engage with the world more fully. Removing access to these resources would only isolate individuals who already face significant barriers. Instead, we should focus on utilizing local LLMs and other privacy-focused alternatives.
This situation underscores the need for a nuanced approach to the intersection of privacy and assistive technology. Open-source LLMs, like Piper, exemplify how we can create locally run voice models that are accessible to everyone, even on low-cost devices. Advocating for privacy must go hand in hand with considering the implications for those who rely on these technologies for daily functioning. Striking a balance between protecting individual privacy and ensuring access to vital assistive tools is not just necessary; it’s imperative.
In conclusion, LLMs represent a promising avenue for assisting individuals with neurological impairments. By embracing local and open-source solutions, we can protect our privacy while ensuring that everyone has access to the tools they need to thrive. The conversation around privacy and technology must continue, focusing on inclusivity and empowerment for all.
I use SpeechNotes installed locally all the time, and I’d love to hear how you use LLMs as assistive technology! Do you run your LLM locally? Share your experiences!
