The #DeltaChat server that I was using seems to have stopped working for receiving messages, which sucks 😞 but such is the nature of decentralisation 🤷

It's really easy just to start a new account on a new server - so that's not really a problem - but I'm lucky that I only have one contact that message on the app because "re-adding" people isn't super straight forward. 🤔

#technology #apps #messagingApps #internet #chat #e2ee

China's Moonshot AI launched its largest model ever — and rival AI stocks plunged.

@quartz reports: "Kimi K3, a 2.8-trillion-parameter open-weight model, outperformed several leading U.S. systems on some benchmarks while pricing below top-tier American rivals."

https://flip.it/v2.ABK

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology

Generative AI Is an Engineering Disaster

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/07/generative-ai-engineering-disaster/687901/

> A shockingly inefficient trillion-dollar project

#ai #slop #llm #datacenters #technology

The US House passed the KIDS Act, a bill that would introduce internet age-gating measures aimed at protecting minors online. 🏛️
EFF argues the proposal would expand online surveillance instead of privacy protections, with broader implications for anonymity and the open web. 🔒

@eff

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/dont-let-congress-age-gate-internet-effector-3813

#TechNews #Kids #KIDSAct #Children #Privacy #AgeVerification #Surveillance #DigitalRights #FreeSpeech #Cybersecurity #Technology #OpenWeb #Policy #Security #EFF

Hey all! For #WIPWednesday I wanted to share my most recent video.

It's gotten a great response. It's the story of a Virginia vigilante who took out a whole bunch of Flock cameras and got arrested, but he's fighting back. I also give some background on why opposing Flock is a good thing.

If you give it a watch, all I ask is you hit the like button. Doing so gives us smaller creators a huge boost. Thank you!

#YouTube #Flock #Privacy #Technology #Vigilante #Resist

https://youtu.be/Y2A66tDGwFo

The internet is full of privacy traps and data scrapers, but there is one big tech company you can't avoid: your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Through your router, they have the ability to see all the websites you visit and detect where you are in your home, even if you don't have a connected device near you.
#privacy #surveillance #proton #technology

https://youtu.be/24_94bGpWQM?si=wzq3mJxm9ZwPnnM-

The European Union has removed a major hurdle for Meta's smart glasses to enter its member states by exempting the tech from rules requiring removable batteries. U.S. Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder had criticized the bloc's regulation at an event in March. A spokesperson says that they have "not given in to anyone's pressure." The glasses are also in European lawmakers' crosshairs over privacy and surveillance concerns. Here's more from @POLITICOEurope.

https://flip.it/5hjQFi

#Technology #MetaGlasses #Europe

Today Microsoft finally disabled my old version of Word making it read-only because I refuse to spend money on a new MacBookAir, now that my old one will no longer update its MacOS.

Anyone out there have any recommendations for a (preferably free) simple word processor that would allow me to produce new documents that are readable (happy if that means I have to concert them to PDFs for distribution) & to edit old Word files (less need).

thanks in advance

#technology #WordProcessing #software

EU regulators declined to extend Digital Markets Act interoperability rules to social networks, leaving users with fewer options to switch platforms. 🌐
EFF says existing protocols like ActivityPub show interoperability is possible and could improve privacy, competition, and user choice. 🔓

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/european-commission-chooses-keep-eu-users-locked-big-techs-gates

#TechNews #EU #Europe #Interoperability #BigTech #Privacy #DigitalMarketsAct #DMA #Fediverse #OpenSource #DigitalRights #Technology #Security #WebFreedom #FOSS #UserControl #Freedom

EU rules now require new cars to include driver-facing distraction cameras, but regulators have not clearly defined how related data is handled or retained. 🚗
The systems process attention locally under the rules, yet privacy questions remain over audits, retention limits, and transparency. 🔒

🔗 https://allaboutcookies.org/eu-mandatory-distracted-driver-system

#TechNews #EU #Europe #Privacy #DriverMonitoring #Automotive #GDPR #Cybersecurity #DataProtection #DigitalRights #Technology #Security #Cars #Car #Driving #Driver

Florida police records allege an officer used DMV data and a license plate reader to track a woman he met before stopping her in traffic. 🚔
Investigators say he knew the database access was unauthorized, highlighting surveillance abuse risks and the need for stronger oversight. 🔒

🔗 https://www.404media.co/footage-shows-cop-stalking-woman-he-met-on-a-tv-set-after-surveilling-her-with-a-license-plate-reader/

#TechNews #Surveillance #Privacy #LicensePlateReaders #LawEnforcement #Law #Cybersecurity #DigitalRights #DataProtection #Infosec #Technology #CivilLiberties #Government #Florida #USA #US

Apple’s App Store reportedly logs every tap and keystroke for personalized recommendations, with researchers claiming the data is tied to user accounts and sent unencrypted. 🔐
The reported collection cannot be disabled and raises transparency and user-control concerns for privacy, as Apple expands on-device activity tracking. ⚠️

🔗 https://www.osnews.com/story/145322/apple-adds-keylogger-to-ios-app-store-for-targeted-advertising-tied-to-your-account-and-unencrypted/

#TechNews #Apple #AppStore #Privacy #iPhone #iOS #Advertising #Ad #Cybersecurity #DataProtection #DigitalRights #Infosec #Technology #Security

Apple’s Hide My Email reportedly exposed users’ real email addresses through an unfixed flaw disclosed over a year ago, weakening a core privacy feature. 🔒
Researchers say Apple was notified in 2025, yet the exploit remains, highlighting transparency and user-control concerns for privacy tools. ⚠️

🔗 https://mashable.com/tech/apple-hide-my-email-major-vulnerability-leaks-email-addresses

#TechNews #Apple #iPhone #iOS #Mac #HideMyEmail #Email #Mail #Privacy #Cybersecurity #iCloud #EmailSecurity #DataProtection #Infosec #DigitalRights #Technology #Security

New post: Privacy Is a Luxury I Can't Afford

https://lanie.work/technology/privacy-is-a-luxury-i-cant-afford/

#Privacy #Accessibility #Disability #Chronic-Illness #Blindness #Technology

Flighty’s new Connection Assistant app gets you where you need to go

https://lucirerouge.com/2026/07/14/flightys-new-connection-assistant-app-gets-you-where-you-need-to-go/ #travel #app #technology #Flighty

"You can’t devote your life to mastering the art of scanning or unpacking cages in the same way as a craftsman devotes themselves to blade-making or weaving. We face a dearth of complex and meaningful jobs." —Joshua Habgood-Coote for Aeon https://aeon.co/essays/the-radical-reasons-why-you-dream-of-making-things-by-hand?src=longreads #technology #nostalgia #philosophy #artificialintelligence #ai #crafts #longreads

"It's starting to look a lot like a meme stock." @BBCNews talked to experts about how SpaceX and its investors are faring, a month after its IPO.

https://flip.it/RcRqBx

#SpaceX #Technology #Business

New post: One AI, One Life, One Room

https://lanie.work/technology/one-ai-one-life-one-room/

#Accessibility #Disability #Ai #Cognitive-Prosthetic #Workflow #Technology

COMING SOON: The Nerd Reich by Gil Durán (@gilduran)

https://social.trom.tf/display/dbc8dc44-606a-5416-9e63-b78152956776

#technology #bookstagram #SiliconValley #reading #PeteThiel #DarkEnlightenment #NeoReactionary #NRx #cameralism #CurtisYarvin #NetworkState #NeoFascism #TechnoFeudalism #book

Alt...

SCREENSHOT: Post by Gil Durán Sunday, July 12, 2026 a 3:23 PM PHOTO: A cardboard box with muliple copies of a hardcover book, one of which is being held. The cover is red with a circuit board tracing faintly laid over it. "The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fasscism and the War on Democracy" by Gil Durán TEXT: Yesterday two mysterious boxes arrived. And here in my hand is my life's work: "The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fasscism and the War on Democracy". It tells the story of how a cult of billionaires became radicalized against democracy. And it exposes their plan to use AI and crypto to wipe the United States off the face of the earth. Coming 8/18. Pre-orders make a huge difference! Make a fascist sweat -- pre-order today! (See links below.)

The tech universe is full of stories about AI agents, superchips, apps, games and so much more. But how about one that can help you manage a heat wave? Like this @Techcrunch article about a slushie machine that got writer Lauren Forristal through New York City’s recent scorcher:

https://flip.it/Awjflm

#Tech #Technology #Gadgets

so, I'm thinkign of starting my vlog again except there will not really be a comments page. why? it is oging ot be be built using jeckle and github pages. I've taken to using that as it just works. No databases, nothing. Storage of all materials will be done externally and the good thing? no caches and everyone gets the same site thereby reducing resources.
#Technology #Website #Github

New post: Learning Enough to Change Direction

https://lanie.work/technology/learning-enough-to-change-direction/

#Accessibility #Disability #Chronic-Illness #Executive-Dysfunction #Education #Ai #Technology

One great thing about smartphones is you’re always connected. And a negative thing? You’re always connected. Enter Dumb Co, the flip phone company run by a small team in their 20s and 30s that grew up with iPads but now crave something simpler: like a flip phone that syncs to your smartphone, forging a happy balance between the two. Read more from @Techcrunch:

https://flip.it/j.OX9i

#Tech #Phones #Technology

Hey all. My new YouTube video is up!

This week's topic is Flock Safety cameras, the institutionalized abuse of this technology, and most importantly, a Suffolk, Virginia engineer who was recently arrested for destroying and defacing the cameras in his town en masse.

If you enjoy the video, please tap the like button. This is a free way to help a small creator in a big way. Thank you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2A66tDGwFo

#YouTube #Technology #Privacy #Flock #JeffSovern #MassSurveillance #CivilLiberties

CEOs are baffled at the high cost of moving to AI. Shockingly enough, sacking human workers isn't resulting in huge savings.

@TechRadar reports: https://flip.it/YHvH6L

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology

“I can already see that I’d make enough to live well and to help my family live well, so I’ll minimize my monetization.” Craigslist founder Craig Newmark talked to Founder Brew about why he didn't take Silicon Valley's big bucks, being an accidental entrepreneur, and why good customer service is vital.

 https://flip.it/zPHVDM

#Technology #Founders #Craigslist

"We cannot choose to become idiots." When Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano gave his students a take-home midterm for the first time, most of them did suspiciously well. Suspecting widespread AI use, he voided the results and told students he would reweigh the final, after which 18 students dropped out. The average score on the final was 48.6 percent, a historic low. Serrano spoke to Inside Higher Ed about the university administration's response, and how he believes they should respond to AI-enabled cheating.

https://flip.it/g4D2MG

#Education #AI #Technology

Channel for #ArcaneChat, #DeltaChat and other #chatmail clients:

New Atlas: Technology
Technology News. Extraordinary ideas and innovations moving the world forward.

invite link 👇️
https://i.delta.chat/#EB87F92DC57303205E7F3ACB6DAA06D8FE761414&v=3&x=stxlc-uanELJUkKlQanbApJq&j=0N8oaa7wCRRfpsjvECBROdU1&s=YHPb1I1u0B9cZwjYSKKjr-Ef&a=6j2tb0xyz%40arcanechat.me&n=ChannelsBot&b=New+Atlas%3A+Technology

that and more channels at:
https://arcanechat.me/channels

#channels #technology #news

"Thirty-three states have banded together to sue Meta, alleging that the company was exploiting its young users on Instagram and Facebook for profit, including by collecting data from children without parental consent."

The damages could be as high as $1.4 trillion, nearly the same as Meta's market capitalization at just above $1.5 trillion.

https://gizmodo.com/metas-teen-safety-case-just-became-a-1-4-trillion-existential-threat-2000782306

Via https://flipboard.com/@thenewsdesk/technology-shjum1jiz/-/a-CHwwNHlfS-GTffJivjlDbA%3Aa%3A43591897-%2F0

#news #technology #TechNews #meta #facebook #instagram #SocialMedia

Meta paused its employee-tracking MCI tool after an internal exposure made monitoring data accessible beyond intended staff. 🔒
The AI training program logged keystrokes, mouse activity and screen content, and remains paused while data protection controls are reviewed. 🛡️

🔗 https://www.wired.com/story/meta-pauses-employee-tracking-program-following-internal-security-breach/

#TechNews #Meta #Privacy #Cybersecurity #AI #Employee #Monitoring #Surveillance #DataProtection #OpenSource #Linux #Infosec #DigitalRights #Technology #FOSS #Security

Microsoft is laying off around 4,800 employees today as it starts its new financial year. 1,600 of those are in the Xbox division, which will see an additional 1,600 cuts — not counted in today's number — through FY 2027. Here's more from CNBC.

https://flip.it/CSE_.m

#Technology #GamesIndustry #Xbox

The "Willy Wonka" story is becoming a reality show, and Gene Wilder's AI-created voice is going to appear in it (with the consent of the late actor's wife). @Variety explains what you need to know. Tell us in the comments what you think.

https://flip.it/-rxpK7

#Technology #AI #Television

Gadgets can make your workday less stressful. @Techcrunch reviewed five that it says can transform your workspace. Take a quick look and see if one (or more) work for you:

https://flip.it/3EsYQy

#Tech #Gadgets #Technology

Google will begin enforcing Android developer verification for sideloaded apps in four countries on September 30, adding new installation checks. 📱 Unverified apps will require extra approval steps, while verified developers gain streamlined tools and limited accounts support before global expansion in 2027. 🔐

🔗 https://finance.biggo.com/news/202606211920_Android-sideloading-restrictions-start-September-30

#TechNews #Android #Google #GooglePlay #Sideloading #Apps #AppSecurity #Developer #Privacy #OpenSource #Mobile #Cybersecurity #Linux #Technology #Software #FOSS

Pegasus spyware infected former MEP Stelios Kouloglou while he served on the European Parliament committee probing spyware abuse, Citizen Lab found. 🕵️‍♂️
EU civil society groups now urge stronger spyware rules, independent investigations, and safeguards for oversight, privacy, and accountability. 🛡️

🔗 https://edri.org/our-work/joint-statement-pegasus-in-the-european-parliament-the-eu-must-act-now/

#TechNews #Pegasus #Spyware #EU #Europe #European #Parliament #Privacy #Cybersecurity #Surveillance #OpenSource #InfoSec #Technology #HumanRights #Politics #Government

Mozilla published a Firefox roadmap outlining upcoming privacy, productivity, AI, and performance features as the browser continues losing market share. 🦊📋
Planned updates include mobile VPN, customizable shortcuts, HDR support, and optional AI tools designed to keep users in control. 🔐⚙️

🔗 https://www.techspot.com/news/112803-firefox-has-ambitious-new-roadmap-browser-also-losing.html

#TechNews #Firefox #Mozilla #OpenSource #Privacy #WebBrowser #HDR #FOSS #Browser #Browsers #Performance #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology #OpenWeb #Linux #VPN

Google is testing a webcam-based reCAPTCHA that maps 21 hand landmarks for human verification, though the limited trial was quickly bypassed. ✋📷
Google says recordings are deleted after verification, while privacy questions remain and Private Access Control Tokens are proposed as an alternative. 🔐🌐

🔗 https://www.tomshardware.com/software/google-testing-webcam-based-recaptcha-hand-scan

#TechNews #Google #reCAPTCHA #Privacy #Biometrics #CyberSecurity #WebSecurity #OpenWeb #Technology #Authentication #Browser #AI #DigitalRights #FOSS

Pennsylvania lawmakers proposed requiring smart glasses to display a recording indicator whenever audio or video capture is active. 👓🔴
The bill would also ban disabling the indicator and require retailers to explain state recording laws, reinforcing transparency and privacy. 🔒📜

🔗 https://gizmodo.com/smart-glasses-would-legally-require-a-recording-light-under-proposed-law-2000768694

#TechNews #SmartGlasses #Privacy #Wearables #Recording #Surveillance #Meta #Technology #CyberSecurity #DigitalRights #ConsumerTech #Innovation #AI #TechPolicy #Pennsylvania #USA #US #Trump

Verhaltensscanner am Kotti startet noch im Sommer

‚Die Berliner Polizei hat sich für eine Verhaltensscanner-Software entschieden. Die automatisierte Überwachung des öffentlichen Raums soll noch in diesem Quartal am Kottbusser Tor starten. Später soll das System auch an weiteren hochfrequentierten Orten das Verhalten von Passant*innen analysieren….‘

https://netzpolitik.org/2026/software-zur-ueberwachung-berlins-ausgewaehlt-verhaltensscanner-am-kotti-startet-noch-im-sommer/ Via @yoshiXYZ

#Berlin #Polizei #Überwachung #KI #Technology #Datenschutz #Privacy #Kotti

‚Die Polizei will KI-Videoüberwachung auch beim Objektschutz einsetzen. Zusätzlich zu Kotti, Görli und Alex kommen die Kameras dann auch ans Parlament….‘

Verhaltensscanner bald auch vor dem Abgeordnetenhaus #Berlin

https://taz.de/KI-Videoueberwachung-in-Berlin/!6160851/

#Überwachung #KI #Technology #Polizei #Repression #Deutschland #Privacy #Datenschutz

Scientists in Singapore and Japan have developed a tiny 3D-printed scuba suit for cyborg cockroaches. Why, you ask? Their intent is noble. @Gizmodo has the details:

https://flip.it/AJhlR1

#Tech #Research #Technology

WhatsApp is rolling out usernames, letting users hide their phone numbers from people outside their contacts for added privacy. 🔒📱
Users can reserve names now, with optional username keys adding another layer of control before messaging begins. ✅

🔗 https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/whatsapp-rolls-out-usernames-to-help-users-hide-their-phone-number/

#TechNews #WhatsApp #Privacy #Usernames #Meta #Messaging #CyberSecurity #DataPrivacy #Encryption #Technology #Mobile #Tech #DigitalRights #Software #Username

Apple's Hide My Email contains an unfixed flaw that can expose users' real email addresses, according to a researcher and 404 Media's tests. ⚠️📧
The vulnerability has reportedly remained unpatched for over a year, raising privacy concerns for users who rely on email masking. 🔒

🔗 https://www.404media.co/apple-hide-my-email-vulnerability-reveals-peoples-real-email-addresses/

#TechNews #Apple #iPhone #MacOS #HideMyEmail #Privacy #Security #Email #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #InfoSec #Technology #DigitalPrivacy #Tech #Software #iOS

WhatsApp is launching a username feature that allows you to add contacts without revealing your phone number. And, of course, there are already reports that username impersonation is an issue. Read more from @TechRadar in the first link. The second link points to an @Engadget story about how to navigate the free-for-all for handles:

https://flip.it/NX2gf_

https://flip.it/hIqKEU

#Tech #WhatsApp #Technology

If you thought you purchased "Paddington," "Terminator 2" or "Rambo 3," from the U.K. PlayStation store, no you didn't. Jeffrey Parkin writes for Rogue.Site about the death of physical media and how "digital purchases" are really a long-term lease that can be terminated at any time.

https://flip.it/m3-Abb

#Technology #PhysicalMedia #Sony

US Supreme Court ruled police generally need a valid warrant backed by probable cause before using geofence searches for cellphone location data. ⚖️
The 6-3 Chatrie ruling recognizes location records as private, limiting broad geofence warrants and strengthening digital privacy protections. 🔒

🔗 https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/supreme-court-ruling-geofencing-warrants-phone-location-data-privacy/

#TechNews #Privacy #SupremeCourt #Geofence #LocationData #FourthAmendment #DigitalRights #Cybersecurity #Technology #DataProtection #OpenSource #FOSS #InfoSec #US #USA

NEW: How Google and AI Nearly Made a Seasoned Reporter Spiral

"I thought I had missed something major in my reporting. Turns out I had stumbled into an AI-fueled feedback loop that involved a real LLC’s fictional website and a search engine that’s thrusting unreliable answers on users."

https://www.propublica.org/article/google-ai-reporting?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

#News #Google #AI #Journalism #Media #Technology #Tech #Research #LLM #artificialintelligence

Ford says it's rehired hundreds of humans after its AI and automation strategy backfired. Here's more from @Independent.

https://flip.it/CXOiY3

#ArtificialIntelligence #Technology #Ford

https://toobnix.org/w/278gCLeqPDh5zGubbc1PAU
#lispyGopherClimate #live every week since 2022 Tuesday Night in the Americas! #technology #podcast #lisp

#climate #haiku by @kentpitman https://climatejustice.social/@kentpitman/116809734391826924

#climateCrisis becomes mainstream as thousands of normal people start dying in Europe and North America

Briefly, the USA's #AI embargo.

https://github.com/netsettler/netsettlement and https://www.cs.umd.edu/~nau/cmsc421/norvig-lisp-style.pdf

Putting together #zine for next week - send/give/link me writing! https://itch.io/jam/zine

+ @ramin_hal9001

Alt...

Lispy gopher show with someodd.zip banner !

Researchers found residential proxy SDKs in 2,058 LG webOS and Samsung Tizen smart TV apps, allowing many devices to share internet connections through proxy networks. 📺
The findings raise privacy and security concerns, as internet-connected TVs can run background activity for years with little user visibility or control. 🔒

🔗 https://cyberinsider.com/50-of-lg-and-samsung-smart-tv-apps-embed-residential-proxies/

#TechNews #LG #Samsung #TV #Television #Streaming #SmartTV #Privacy #Security #webOS #Tizen #CyberSecurity #Technology #DigitalRights #FOSS #IoT

The White House app is being auto-installed on work phones across multiple US agencies, and employees say it cannot be permanently removed. 📱
The app previously faced security scrutiny over data sharing, and workers raised privacy concerns after it appeared on government-issued phones. 🔒

🔗 https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/white-house-app-auto-downloads-to-government-phones-cant-be-uninstalled/

#TechNews #WhiteHouse #Privacy #Security #Government #MobileApps #DataPrivacy #CyberSecurity #Technology #OpenSource #DigitalRights #InfoSec #FOSS #Tech #US #USA #Trump #DonaldTrump

Detective: Suffolk man accused of damaging Flock cameras said they’re ‘unconstitutional’

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/suffolk/detective-suffolk-man-accused-of-damaging-flock-cameras-said-theyre-unconstitutional/

#tech #technology #news #technews #security #privacy #flock

The Circle: The Scariest Part Isn't Big Tech. It's Us.

When The Circle hit theaters in 2017, many people saw it as another tech thriller. Today, it feels less like science fiction and more like tomorrow's news feed.

The movie is based on Dave Eggers' bestselling novel, often called the 1984 of the digital age. Ironically, the film improves on the book in one important way. Instead of explaining every idea through endless dialogue, it lets us see them. The result is faster, smoother and much easier to watch. But it still feels more like an essay than a real story.

Mae Holland lands her dream job at The Circle, a giant tech company that looks like a mix of Google, Apple, Meta and TikTok. The campus is bright, colorful and full of smiling people. Everyone talks about changing the world. That is the first warning sign.

Modern tech companies rarely say they just want to build products or make money. They promise to make humanity better. The Circle sells exactly that dream. Soon Mae believes privacy is outdated. If you have nothing to hide, why keep secrets? She starts wearing a tiny camera that livestreams her entire life. Every second. Every conversation. Every emotion. Imagine if your entire life became one endless Twitch stream.

This world feels like a strange combination of George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Control no longer comes through fear alone. It comes through convenience, entertainment and the promise of a better future. Looking at today's AI boom, smart homes and endless social media feeds, the movie suddenly feels much less fictional than it did a few years ago.

One scene stands out. The Circle suggests that voting should happen through its own platform. If everyone already has an account, why not connect democracy directly to the app? It sounds efficient. Maybe even practical. The movie briefly asks whether democracy itself could become a product owned by a private company. That is one of its most interesting ideas.

Sadly, it never explores that question.

Instead, the ending takes the easy Hollywood route. Rather than challenging the system, it blames a few powerful executives. Once their private emails are exposed, the audience is expected to believe justice has been served. As if replacing a CEO could solve everything.

But that misses the real problem.

Systems survive because people are replaceable. Remove one tech billionaire and another one will take the job. The real issue is a business model built on collecting more data, measuring human behavior and turning attention into profit. It doesn't matter whether the CEO is friendly or arrogant. If the machine stays the same, the result stays the same.

That idea feels even more relevant today. We often argue about individual tech leaders. But should we? The real question is why any company should have that much power in the first place. Whether it is Meta, Google, Apple or the next AI giant, the structure remains the same.

The movie also lets us off the hook too easily. It is comforting to blame powerful corporations. Harder to admit that we help build this world ourselves. We accept the cookies. We install the apps. We trade privacy for convenience. We buy smart speakers, connect everything to the cloud and tell ourselves it is worth it because life becomes easier.

That may be The Circle's biggest weakness. It criticizes Silicon Valley's worldview but forgets to criticize ours. Most people are not driven by ideology. They simply choose what is new, useful and comfortable. That is how surveillance becomes normal—not because anyone forces us, but because we quietly invite it into our homes.

The movie offers only one alternative: rejecting technology completely and escaping into nature. But that feels just as unrealistic as total digital transparency. It presents two extremes while ignoring everything in between.

Despite its flaws, The Circle remains a fascinating warning. Not because it predicts the future perfectly, but because so much of its future has already become our present.

Why am I writing about such an old movie? Shouldn't we have much smarter, deeper movies about AI, surveillance and Big Tech by now? Or have we simply become so used to these technologies that we no longer notice what is happening? Has Silicon Valley slowly won us over with its own propaganda? If you know any newer movies or series that tackle these questions in a more thoughtful way, let me know in the comments. I'm always looking for the next great warning before it becomes reality.

#TheCircle #movie #film #entertainment #cinema #Hollywood #criticism #filmcritic #siliconvalley #bigtech #bigdata #bigbrother #orwell #surveillance #privacy #warning #danger #today #future #ai #technology #software #algorithm #freedom #democracy #economy #power #billionaires #finance #money #company #humanity #ethics #world #life #control

Alt...

movie poster from the circle with the face of Emma Watson

Flock cameras track more than your license plate, and they're spreading fast

https://www.engadget.com/2203000/flock-cameras-recording-license-plate/

#HackerNews #FlockCameras #LicensePlate #Privacy #Surveillance #Technology