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On the two year anniversary of joining #Mastodon I'm super proud to share:

🚀 The Future is Federated - issue no.13 👩‍🚀

"The #Fediverse has empowered me to take back control from Big Tech. Now I want to help others do the same."

https://blog.elenarossini.com/the-fediverse-has-empowered-me-to-take-back-control-from-big-tech-now-i-want-to-help-others-do-the-same/

with mentions of @forgeandcraft (who made this awesome Fediverse t-shirt) @phanpy @ivory @Tusky @nimi @Roneyb @davidoclubb

#FOSS #FLOSS #Matrix #TheFutureIsFederated #blog #tech #activism #BigTech #socialmedia #education


Curtis Yarvin describes himself as a “dark elf” saving the know-nothing “hobbits” of the US public with an anti-democratic, pro-tech politics.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to Julia Black to understand how his popularity has grown and why tech billionaires are echoing his extreme ideas.

Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/244_the_dark_elf_leading_techs_extreme_right_w_julia_black

#tech #politics #fascism #uselection


It's been interesting reading this #reddit thread. People are understandably upset about the prospect of #youtube showing ads during the pause screen. Lots of people threatening to leave YouTube, but at the end of the day, most won't.

There are alternatives. I've been running #tilvids for over 4 years now. We have great content creators like @thelinuxEXP sharing content. All people have to do is actually start voting with their eyeballs...

https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1fkbjtk/youtube_confirms_your_pause_screen_is_now_fair/

#tech #Technology #google


“More than 90% of the public library digital market is controlled by one private equity leveraged company that bypasses the library through their app, which makes digital readers think the rental app is their library. In the worst case scenario, this decision gives publishers carte blanche to continue to force libraries into unconscionable monopoly contracts and lock them into their closed surveillance apps.”

https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/were-still-fighting-for-fair-use

#tech #reading #books #library


Google has been declared a monopolist, but will the company finally be broken up or are we about to see the limits of antitrust once again?

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke with Rob Larson about where Google’s monopoly fight goes from here and what we should remember about how Microsoft evaded being broken up in the early 2000s.

Full ep: https://techwontsave.us/episode/238_will_googles_monopoly_be_broken_up_w_rob_larson

#tech #google #antitrust #competition #monopoly #microsoft


In the face of massive layoffs, video game workers are unionizing in record numbers — with new wall-to-wall unions at Bethesda and Blizzard’s World of Warcraft team.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to Taylor Welling and Kathryn Friesen about their union campaigns and the state of the industry.

Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/236_unionizing_the_video_game_industry_w_taylor_welling__kathryn_friesen

#tech #gaming #videogames #union #microsoft #blizzard #bethesda #wow

We're just the beginning of the line of dominoes right? We are showing that it is possible to organize a game workers union, especially under Microsoft. I would love to see every game studio under ZeniMax, under Microsoft unionized. And then eventually the rest of the industry.


Israel’s genocide in Gaza depends on the infrastructure and services of tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke with Mohammad Khatami and Gabi Schubiner of No Tech for Apartheid about how tech workers are pushing back on the companies’ complicity and trying to end their relationships with Israel.

Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/235_no_tech_for_apartheid_w_mohammad_khatami__gabi_schubiner

#tech #israel #gaza #palestine #genocide #google #microsoft #amazon

Pre-October, all I ever knew was that Google really doesn't want you to talk about this, and they will silence you at any chance they get. Post-October, it was like not only will the company silence you, but if other workers are literally stalking you or accusing you of terrorism, the company will not do anything about that.


The crypto industry isn’t dead yet. In fact, it’s one of the biggest funders in this US election cycle.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to @molly0xfff to discuss what crypto boosters want from their nearly $200 million in campaign spending.

Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/235_crypto_is_spending_millions_to_sway_the_us_election_w_molly_white

#tech #crypto #politics #bitcoin

"The story used to be that Bitcoin is a protection, from the fluctuations of the stock market, from inflation, that it's a store of value, much like gold. We're really seeing that fall apart as the stock market has been more volatile and crypto prices have been right along with it. Crypto is similar to other high risk asset classes."


Shopify says it’s a different kind of company, yet it enables right-wing extremists to profit from Nazi memorabilia and hateful merchandise, and its COO cofounded a far-right “news” site.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to @llebrun and @atRachelGilmore about the right-wing politics driving Shopify’s leaders.

https://techwontsave.us/episode/232_shopifys_right_wing_inner_circle_w_luke_lebrun__rachel_gilmore

#tech #podcast #shopify

"Shopify said that if you feel as though you cannot hold this tension, you can talk to your boss about whether you can continue to feel engaged at Shopify, which to me reads like a threat to your job. Either get, on board with us allowing really gross vendors to monetize through our services, or you can quit."


Heads-up for the #PeerTube community, it appears Google has been blocking many tools/IP ranges that try to synchronize with YouTube. At least for the creators on #tilvids this is a massive challenge, because they can no longer sync THEIR content on multiple platforms, requiring them to manually upload to both TILvids AND #youtube We appreciate our creators going the extra mile, and please remember this is why it's so important to support alternative platforms.

https://github.com/Chocobozzz/PeerTube/issues/6522

#tech


Heute stellen wir Ihnen unsere neue Rubrik 5 Fragen zu... vor. Den Anfang machen wir mit 5 Fragen zu #Rust an den Software Engineer Daniél Kerkmann!

Lesen Sie in unserem Beitrag, warum wir bei #Opentalk auf die #Programmiersprache Rust setzen, welchen Einfluss Rust auf unsere technische Architektur hat und Antworten auf drei weitere spannende Fragen 👇
https://opentalk.eu/de/news/5-fragen-zum-einsatz-der-programmiersprache-rust-bei-opentalk

#OpenSource #digitaleSouveränität #techstack #tech #programming #RustLang


𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟬𝘀…
I worked hard on some 3D artwork. Now I'm going to publish it on social media and enjoy the likes and responses. 😊

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬𝘀…
I worked hard on some 3D artwork. Before it will be ready to publish, I need to make a compilation of work-in-progress screenshots and wireframes, to prove that it's not AI-generated, and to avoid people asking what AI prompt I used to generate the image. 😖😖

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #tech #BigTech #GenerativeAI #design #art #3D #CreativeToots #FediArt #MastoArt


Millions Of #google #whatsapp #Facebook #2FA #Security Codes #Leak Online

Security experts advise against using SMS messages for two-factor authentication codes due to their vulnerability to interception or compromise. Recently, a security researcher discovered an unsecured database on the internet containing millions of such codes, which could be easily accessed by anyone.

#news #tech #technews #technology #privacy

https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/03/06/millions-of-google-whatsapp-facebook-2fa-security-codes-leak-online/


Now TROMnews has categories for the news to make it a lot easier to sort through them.

The homepage also got a bit of a rework for the News section:

TROMnews is now far better than it was before. If you'd like to support this work please consider helping us here https://www.tromsite.com/donate/

#tromlive #news #science #environment #climatechange #tech #foss


Over the past few years, Spotify spent big to try to take over podcasting. Now it’s shutting down shows, laying off workers, and disappearing well-known brands. What happened?

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to Eric Silver about Spotify’s big plan to enclose podcasts so it could get more data and diversify away from music. Needless to say, it didn’t work.

https://techwontsave.us/episode/204_how_spotify_tried_to_take_over_podcasting_w_eric_silver

#tech #podcast #spotify #audio #media

Eric Silver: "Spotify, tried to do a vertical monopoly. It reminds me of the movies in the 30s, where it's like, 'We own the actors. We own the director. We own the script. You're going to film it on our lot. Our editor is going to be overseen by a guy in a suit standing over his shoulder, making sure he's not communist, and then we're going to put it out in our theaters.' And that feels very similar to what Spotify did."


We’re over a year into this cycle of AI hype, but how does the real impact of the technology compare to what tech CEOs have spent all their time warning us about?

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to @timnitGebru about how they distracted us from the real problems with AI to shape regulation and serve themselves.

https://techwontsave.us/episode/203_ai_hype_distracted_us_from_real_problems_w_timnit_gebru

#ai #openai #samaltman #tech

Timnit Gebru: "They want us to think they're creating some magical being that can solve the world's problems if we just let them do their thing. They want to keep us [focused] on that discourse so we're not looking at the actual practices they're engaging in."


People can be as upset about this as they want, but so long as they continue to watch #YouTube they continue tacitly supporting their user-hostile actions. If you really want to make a difference, stop watching, and tell content creators why. When you can convince them to move to platforms that don't shove ads down your throat every 3 minutes, THAT is when you'll see #Google change their tune.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/01/youtube-appears-to-be-reducing-video-and-site-performance-for-ad-block-users/

#tech #technology #enshitification #PeerTube #tilvids



What are the big takeaways from 2023? @xoxogossipgita, @molly0xfff, and Aaron Thorpe join me for a great year-end chat on AI hype, tech villains, and other big stories of the year!

Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/200_the_year_in_tech_2023_w_gita_jackson_molly_white__aaron_thorpe

#tech #2023 #elonmusk #jeffbezos #ai

Tech Won’t Save Us presents The Year In Tech with Gita Jackson, Molly White, Aaron Thorpe, and Paris Marx


So did I mention that no company or government pays me for the work I do?

But you can support my work if you want to live in a world where we have the Small Web as an alternative to the Big Web of Google, Facebook, and other people farmers.

https://small-tech.org/fund-us

#SmallWeb #SmallTech #funding #foss #freeSoftware #openSource #web #dev #tech #technology


Dual monitor advice: Purposely turn down the brightness of your "secondary" monitor.

What I'd really love is a way for my desktop environment (currently Gnome, but this should count for windows too) to automatically dim other when content goes fullscreen on one monitor. But for now, dimming the other monitor works. #tech #computers #dualmonitor


It’s hard to watch the horrific scenes coming from Gaza and the escalating death toll, which includes such a high number of children.

I was happy to speak with @marwasf about the information war on social media, internet shutdowns enforced by Israel, and what people can do to support Palestinian rights in this moment.

Listen to the episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/194_the_information_war_in_gaza_w_marwa_fatafta

#tech #israel #gaza #palestine #ceasefirenow

Marwa Fatafta, policy and advocacy director at Access Now. “You have so much power, more than you think you have. And every act of solidarity, no matter how big or small, is extremely, extremely important.”


Przyszedł mi właśnie nowy Android... Wszystko pięknie ładnie, ale jak ja mam to włożyć do napędu..? Proszę o pomoc i RT w tejże sprawie.

#mem #tech

#tech #mem


Touchscreen card devices may prevent blind customers paying

'Blind customers are being left "frustrated" and "embarrassed" by inaccessible payment devices. Some shops have buttonless touchscreen card readers, meaning you need sight to tap in your PIN'

Very short-sighted tech developers. They should have thought about this, and about the security issues. As should the businesses involved.

#disability #technology #tech

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-67239870


I love how this “Created by AI, edited by humans” summary of the chat I had with Doc this month starts off mildly enough with “A great chat on FLOSS Weekly regarding alternate funding models to support ethical tech projects…“ and ends a few paragraphs later with “…Balkan provided an urgent call to action to avoid extinction at the hands of unchecked capitalism.”

Well that escalated quickly!

😬 👍

https://twit.tv/posts/inside-twit/aral-balkan-calls-new-funding-models-support-ethical-tech

#tech #ethics #BigTech #SmallTech #BigWeb #SmallWeb #VC #capitalism


This is the latest #youtube "innovation". #Google with a market cap of $1.7 trillion and $120 billion cash on hand, "needs" to charge for ads on YouTube.

This is, of course, not true. They have more than enough revenue to run YouTube without ads in perpetuity, but they want to please shareholders. The #Peertube community is showing how you can distribute the costs of hosting content as well. If you don't support Google's continued monetization of monopolized video...vote with your feet.

#tech

Screenshot of YouTube homepage bothering users to disable ad blockers so that they can monetize them with intrusive advertisements.


‘The ‘non-profit start-up’ Thorn, founded by actor Ashton Kutcher, is a driving force behind the EU’s campaign to scan the net for child abuse material. Newly public documents and financial information obtained by Follow the Money reveal the blurred boundaries between Thorn’s do-good public face and the powerful business behind it.’

https://www.ftm.eu/articles/ashton-kutchers-non-profit-start-up-makes-millions-from-fighting-child-abuse-online
#tech #law #eu #privacy #surveillance #gdpr


The Luddites weren’t backward technophobes. They saw factory owners using tech to degrade their livelihoods and they fought back — first by trying to negotiate, then writing to Parliament, and finally smashing the machines.

As workers today organize and strike over bosses using digital tech to upend their industries, there’s a lot we can learn from the Luddites’ story. I was thrilled to dig into it with @brianmerchant!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1004689/13638517-the-real-history-of-the-luddites-w-brian-merchant

#tech #history #luddite #workers


We often hear about the challenges facing San Francisco, but we don’t hear nearly enough about how tech billionaires wield their power to serve themselves even if it means making life for everyone else harder.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke with SF District 5 Supervisor @deanpreston about the robotaxi chaos in the city and the many ways the tech industry tries to shape local politics for their ends.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1004689/13544176-how-tech-wields-its-power-in-san-francisco-w-dean-preston

#tech #sf #politics


Venture capitalists are parasites that deploy harmful technologies in the name of profit and control. Now they’re fueling AI hype not to improve the world, but to make a quick buck.

On #TechWontSaveUs, Edward Ongweso Jr. outlines why we need to abolish venture capital if we have any hope of creating better technology and actually improving people’s lives.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1004689/13377584-abolish-venture-capital-w-edward-ongweso-jr

#tech #ai #vc #finance


A Ton Of Folks Don’t Know What ‘Right To Repair’ Is, But Strongly Support It Once They Do https://www.techdirt.com/2023/07/21/a-ton-of-folks-dont-know-what-right-to-repair-is-but-strongly-support-it-once-they-do/ #RightToRepair #technology #tech


Musk failed to get the necessary permits to change Twitter’s building signage to X, and the police shut it down just in time for “er” to remain. #twitter #tech #elonmusk #x #twittermigration #twitterlogo #elon #musk
Pic of twitter Hq with sign coming down


The shady world of Brave selling copyrighted data for AI training

#tech #technology #news #technews #internet #Brave #Bravebrowser #ChatGPT

https://stackdiary.com/brave-selling-copyrighted-data-for-ai-training/


Israel has had Palestinians under occupation for decades, and that allows weapons companies to test and develop new technologies on them that can then be sold abroad.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to Antony Loewenstein about how that tech is developed, what it means for Palestinians, and how the Israeli government uses oppressive tech for diplomatic leverage.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1004689/13212302-how-israel-uses-occupation-to-develop-military-tech-w-antony-loewenstein

#tech #israel #weapons #military