this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2025
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[–] dukeofdummies@lemmy.world 14 points 1 hour ago

I for one cheer and root for my flip phone friends.

I'd never do it, but we have one at work and he's singlehandedly causing so much grief at work. Because none of the engineers wanna use a security app for login. They want a fob.

IT refuses to pay for fobs and wants us to use an app, but they also don't want to pay for a phone for anyone in engineering just to use the security app because it opens a floodgate of people with company phones.

It's just wonderful to watch this fight from the sidelines sipping tea.

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 2 points 26 minutes ago

The same goes for customer loyalty cards. All market tracking schemes should be rightfully banned.

[–] nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 2 points 16 minutes ago

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[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 34 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

everyone wants to force you to use apps instead of websites, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of apps are just websites..in a app wrapper, because normal websites and normal browsers have inbuilt protections for you.

Apps don't.

Idiots install apps, give them the 400,000 permissions they ask for, then go on their merry way..ignorant to the fact that they just installed a data vacuum on their phone thats siphoning everything off of it to be used and sold and resold for marketing purposes.. Even the phone itself its not safe, cause its sitting there, listening to your conversations, even when not on a call, to more "Accurately" spam you with bullshit.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca -1 points 29 minutes ago (2 children)

Phones are not listening and if you have proof post it. No security researcher has ever posted this.

[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 2 points 22 minutes ago

[https://youtu.be/0dGqR4ue8dg](Idk i trust Snowden's take on this over yours)

[–] ArchRecord@lemm.ee 1 points 16 minutes ago

See:

[–] Cool_Name@lemm.ee 6 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I am still using a flip phone. My new goal is to make it to 2027 marking two decades of rejecting the smartphone era. Each time I consider compromising something gets even more awful about smartphones and I double down on saying no.

[–] nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 1 points 9 minutes ago (1 children)

Don't lose hope, lead the resistance!

Out of curiosity, how many flip phones have you used since 2007?

[–] btaf45@lemmy.world 1 points 1 minute ago

Out of curiosity, how many flip phones have you used since 2007?

My current phone is a flip phone. A Samsung Galaxy Flip 5

[–] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 78 points 5 hours ago (11 children)

Phone apps are nothing more than modern toolbars. And in case you forgot or missed this phase of the internet...

[–] Domino@lemmings.world 4 points 33 minutes ago (1 children)

I want a re-made Bonzi buddy with AI.

[–] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 1 points 1 minute ago

I don't vouch for these, as I have not used them. But, I found this rewritten one and this one with LLM.

[–] terminhell@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

No argument there, especially with Bonzi Buddy lol

[–] techforwhat@lemmy.today 1 points 30 minutes ago (2 children)

Could you expand on that thought a bit more? How is an app like the internet tool bars of old?

Genuinely curious. I'm a little too young to have experienced internet toolbars like the ones in your image.

[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 1 points 19 minutes ago (1 children)

Every service and site had their own malicious toolbar they'd ask you to install and / sneak it into the install for other software. They also came loaded with malware and or siphoned data from you. Older/more tech illiterate people would have browsers looking like the picture above and come to you wondering why their computer is so slow or why they keep getting viruses.

[–] Flisty@mstdn.social 1 points 16 minutes ago

@alekwithak @techforwhat Norton Antivirus is still at it

[–] FreakinSteve@lemmy.world 1 points 24 minutes ago
[–] infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I missed that phase because I was using Netscape.

Then you didn't miss it. You glossed over it, like a boss

[–] AstralPath@lemmy.ca 20 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Click to win a FREE LOBSTER Dinner 🦀🦞🦐

Man I miss this era of the internet. It truly felt like a new frontier.

I clicked, but all I got was a dancing stripper and something called Conficker.

[–] 486@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago

Yeah, Bonzi Buddy!

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[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 41 points 5 hours ago (4 children)

As I've been making an effort to replace apps with the browser version of the service. It's so abundantly clear that companies don't want you using their website.

Even if they don't outright cripple functionality, they'll hound you endlessly to install the app.

It's infuriating to say the least.

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[–] dirthawker0@lemmy.world 9 points 4 hours ago (4 children)

I'm in California where we have a grocery chain, Safeway. They've had a loyalty card for decades, which works great, gets you good deals, can be scanned by the checkout clerk or at self checkout. It also racks up points which can be used for discounts.

About 2 years ago I started seeing signs in the store offering even greater savings through the app. There will sometimes be 2 signs side by side for the loyalty card vs the app. The app is always a better deal.

So I downloaded the app and learned

  • the app cannot scan your membership at self checkout, you have to be checked out by a clerk
  • the app's membership number is different from your loyalty card number and the two cannot be merged.
  • because of that your points can't be transferred to the app

It's the dumbest thing ever. Why not just offer the better savings to the loyalty card? Isn't that the whole point behind loyalty? I literally shop at Safeway less often now.

Food Lion (East coast, not sure if they're national) has a fairly good loyalty program. Your loyalty card number on the physical card or in the app are the same, you can load coupons to it so they're applied at checkout if they're relevant, you can use their ordinary website if you don't have/want to use a smart phone app...it's non-cancerous.

[–] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 hours ago

"It’s the dumbest thing ever. Why not just offer the better savings to the loyalty card?"

it's not a flaw. it's a feature.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 10 points 3 hours ago

Loyalty cards werent a great thing either.

They werent to reward your loyalty, they were to tie your purchase history to an individual, So that information can be used and sold for marketing purposes.

It was basically the prototype for the invasive, information stealing apps we have today.

[–] whoisearth@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

My GF laughs because I have no loyalty cards or apps and I laugh that she has one for everything.

Loyalty rewards are bullshit.

[–] limelight79@lemm.ee 4 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

In the US, if you don't have the loyalty card, you're paying more for groceries. For the stores we use, any sale prices are contingent upon using the loyalty card. This can add up to $5-$10 per order.

[–] nossaquesapao@lemmy.eco.br 1 points 19 minutes ago

We used to be free from such bullshit, but some companies have started trying to bring similar systems here in Brazil, especially drugstore brands that would ask for our id number in every order to give "discounts". Fortunately, this practice is now being investigated, and I hope the companies lose the case.

[–] whoisearth@lemmy.ca 1 points 43 minutes ago

Oh the same bullshit is done here with Loblaws. I don't care. They have my info every time I use my credit card at their store that's all they need and it's all they get.

If I have to pay more because they're greedy little fuckpigs so be it.

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