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Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

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Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#161

Post by COGlory »

2pEXgD0fZ5cF wrote: post #13

Is this google starting to test the waters when it comes to arbitrarily kicking out software they personally don't like? (open source, decentralized, privacy oriented etc.) I might of course be exaggerating a bit here, keep that in mind. - Element and Matrix are growing but still not equipped to fight back at large against this, so it is unlikely to create too much negative press - If Google starts to catch too much…

I don't think this is the case. But in my opinion, the fact that we have no way of knowing and have to rely on Google not to do that is the real issue.

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#162

Post by design-material »

illustriousbear wrote: post #59
cortesoft wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's sad that your quality of life depends on Google or Facebook services. Quality of life is not a binary, where you either 'have' it or not, so I don't think it makes sense to say "your quality of life DEPENDS on google or Facebook" Many things make your quality of life a bit better, and some things make it a bit worse, but no one says they can't have a quality life without Facebook or google. The person is sayin…

I understand that. I still maintain it's sad that removing Facebook/Google can have any significant drop in your quality of life. And by significant, I mean one where you're willing to debate about it. I like to keep my happiness as far as possible from the services that some soulless multinational provides.

Maybe their quality of life is increased by not having to spend part of their life (and possibly money - I can't think of a free Gmail alternative that's not as bad as Gmail's practices) searching for services that are at least as good as what they currently use?

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#163

Post by burnte »

bordercases wrote: post #115
burnte wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So let me ask you a question, how were they negatively impacting your mental wellbeing? I ask this genuinely, because I have a tendency to feel these tools only negatively impact people who use them in stress-creating ways. That, however, feels like victim blaming. There's a difference between a using a circular saw dangerously and a circular saw that is MADE with electrical failures that shock you. Let me give the e…

Google reads your e-mails to develop its ads. Psychological profiles are collated from every click you take on each of these platforms and pulled into ad brokerships. The people that are hired to do this profiling often have crossovers into government sectors, as this is just another form of surveillance. I am personally shocked (not necessarily appalled) at anyone feeling OK with this level of scrutiny being applied…

> Google reads your e-mails to develop its ads.

Why do I care? That's the implicit bargain, I get a free service in exchange for ads. I don't care about the ads, they don't show up in my actual mail feed, just on the side so they're easy to ignore/block.

> Psychological profiles are collated from every click you take on each of these platforms and pulled into ad brokerships.

Why do I care? We build profiles of every person we meet in our heads. I'm a very open person.

> The people that are hired to do this profiling often have crossovers into government sectors, as this is just another form of surveillance.

Again, why do I care? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I truly do not care if people know I looked at new Kias, or I use Old Spice deodorant. I don't find any of that information being out there harmful to me.

> I am personally shocked (not necessarily appalled) at anyone feeling OK with this level of scrutiny being applied to themselves at all the times by government bureaucrats, or companies just looking to make a buck off of your behavior without you even knowing. We're past the point where anyone can claim ignorance of these facts.

It's not that I'm ok with it, I simply don't CARE. It doesn't impact me in a negative way. There is no human out there looking at my buying/watching habits and taking notes, passing them on to men in trees with binoculars plotting to abduct me. There are machine learning algorithms using them to suggest things I might buy, or might want to watch on TV. They're right sometimes, so I actually get some value out of it.

I don't make it easy, I opt out of everything I can, but I also don't really care as long as I can not hook my TV to the network to avoid Samsung's built-in ads which is offensive bullshit and SHOULD be regulated, then I'm ok. When I go out into the world, I don't have any rights to who can see me who what they can learn about me, it's the same online. As long as I have the power to control what comes into my home, that's what matters. Outside, or out on the internet at large, I'm on someone else's property, and if I don't like their rules, I can leave.

There's a difference between watching me in public and forcing me to do things. One is your right which doesn't harm me, and the other is NOT your right because it CAN harm me.

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#164

Post by 1MachineElf »

will_pseudonym wrote: post #78
dvt wrote: post #15

It's becoming more and more clear that there's a problem with these corporately-controlled "free markets" that are neither free nor are they markets. It's time for Congress to do more than just write strongly-worded letters to large tech conglomerates hoping that these kinds of anti-consumer practices stop. It's funny (or sad) that the meme du jour is "build your own app store, bro." We need: (1) transparency and (2)…

Hear, hear! For the people who see no issues with any of this, shall we shut off their water and electricity too while we're at it?

They can build their own water and electricity!

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#165

Post by jadbox »

brink wrote: post #122

Remind me again what Fascism is and tell me how this isn't fascist.

There is a good difference between anticompetitive corporate practices (that may feel quasi authoritarian)

The ideology of fascism which divides people into camps of others/enemies and us/victims, portraying the 'other' as keeping "keeping us from returning to our rightful status, like in our glorious past". Fascism is usually used by a singular leader to sow fear and deep resentment that allows for social/political manipulation.

Both situations horrible of course, but in these times, it's good to be clear on their differences.

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#166

Post by onethought »

simonh wrote: post #123
userbinator wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of people already know that you can get apps directly as .apks, but the majority of them have been conditioned by corporate "propaganda" that they'll be almost certainly getting malware that way. The term "sideloading" was invented to ostracise and discourage the practice of acquiring software independently --- which was the norm up until Apple and its walled garden appeared. But now, perhaps when sufficiently…

Ok, that's some historical revisionism I've not see before. The term sideloading was invented by an internet storage service company to refer to copying files between remote storage buckets without having to do an upload or download. The term then got adopted by the community for copying MP3 files to a player from your computer.

But nothing about your facts help me hate on Google and Apple more... can’t the GP be right?

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#168

Post by cft »

young_unixer wrote: post #160

I hope more apps start allowing to directly download an .apk file from their website. I don't have Google Play Services or the Play store installed on my phone nor do I want to install them. Yes, it's my responsibility to update the app, whatever, just give me the file.

Then how do you get instant messaging notifications?

Re: Element (Matrix chat app) suspended from the Google Play Store

#169

Post by jtbayly »

zepto wrote: post #149
jtbayly wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Recently I've been seriously considering finally ditching iPhone because I share the same concern. After all, Apple did the same to another company recently... so we know they are willing.

What other company did they do this to?

I think it started with a P.

Paler, maybe? or Parter?

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