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What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

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281–290 of 324 posts

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nice - I’ll check it out, I agree with the goals. Can you invite people to events that don't have an account via SMS and have it handled that way or do they need an account and the app? I think being able to support people not on the app is the big thing I want (then the network may grow or not overtime, but at least it's immediately useful even without other people on it). One other suggestion would be a default ret…

Yes, you do need an account and the app. Signup for the app is as simple as possible, just a phone number (to reset your account), name, and password is required. The reason an account is required is Thread does a lot more than just event planning - it includes messaging, photo sharing, location sharing, and more.

Yeah, but if I have to force the people I want to invite to sign up then it’s dead on arrival.

I want to invite people whether or not they also have the app.

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#282
How many organized shilling posts for DDG are enough, @dang? isn't 3 in the top page within 72 hours enough for you or you people too get paid for it?

I am really not surprised that this journalist, just like most who get paid under the table, shilled for 3 of the most disgusting tabloid-tier tech companies of our time with the most aggressive marketing and astroturfing techniques in one article.

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What breach of privacy is Google guilty of Some people would consider tracking users across the entire web and selling ads based on their behavior to be disrespectful of privacy. Google hasn't had any big fuck-ups like Facebook with CA, but ultimately they both are advertising companies that owe their success to selling personalized ads.

They are very different ad companies. One shows ads along side search results based on what you are looking for... FB snoops on me and shoves cereal ads at me like street corner flyer pushers.

You know Google owns an ad network right? They show ads on lots of sites around the internet, not just on Google search results. They use data from Google Analytics to track you around the web.

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You can absolutely tell google not to store your information ...except for all the times when Google did collect and store your information despite you telling it not to (look online for location tracking on Android).

This article was about search . I am referring to Google search engine. People have diluted the argument by introducing Android. Google search and Facebook should not be in the same equation.

Then you should limit "Facebook" to just mean browsing on Facebook's website. If you're going to include the other kinds of data the FB organization collects about you, you should include that for Google as well.

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#285
post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This article was about search . I am referring to Google search engine. People have diluted the argument by introducing Android. Google search and Facebook should not be in the same equation.

Then you should limit "Facebook" to just mean browsing on Facebook's website. If you're going to include the other kinds of data the FB organization collects about you, you should include that for Google as well.

You are reaching here trying to give new meaning to established product. Facebook's model is fundamentally to exploit it's users with no regard for privacy.

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#286
post #171
post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're living in a US bubble.

I admit that but switching to Signal does me no good if no-one I know uses it. I am not saying no-one should switch.

I'd like to get my friends and family on Signal or Riot but I can't get anyone to use them.

Everyone uses SMS (or talks about using Whatsapp but might or might not actually). I was using Google Hangouts long before Whatsapp or Signal started being taken up and now they assume that's what I'd prefer, like that's how I should be communicated with, even when I'd prefer something else.

It's strange.

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#287

Search: DDG is the obvious answer. But also reducing usage of general search is a major life improvement. Wikipedia and Stack Overflow have reasonable built-in searches, as do most sites I view as reasonable sources of information. Most discoverability comes from feeds (blogs, HN, Reddit)--searching limits you to terms you've already thought of. General search seems to lead either to the places already mentioned in g…

>Search: DDG is the obvious answer. But also reducing usage of general search is a major life improvement. Wikipedia and Stack Overflow have reasonable built-in searches

One upside of DDG is the bangs. If I know what I want is on wikipedia, just prepend !w.

I think folks need to learn how people searched pre-pagerank.

People treat google queries like a venn diagram with their top result being at the intersection, rather than using logical operators like AND, quotes, and -.

(Ex: "yoda -baby")

Re: What can you use instead of Google and Facebook?

#288
post #129

When 90% of the people you email are on Gmail or GSuite does Proton mail really help? Yeah you get end to end encryption for other Proton mail users, but I don't know a single one. Google is going to have all of my emails anyway. As for Facebook it is best just to quit. I don't even use Facebook to keep in touch with friends anymore. The value in Facebook is some of the groups. Local neighborhood groups seem to be th…

>When 90% of the people you email are on Gmail or GSuite does Proton mail really help?

Depends on your threat model.

Having all your email in one place is a juicy target.

But the Swiss want a warrant for a specific crime, and then it's my understanding your government needs your password to decrypt the emails at rest.

Not being able to go on fishing expeditions is a good feature especially if you have years of email.

>Perhaps I am old but I don't know a single person that uses Whatsapp or Signal. Everyone just uses old fashioned SMS or iMessage if they have iPhones.

When I explain people can use Signal on wifi and not get any spam calls, many older folks are open to using it. You don't always need to sell Signal on privacy - older folks on a limited income may not have infinite data, being able to use wifi for calls and texts cuts data use and they like that.

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