@j Forgive my ability to read tone 😅

@jake4480 @HailsandAles There's a lot of Discord alternatives out there. About the only thing it did better than most that got it where it is today is voice chat for gamers.

They no longer have that on lockdown, so move on to other things.

I think https://github.com/stoatchat is a self-hosted "clone" of Discord, if you really love the user experience aspect.

@j I suppose knowing your audience/reach is nice, but I tend to be more of a “quality over quantity” advocate.

Though I suppose it depends on if you're looking to become an “influencer" or just here for the conversation. ;)

@silverspookgames the Luddites were not anti-technology, they were against their bosses not letting them keep the profits that they earned themselves from the increased productivity that resulting from using technology to do their jobs better.

I am kind of waiting for the anti-AI people to coalesce into a new Luddite movement. We need to make the term “Luddite” cool again.

RE: https://journa.host/@fulelo/116034103882446828

“MAGA-style leaders may say that our country can’t handle taking in so many migrants—that this is a suicidal move, the desperate act of a collapsing country. But don’t let them fool you. Spain is booming.”

“For three years running, we have had the fastest-growing economy among Europe’s largest countries. We have created nearly one in every three new jobs across the European Union, and our unemployment rate has fallen below 10 percent for the first time in nearly two decades.”

🔁 From our "Digital Crossroads" collection:

Webspace Invaders - https://matthiasott.com/articles/webspace-invaders?ref=feedle.world

---
See other stories like this one here: https://feedle.world/digital-crossroads

#web #internet #socialmedia #blogging

@tc_morekindness While I deeply want this to be true, even more so I want this to translate into *actual results on the ground* as far as ICE operations.

Public opinion is nice, but I think the only thing the Pumpkin King responds to is The Market.

@psistarpsiii Not very helpful suggestion: use signal or some other platform besides sms, if you can get them all set up with it. 😐

I dream of a day I get my whole family to stop using SMS. 🤞

⚠️ PSA for anyone still on the mastodon.cloud server, you might want to move off there ASAP.

The server's admin hasn't posted since February 2023 and the server software is so old it's no longer supported for security updates.

There have been cases of extreme abuse posted by mastodon.cloud members and the admin took no action after months of reports. It is possibly an abandoned server, so you might want to transfer your account elsewhere while you still can.

If you need help transferring your account, there's a step-by-step guide at https://fedi.tips/transferring-your-mastodon-account-to-another-server

If you need help choosing a new server, see https://fedi.garden

@umrk @buffyleigh I just watched that today! So good!

@tc_morekindness If you have an existing android phone, look into grapheneOS. I hear good things about it. (But no direct experience)

@noam It's amazing how many people give a hoot about that owl.

Just saw this on a post by Robert Reich. So, tell me this, techies... what kind of phone and apps depend least on Big Tech?

I'm in the US. Open to iPhone, android, or something altogether different, if it's practicable where I am. Have read some about different possibilities, but would love more thoughts and suggestions.

@tc_morekindness Honestly, the hardware and App Stores are the least of the problem. It's the apps/platforms that will get you regardless.

Even if you're on a Linux phone- if you still need to look at YouTube or Gmail or fire up Spotify or Apple Music or any of the other things they've still got you. 🫤

@tc_morekindness There is no quick easy answer to this, unfortunately. There are, however, a few things you can rule out quickly.

Apple hardware is far more locked down than Android hardware, so if you're looking to get away from Big Tech entirely, Apple/iPhones are a non-starter.

Android phones are far more malleable when it comes to installing "other" operating systems and such on them. That said, it does generally require some tech shenanigans to install alternative OSes on Android phones.

Most alternative mobile OS options are basically just modified de-Google-ified Android.

https://itsfoss.com/android-distributions-roms/

Some even try to do away with Android entirely and go with Linux

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/linux-smartphone-operating-systems/

There's also a few projects out there that try to address the anti-big-tech from the hardware angle as well.

FairPhone is one such project -- https://murena.com/america/products/smartphones/?wcpbc-manual-country=US

@stevefelten 😮

Went and supported my local record store. My mom would be very proud of my purchases today. 😁

#vinyl #vinylcollection #music

A friend was freaking out about Moltbook, so I pointed out how much human intervention there's been in the alleged social network for "AI" "agents."

Intelligence.
It's an algorithm.

Agents.
These things are not human.

The lack of education and information in the face of relentless, deliberately misleading marketing is s total horror show.

I told her that imho the smart response isn't fear. It's not outrage. It's disgust.

Disgust at the greed, the flat-out lies, and the harm that continues to be done to ordinary people who don't have the advantage of media literacy/tech education.

Disgust is all the billionaire tech bros and their cheerleaders deserve.

@fistfulofdave ooh, dunno this one... thanks!

@j And this is why we are friends. 👍