this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2025
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Privacy
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You can stop using Google and Apple... It's that simple. But it seems that you, like many other, want their cake and eat it too...
Some countries allow the corpos to lock your device down when you delete it, and they have collaborated with the providers to disallow Open Source OS alternatives like Lineage. The only way I know of is to get a Pixel, which is still owned by Google, and then I think only one provider allows the after market OS to function on network. For those of us entering a dictatorship gov, it really sucks.
Well, then there's a market for someone to crack...
If only there was someone that could afford as much lobbying as Google and Apple, we would have another parasite that was just as bad. Lets just get CB radios. Maybe morse code. God, what a shit show. This country is so fucked.
I believe it depends more on people-power, than on their wealth. That's why they spend so much money on lobbying - it's a testament to how scared they are.
I dont know if that indicates that theyre scared, its just part of the maintenance cost of their empires
You don't spend money on something that you don't get profit from. That's just plain logic. They know, if they don't keep spending money here, some politician would end their monopoly.
Of course. Im just saying i dont believe theyre scared because they know they will continue to have more than enough money for lobbying. Its probably very cheap in comparison to what they get out if it. Any business has necessary maintenance costs
"Any business has necessary maintenance costs"... Sure, but not every firm pays to manipulate and bribe politicians, to keep a monopoly.
Right, not every firm is a monopoly. Bribing politicians is a necessary maintenance cost of keeping a monopoly. We agree.
So, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Adobe and so forth, is not monopolies?
Why? You think they don't do lobbying? Their cartels do constitute monopolies in my view
So you think they are monopolies... Good - that's what they are.
Yes :)
It's different for every one, but for me it would mean, I can't use Microsoft authenticator, so I can't do my job anymore, as it is required to access my mail, teams, files, logging worked hours, etc etc.
I can't use any of my bank apps anymore, I can't use my phone anymore for paying in a store or checking in public transportation.
And many more apps that would stop working.
Tell your employer to provide you a corpo phone.
You shouldn't be using personal device for anything related to your job imho
I do freelance work, so they would just tell me to get it myself. But I really don't want to have multiple phones. In don't use teams or mail on my phone anyway, only the authenticator apps (we have multiple).
That's fair.
Sure but what's a viable alternative for normies? It would be simple if a viable alternative existed. For normies, I reiterate.
It's to do the grass root movement, and get enough to demand it, for a provider to feel the need to expand their customer base that way...
Normies don't care about that. They care about WhatsApp, Instagram and tiktoks.
The normie is the battle ground.
They need better info and they need to be hurt by corpos for change to heppen.
Uk age verification should see a bump in freedom enjoyer ranks
Until they don't... and please don't call then normies, when they really are manipulated...
Normie is not an insult or derogatory. It just means "normal person", who is usually not very tech savy.
Most Normies don't care about privacy. They know, accept and are ok with their data being collected and sold in "free" services.
I don't agree. Most people I know, just don't know how it should be different...
Quite a comfortable way to do this is with grapheneOS. That really gives you a choice. Can't say much about each and every app, how they run. Although most of my usage hasn't changed much with grapheneOS as I changed from gsm-free custom ROMs. Works quite good with a nextcloud.
How it's possible to stop using google or apple? By doing it...
You have accurately identified a major part of the problem. Many people are unwilling to change their habits, or don't have the patience to learn new tools.
The other element though is time, many people don't have the time to stop and learn. Especially when a problem like privacy is a lot less immediate than hunger or healthcare.
But the frustration among people are also growing, and that should be used/channeled to make a change.
So, do enlighten me, beside the fact that you are obviously addicted to the smartphone, how will your life be worse without privacy?
PS. Does anyone chase something for the sake of something else? That sounded a little silly...