Yup… that’s what I feared.

What source(s) is this article based on?

In terms of hardware I feel there needs to be a Pinephone V2. Even my ~6yo Samsung S4 has a 1080p screen and 32gb of internal storage.

On the software front maybe someone can answer a question: what is the end goal of the linux OSes? Are we going to be able to use the apps that are available for Android for example? Without something like that it seems that adoption of alternative OSes might be low.

From time to time I do think about the advertising industry taking into account humanity’s interests. I’m not sure if it’s a net positive.

However, if you don’t agree with advertisement, the ethical decision to make is to not watch YouTube. Because you disagree with the “price” it doesn’t make it OK to access it for free.

I honestly think that the future of content funding will be a mix of ads, donations and subscriptions. LBRY is moving in that direction. With PeerTube it’s kind of a mess because an instance can have ads and even trackers so I’m a bit skeptical of that alternative. You will end up with many “YouTubes” if you don’t kill surveillance capitalism in its roots.

Ultimately I think alternatives to platforms like YT need to have good principles from the ground up if the internet is to improve.

OK that is completely out of my depth but as someone who follows the project they have been moving away from Google for a few months. Last week they even added their android app to F-Droid. No trackers, no bs.

Not wanting to see ads is not stealing. Removing ads from a platform that is paid with ads is stealing.

You didn’t explain what adbuster is but from what I understood its a collection of “magazines” that aren’t funded by advertisements. That is great and I would like the system to move in such direction. However I fail to see what that has to do with the YouTube case.

Whenever you watch a video on YouTube there is a contract that is implied: you can watch the video and we data mine you and show you the ads that make us the most money. If you don’t watch the ads, you just stole content.

This reminds me of the piracy debate. I still haven’t heard a convincing argument for how pirating media is not stealing. But boy do people try to argue (and very fiercely).

Peert

Can you explain what MX and NS means? Probably basic questions but I got to ask.

They probably do. But to me that is irrelevant on the point of stealing from the people who make the videos. A discussion could be had about if 2 bads make good. I don’t care about that debate that much in this context.

So people don’t want to give data to Google. They also want to watch YouTube videos without “paying” for them. I’m sorry but I can’t take this kind of activism seriously.

Either you use YouTube and accept their term of service and/or start using alternatives. Maybe even contribute to their development/growth (I’ve been “investing” some time into LBRY for example)

Using tools like Invidious is basically stealing. Including from the content producers we all love to watch.

Yeah man I feel the same. I had to convince people to switch to Signal and I’m sure people won’t humor another switch. Looking back I think I would have waited longer to decide on an alternative to WhatsApp.

The article does say that they will make contact backup (and PINs) optional, but It is well documented that the creators of Signal have a weird relationship with the Open Source community.

I have managed to make tens of people install Signal. If they wanted to talk to me it was either that or SMS.

I use LBRY instead of YouTube for some uses. Hopefully the first keeps picking up traffic and improving (they will drop Google Analytics soon and are coming with an F-Drood version of their app).

I play on a PS4 but I’ve heard about Discord many times. It seems to be really practical to get together for specific goals (for example to do certain Final Fantasy XIV content). But I just decided not to use it because I don’t gain much by doing so. I would be using another piece of software that doesn’t align with my goals.

I had to use Zoom for School but I suggested Jitsi (using the argument that it is functionally better AND is open source, respects privacy, etc) to the prof that runs the degree I’m doing. Also I heard there are ways to use Zoom privately through Virtual Machines or something like that. I stopped attending classes so I don’t use Zoom much =p. I also have to use Skype for medical reasons and I don’t know how to approach my doctor about using something else. I think she would just brushed me aside.