Whatsapp, like Facebook, is owned by Zuckerberg's Meta.
Signal is owned by the Signal Foundation. And it's more secure. We have a choice.
Whatsapp, like Facebook, is owned by Zuckerberg's Meta.
Signal is owned by the Signal Foundation. And it's more secure. We have a choice.
Say it with me: "If you collect the data, you better have a plan for what happens when it's leaked."
Furthermore, the data broker industry must be destroyed.
https://www.404media.co/hackers-claim-massive-breach-of-location-data-giant-threaten-to-leak-data/
For corporate platforms, "Community Notes" is just a transitional stage to AI-added "context" (and the "AI" label will increasingly be dropped or footnoted).
Meta and X have already begun blending human & AI-generated content towards this end.
Above all, the temptation of controlling the models which annotate and "check" posts will be too great to resist. AI will be framed as being "objective" in ways humans can't be, while serving those who control the models.
Meta seems cooked, but I’m glad we have open and federated alternatives!
Instagram -> https://pixelfed.org
Reels -> https://loops.video + https://vidzy.codeberg.page
Facebook -> https://friendi.ca + https://hubzilla.org
Whatsapp -> https://matrix.org
Spread the word!
Here’s a summary of events of Germany in early 1933 for no reason whatsoever:
The Meta stuff was the very first thing I saw this morning (deeply cursed) but I’m grinding on a related thing already so all I will say is that “relocating” the T&S workforce to a state where it’s illegal to get an abortion is equal parts expedient fawning and robust fascist acceleration.
(If you don't study the super boring parts of historical episodes of fascism, maybe it's easy to miss how central industry is to its narratives and ghastly achievements.)
After Meta's rather disturbing actions today, would you like to move to a Fediverse server that defederates Meta and Threads?
Fedi.Garden is a directory of well-run servers that have all blocked Threads:
All of them are compatible with the requirements listed at https://fedi.garden/about-this-site
#Spotted while recently Roaming in Aotearoa #newzealand
A small human (5?) in a neon pink equestrian helmet is helping her dad in a pony paddock by running up to a giant pile of pony poo and jumping on top of it. It's marvellous fun, but Dad seems unreasonably exasperated for some reason.
A group of four women (50s?) are in magnificent cosplay as Steampunk Lolitas. They're strutting around a small country market with glorious aplomb. Their costumes are on-point. Their confidence is enviable. Regality incarnate.
A backpacker (19?) is standing on the side of a country road. He's pulling comical body building-poses at the cars that pass, grinning when they honk. A camper van pulls over and he gets in, heading towards the next adventure.
A man (30s?) is walking barefoot from a fish and chip shop to the beach in a gentle drizzle. He's got a baby carrier strapped to his front and shielding his tiny human from the rain while stuffing his face with chips at the same time. Vibe is sweet as.
At a chill cafe, a family of Californians are inspecting the menu. A barefoot local approaches them, proclaiming grandly: "There's no decision! Get the fucking pizza. It's AWESOME. I used to work here." Wisdom imparted, he departs.
They get the pizza.
(It is awesome.)
Any typos in this post are looking speculatively at the massive pile of composted punctuation left over from writing these vignettes. If spotted, please arm them with an equestrian helmet and don't mind the mess.
I try to not use my title too much but in response to Zuck's recent speech:
As Queen of the Fediverse I officially declare Threads EXILED from our land
You are not welcome here, get the fuck out
Customer: I need a canary for my coal mine
Security product vendor: you've come to the right place, we have a wide selection of stuffed birds
This is going to be life changing for sooooo many people.
“The vice-president, Kamala Harris, announced early on Tuesday that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was removing $49bn of existing unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of 15 million Americans and will ban the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/07/biden-ban-medical-debt-credit
With Zuckerberg the warning signs were there when he set up a site using women’s photos without consent and invited all the guys to rate them. Maybe that should’ve been enough.
Buh-bye #Threads. Mark Zuckerberg is a disgrace. I'll delete my account later today. Urge others to do as well. Spread the word. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/07/business/meta-fact-checking
2025 is turning out to be very meta so far. Good scoop by 404 Media.
Gravy Analytics was the supplier of location data for the service that both Joe Cox and I wrote about recently at Babel Street that makes it simple to track the whereabouts of hundreds of millions of mobile devices just by looking at mobile ad data. They were recently sued by the FTC.
Hackers Claim Massive Breach of Location Data Giant, Threaten to Leak Data
https://www.404media.co/hackers-claim-massive-breach-of-location-data-giant-threaten-to-leak-data/
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/10/the-global-surveillance-free-for-all-in-mobile-ad-data/
For Americans, the significance of this may not be immediately clear. Europe regulates hate speech and incitement much more aggressively than the US (there's no 1A in Europe, and free speech has a balancing component). Zuck says he will work to reverse these regulations in the EU.
Butane floats on water because it's a lighter fluid.
Weltmeister im Krankfeiern? Die DAK hat die tatsächlichen Gründe für die hohe Zahl der AU-Meldungen analysiert. Lasst euch nix erzählen
https://www.dak.de/presse/bundesthemen/politik-unternehmensnachrichten/dak-analyse-zeigt-ursachen-fuer-rekordkrankenstand-_88050