Google takes away our ability to block ads. Elon takes away our ability to block content. HP takes away our ability to print with ink we purchased, unless we also pay a subscription. Adobe takes away our ability to own software. Interesting world…
Everything you mentioned is simply a subset of “[corporation] takes away our ability to own property” (i.e., trying to usurp our fundamental property right to control our computer). You can also add Apple and John Deere “right to repair” to the list, along with automakers trying to lock capabilities of the machine we already payfor behind paywalled subscriptions. It’s all the same underlying issue.
Make no mistake: corporations are waging a war on the public’s right to own property, and we’re going to be forcibly returned to serfdom if we don’t start fighting back.
You’ll own nothing…
trying to usurp our fundamental property right
Clearly nothing fundamental about these rights if they can be so casually stripped away.
Luckily there are alternatives to all of these.
Duck duck go can replace Google search. Dropbox can replace Google drive. Firefox can replace Chrome.
Mastodon replaces x / Twitter
Go buy a brother printer instead of HP
As far as Adobe, we do have photopea… The rest are harder.
…
Illustrator → Inkscape
Lightroom → Darktable/CaptureOne/Rawtherapee
They may need some getting used to if you come from adobe, but they are all very capable.
Inkscape doesn’t support typeface tracking which is a problem for me. I use Affinity Designer, which isn’t free, but also isn’t a subscription model.
GIMP / Krita.
non-free bad.
Duck duck go can replace Google
Eh. We’ll see how long that lasts. All these big firms tend to follow the pack.
Go buy a brother printer instead of HP
Honestly, best hardware decision I’ve made in a while.
@01189998819991197253 @band_on_the_run in all fairness the ability to block a user is a lot different than the ability to block ads as Google is selling you a service by serving you ads.
They got a one letter app on the app store. They get special privilege.
Getting rid of the block function is like trying to run email without a spam filter. Elon musk/ Twitter was already out of control. Now they’ve completely lost their minds, even more than they already had.
Curious if anyone here is still finding a need for X network in their day to day lives?
I was never big on Twitter so had no trouble leaving when Elon bought.
The biggest problem is articles online still quoting, linking to, and embedding Tweets
Honestly I think the future of the internet is in the hands of a few US judges, not billionaires who own these platforms.
Once Section 230 hits the courts, the entire way the internet works could get flipped onto its head.
How so? Honest question
Oh gosh, I just started typing out a response. The. Started sourcing and realized this would take me a ton of time. There are a lot of people way more educated on this, especially the actual potential legal outcomes if this is tried.
I am going to wait to see if someone more knowledgeable chimes in before going through the effort of making a well sourced and researched response.
Sharing links works, too, if typing the response is too much work
Well I apparently wasn’t paying attention and the case that most were sweating about was settled in the Supreme Court earlier this year. Gonzalez V. Google.
But there are a number of worrying bills introduced to Congress recently like the CASE-IT ACT the See Something, Say Something Online Act of 2023 and a handful of others, with more being actively discussed.
There is also this case that seems destined to go to the Supreme Court. I think some worry that eventually if congress doesn’t rewrite the laws the SC will feel the need to. Laws have finesse, SC decisions generelly have larger impact as they unravel a bunch or interconnected laws until new legislation is passed. A court decision could overnight mean everyone who hosts content is then liable, I don’t think I have to explain to see how that will go sideways for any smaller players on the web.
