Empowering Privacy: A World Free from Corporate Surveillance

qcpqrpprrq

If everyone on Earth were to use a privacy-focused operating system like GrapheneOS, people would have the freedom to choose the network services they need, without giving tech giants like Google the ability to track users. Wouldn't that be a more civilized way of living? Why is that not possible? Are humans inherently dependent on the products of these giants, as if they need them to prevent themselves from becoming puppets?

DeletedUser87

qcpqrpprrq

Why is that not possible?

Because the overwhelming majority of the population (<90℅) is already struggling to set up mail, factory reset their phone or install an update. Let's not kid ourselves - if one is to use a privacy focused OS, you need to be somewhat tech literate to even develop a threat model and set up your devices around it. With the way things are going, we're actually moving in the opposite direction.

DeletedUser76

qcpqrpprrq

Reason No.1: Because there are more idiots than intellectuals in this world.

Reason No.2: Because most people still thinks they have nothing to do with security and privacy, and those who are are a hacker, criminal, nerd, etc.

Reason No.3: Because that is the way how capitalism works in these days.

I'm not going to go deeper as this topic will head into politics eventually.

AlphaElwedritsch

qcpqrpprrq If everyone on Earth were to use a privacy-focused operating system like GrapheneOS
qcpqrpprrq Wouldn't that be a more civilized way of living? Why is that not possible?
Wishful thinking, nothing more.
Can't happen. Will not happen.

Franco

The way I see it, there are economic reasons as well: many services are 'free' because we are the product. If everyone prioritizes privacy, it would impact the revenues of big tech companies and many smaller entities. They would need to adopt different business models, including more paid subscriptions, which many people are unwilling to subscribe. Many are happy to trade their privacy for free services.

DeletedUser87

Franco coming full circle here, but that is - again - a tech literacy problem. The normies can't possibly make reasonable decisions when they don't understand the technology. They most likely don't know that every link they click, every tap they make and every place they're at, can and maybe is recorded and their identity is linked across multiple websites and services, to be processed by algorithms. The majority doesn't understand the impact, because surveillance at this scale isn't possible in the real world (without tech). It doesn't really matter if the product is free or not. You can have pretty good privacy with free services, it's just that the normies don't understand the difference. To them, it's just a name or different icon on their screen.

Onlyfun

DeletedUser87 and many of those who understand, dont care about privacy.

DeletedUser69

What is important is YOU realizing that you have a problem and doing something about it. You realistically can't tell other people how to go about their lives, your security and privacy depends entirely on you so you need to start being your own boss instead of making excuses that the whole world in ganging up on you (which it is).

DeletedUser64

My take on this,
Humans are too damn lazy to change, the majority know but don't care or can't be bothered.
Big tech is more than just aware of this, hence all the software and apps that just work, whilst hoovering up all your data all served up in a newer, better, faster, shiny glass brick every year just in time for Christmas... a perfect storm.

Probably9857

DeletedUser64 majority know but don't care or can't be bothered.

True, but a majority is not required.

A significant minority who refuse to compromise would be sufficient to pressure existing businesses to care, and/or to spawn effective competitors.

Change, for better or worse, is always the result of a relatively small minority that cares deeply about an issue.

Eirikr70

DeletedUser64 Humans are too damn lazy to change

More than lazy to change, i would say they (we) follow the dominant model imposed by major entities (states, big companies,...).

Blastoidea

Genius is limited, but stupidity is boundless.
Me 2023

MotherShipton

People have been gradually seduced over a period of time. They now have a 'free' and very capable personal assistant and communication device carried at all times and asking them to give it up now is pretty much impossible without some catastrophic event causing a mass backlash. Either that, or some other tech entrepreneur comes up with a way of making privacy extremely profitable and seduces all the people off in that direction. I'm not an optimist.

MotherShipton

The internet is also an unprecedented way to disseminate targeted propaganda. Anyone who believes they are immune is deluding themselves. It can leave people willing to fight to the death against an imagined enemy to defend the very people who are abusing/exploiting them.