28
votes
Big Tech won’t let you leave. Here’s a way out.
Link information
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- Authors
- Cory Doctorow, Andy Greenberg, Julian Chokkattu, Paresh Dave, Parker Hall, Gina Neff, Susie Alegre, Jennifer Pahlka, Hannah Ritchie, Arline Geronimus, Joy Buolamwini, Naomi Alderman, Scott Shapiro
- Published
- Jan 17 2024
- Word count
- 806 words
It depends what it is, but for free services, I don't think a migration is that hard? Just because an account is still open doesn't mean it's where you live. The way to do it is to create another account, use both for a while, and then stop posting to the old one. You can wait a long time to close it if you ever do. By that time, the data is pretty stale, and you might not have much historical data to transfer.
The part that seems trickier to set up (and I haven't bothered to figure out) is automatically syncing accounts as backup, in case you lose one unexpectedly.
I was under the impression the migration cost was more in losing the people/content you already know and enjoy. More applicable to social media that involves connecting to and keeping up to date with others you personally know like Facebook, but I think losing content creators you enjoy the work of would also apply. The latter would be especially prevalent for something like Youtube, for example.
You have to start somewhere. Creating a new account and getting some friends to do it too would be a start. You can still use Facebook for some relatives.
There are several possible directions that a change can come from but I don't think a positive change in a relatively short timeframe is likely if the majority of people are simply not willing to take a minor hit to convenience or a minor sacrifice to bring their personal behavior more in line with what would be beneficial long term.
In this case no one needs(not as a standard user) FB, X, Reddit, Discord or whatnot and they(and vastly more platforms) have demonstrated beyond any doubt that they will push the line of making their service worse as much as it can be pushed.
And if someone actually, truly needs a platform like that it is not necessary to quit it completely, the use can be minimized with negligible impact on one's life.
This works for some people, but the platforms are designed to be as engaging and addictive as possible. It's easy for them to have negative impacts on mental health
Mostly I added it to cover an edge case where someone needs the exposure and uses it for community building(mostly various artists) or when you have to use it to keep contact for work. It is better to just ignore them exactly because of what you said.
It would be nice if legislation stopped the addictive elements but for now people have to recognize if the platform is actually good for them and quit it when it is not. It is not good but it is where we live in.
Archive link for paywall:
https://archive.is/eKr0j
I had just gotten to the bit about enshittification when the paywall popped up. This isn't the most egregious example of course, not by a long sight, but it was funny nonetheless.
I did not really see a solution - offered by the article.
On the other hand, this is what the ActivityPub protocol is all about. You can change platforms, but still interact with the same people.
Hasn't happened yet though.
I think the solution offered was interoperability, and pointed to legislation which may be making it possible, rather than pointing you to a particular service or method to do so. It’s suggesting that the services and methods may not yet exist but that fact might be changing soon
When some one asks for PII, Lie, Poison, and Obfuscate but never comply.
I use completely opposite approach. If you google my nickname, you will find many information about me. If you are skillful, you may probably even find my home address (my country's leg of Anonymous did when I talked with them on IIRC once, which I knew they actually should be able to do). I use my online identity as I would do with my real one. If I talk about somethingon the internet I do it the same way I would in person - that means censoring myself and saying only things I would say aloud if we were talking with each other.
Yes, big companies have data available for me and can identify me, I know that. I take this also as in real life - If I go to eshop here I would need to inout the right phone number, email and home address otherwise I won't be able to order things. I wouldn't give my contacts to other people though like I do with Google. I don't use Facebook, WhatsApp and similar though, so they can't pair me with other people and identify me in this way.
This age is pretty perverse (for thelack of a better word).
Yea Wayback machine has some pretty cringeworthy blog posts of mine from almost 20 years ago. I do my best to keep my social media accounts unlinkable back to my real identity. I can't stop someone that knows me irl from finding it but I don't need some unhinged rando that's mad because I disagreed with them on a Reddit thread from doxxing me.
Yeah, I'm not pushing anyone to follow my lead. You do you and I completely understand your points why you do you. And I also understand the points about privacy.
I also have some online history I wouldn't be proud of, I'm certain of that. I believe I din't write something actually offensive though. Maybe got into argument with someone but not really dehonesting one.
I hope I do well in non-existing online behaviour rating :-)
Oh my god, that’s fascinating! Like, maybe she thinks she’s getting one over on you, but what happens if you let it go through, then report it stolen?!? Like, if it’s in your name, as in legal documentation declaring ownership, you could just take control/ownership of it?!?
Ah okay, yeah I didn’t think about the fact that you’d only find out when you have bills/fines to pay for it. That makes sense!
Every time I go to try to be super anonymous on the internet I realize I'm applying for jobs where you kinda sorta have to put your info out there and I've been finding it very frustrating lately from a privacy perspective.