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Search results for tag #freedom

Privacy and Surveillance boosted

[?]amen zwa, esq. » 🌐
@AmenZwa@mathstodon.xyz

For the past three decades, have been secretly, continuously, systematically tracking all aspects of our personal lives, and they have been exploiting that data to extract more and more profits. To the delight of many technology fanciers, all these nefarious acts are now powered. It is only during this period of exploration that IT had its first billionaire.

We Americans have tacitly accepted this invasive surveillance, in exchange for essential modern goods and services, like toilets that flush automatically after shitting and shit-posting on social media in the wee small hour of the morning. So long as the two parties involved have the “meeting of the minds”, this process counts as a “fair exchange” under law.

It is now evident that our federal is using those same technologies and procedures to monitor, control, manipulate, and oppress us. Regardless of our nonchalance, this process is "government overreach" in violation of our constitutional rights to privacy.

Why so dramatic a difference between these two forms of privacy violation that employ the same technologies and procedures?

• The first form of privacy violation is a private act that induces us to waste our time and money, individually and collectively.
• The second form of privacy violation is a governmental action that erodes our individual and our collective .

But we citizens are equally unperturbed by both forms of violation.

    [?]Truth & Answers » 🌐
    @collective_truth@mastodon.social

    @evgandr @argv_minus_one

    4 "Hell no. Saving the planet is a job of entities who pollunated the planet — governments and corporations, not mine. I obviously may participate in clownery like using paper straws to save fucking nothing, but I will not, "

    This is the attitude I mean. Well said and what needs reconsidering. Please.

    You just to thinking I mean taking away / stopping things, instead of simply making friends much more / doing the people-work together towards / .

      Privacy and Surveillance boosted

      [?]Script Kiddie » 🌐
      @scriptkiddie@anonsys.net

      Website to recommend to avoid supporting (available in EN, FR, DE and NL)

      source: exitchatcontrol.org


      Exit Chat Control · Become Ungovernable

      Location: Matrix

        muddle 🥣 boosted

        [?]Aral Balkan » 🌐
        @aral@mastodon.ar.al

        RE: floss.social/@doctormo/1169277

        Ah, finally, they’re saying the quiet parts out loud:

        “Sure, the social angle of working on open source is important and often a very motivating part of the project, but in the end that’s a side benefit, not the _point_ of the project.” – Linus Torvalds

        lore.kernel.org/all/CAHk-%3Dwi

        Now do you understand what I mean when I say “free” as in “freedom” versus “open” as in “open for business?”

          [?]R.L. Dane :Debian: :OpenBSD: :FreeBSD: 🍵 :MiraLovesYou: [he/him/my good fellow] » 🌐
          @rl_dane@polymaths.social

          @TerminalTilt

          There's angry, there's disappointed, then there's hurt and betrayed, and then a parsec further along the same vector is the unnamed emotion I'm feeling now, watching the creator of the #freedom-championing OS I've used for a quarter century effortlessly, nonchalantly, and self-righteously side with the oppressor.
          And not only side with them, but act like any objection is foolhardy, gauche, and a waste of time.

          💢😓

            Privacy and Surveillance boosted

            [?]knoppix » 🌐
            @knoppix95@mastodon.social

            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. 🔓

            🔗 eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/euro

              [?]WIST Quotations » 🌐
              @wistquotes@friendica.world

              A quotation from Horace

              There was a stag, once, who could always defeat a stallion
              And drive him out of their pasture — until, tired of losing,
              The horse begged help of man, and got a bridle in return.
              He beat the stag, all right, and he laughed — but then the rider
              Stayed on his back, and the bit stayed in his mouth.
              Give up your freedom, more worried about poverty than something
              Greater than any sum of gold, and become a slave and stay
              A slave forever, unable to live on only enough.
               
              [Cervus equum pugna melior communibus herbis
              pellebat, donec minor in certamine longo
              imploravit opes hominis frenumque recepit;
              sed postquam victor violins discessit ab hoste,
              non equitem dorso, non frenum depulit ore.
              Sic qui pauperiem veritus potiore metallis
              libertate caret, dominum vehet improbus atque
              serviet aeternum, quia parvo nesciet uti.]

              Horace (65–8 BC) Roman poet, satirist, soldier, politician [Quintus Horatius Flaccus]
              Epistles [Epistularum, Letters], Book 1, ep. 10 “To Aristius Fuscus,” l. 34ff (1.10.34-41) (20 BC) [tr. Raffel (1983)]

              More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/horace/80424/

                ArcaneChat boosted

                [?]ArcaneChat » 🌐
                @arcanechat@fosstodon.org

                not a supporter of ArcaneChat yet??? you can not only watch but also be part of the change! ✨

                no amount is too small!

                💜 join our contributors 👉 arcanechat.me/#contribute

                  [?]Kent Pitman » 🌐
                  @kentpitman@climatejustice.social

                  Today, in lieu of scheduled celebrations of a US that is held hostage by forces bent on dismantling democracy, I am re-posting an essay I wrote in September 2024, prior to the last election, about the considerable repair work that American democracy needs to protect itself from tyrants.

                  netsettlement.blogspot.com/202

                    [?]Gems of Knowledge » 🌐
                    @gemsofknowledge.com@gemsofknowledge.com

                    Freedom to Listen

                    On Independence Day, we celebrate the freedom to choose. But God has given us an even greater freedom—the choice to seek Him and listen for His voice. God values freedom, too. He could have created us as robots, programmed to obey Him without question.Instead, He gave us something remarkable—free will. Every day, we have the freedom to choose whether we will follow Him, trust Him, obey Him...or ignore Him. reedom is a tremendous gift—but every freedom comes with a choice. Today, may we choose not only to celebrate the freedoms we've been given as a nation, but also to exercise the freedom God has given each of us to draw near, quiet our hearts, and listen for His voice. Because He is speaking...He always has been. Will you listen?💎 [SENSITIVE CONTENT]

                    Today’s One Year Bible Verses: 2 Kings 23:31–25:30, Acts 22:17–23:10, Psalm 2:1–12, Proverbs 18:13

                    God Is Always Speaking

                    Today, many of us will celebrate Independence Day.

                    We’ll gather with family and friends, enjoy cookouts, watch fireworks, and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy as a nation. One of the greatest gifts we’ve been given is the freedom to make our own choices.

                    God values freedom, too.

                    He could have created us as robots, programmed to obey Him without question. Instead, He gave us something remarkable—free will. Every day, we have the freedom to choose whether we will follow Him, trust Him, obey Him…or ignore Him.

                    As I was spending time with the Lord recently, He impressed this simple but powerful Gem of Knowledge on my heart:

                    “I’m always trying to speak to you. You just have to want to listen.“

                    Those words made me stop and think – How often have I prayed, “Lord, why aren’t You speaking?” when the real question should have been, “Lord, have I truly been listening?”

                    Sometimes we expect God to interrupt our busy lives with dramatic signs or unmistakable miracles. Yet more often than not, He speaks through the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit, a passage of Scripture that seems to leap off the page, wise counsel from another believer, or that gentle conviction in our hearts that nudges us in the right direction.

                    The problem usually isn’t that God has stopped speaking, it’s that life has become so noisy that His gentle voice is crowded out.

                    Distractions compete for our attention from the moment we wake up. Notifications, schedules, responsibilities, entertainment, and endless opinions constantly demand to be heard. Before we realize it, we’ve filled every quiet moment with something else.

                    Yet God is still speaking.

                    He’s speaking through His Word.

                    He’s speaking through His Spirit.

                    He’s speaking through circumstances.

                    He’s speaking through His people.

                    The question isn’t whether God wants to speak.

                    The question is whether we want to listen.

                    Today’s reading reminds us of that reality. In Acts 22, Paul faithfully shared the message God had given him, but many refused to hear it because they had already decided what they wanted to believe. Their ears were open, but their hearts were closed.

                    Proverbs 18:13 gives us a timeless warning: “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.” How often do we do the same thing with God? We rush ahead with our own plans, assumptions, and opinions before we’ve taken time to hear what He has to say.

                    One of the greatest freedoms God has given us is the freedom to choose whether we will listen.

                    Every day He gently invites us into conversation.

                    Every day He offers wisdom.

                    Every day He offers direction.

                    Every day He offers His peace.

                    But He won’t force us to hear Him.

                    He waits for willing hearts.

                    As I think about Independence Day, I’m reminded that freedom is a tremendous gift—but every freedom comes with a choice. Today, may we choose not only to celebrate the freedoms we’ve been given as a nation, but also to exercise the freedom God has given each of us to draw near, quiet our hearts, and listen for His voice.

                    Because He is speaking…He always has been.

                    Will you listen? 💎

                    Action (5 Minutes with God)

                    Today, intentionally create a few minutes of quiet. Set aside your phone, your schedule, and every distraction. Open God’s Word and simply ask:

                    • “Lord, what do You want to say to me today?”
                      • Journal what He gives you through His Holy Spirit.
                    • Then ask, “What do You want me to do?”
                      • Journal what He reveals – then do it!

                    You just have to want to listen.

                    Prayer

                    Father, thank You for the freedom You’ve given me—not only to choose, but to walk closely with You. Forgive me for the times I’ve been too busy, distracted, or unwilling to listen. Quiet my heart and help me recognize Your voice above every other voice competing for my attention. Give me ears that are eager to hear You and a heart that is willing to obey what You say. Thank You that You are always speaking because You love Your children. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

                    To read more 5 Minutes with God devotionals click here.

                    If Gems of Knowledge has blessed your walk with Christ, please subscribe or consider partnering with us today. Your gift helps keep these devotionals free for everyone and carries God’s Word to more hearts. Every seed matters—thank you for sowing into this work! 💛

                    Test everything by the Word and the Spirit (John 16:13)

                    Subscribe

                    Partner/Donate

                    A young woman sits beneath a tree reading her Bible with Jesus beside her while fireworks light up the night sky in the distance on Independence Day.

                    Alt...A young woman sits beneath a tree reading her Bible with Jesus beside her while fireworks light up the night sky in the distance on Independence Day.

                    [?]WIST Quotations » 🌐
                    @wistquotes@friendica.world

                    A quotation from Lincoln

                    It was not the mere matter of the separation of the colonies from the motherland; but something in the Declaration giving liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but hope to the world for all future time. It was that which gave promise that in due time the weights should be lifted from the shoulders of all men, and that all should have an equal chance. This is the sentiment embodied in that Declaration of Independence.

                    Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) American lawyer, politician, US President (1861-65)
                    Speech (1861-02-22), Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

                    More about this quote: wist.info/lincoln-abraham/2474…

                      [?]WIST Quotations » 🌐
                      @wistquotes@friendica.world

                      A quotation from Thomas Jefferson

                      We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independant, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these ends, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government shall become destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, & to institute new government, laying it’s foundation on such principles & organising it’s powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness.

                      Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) American political philosopher, polymath, statesman, US President (1801-09)
                      Document (1776-06), “Declaration of Independence” (original rough draft)

                      More about this quote: wist.info/jefferson-thomas/520…

                        💡𝚂𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝙰𝗉𝗉𝗌📱 boosted

                        [?]WIST Quotations » 🌐
                        @wistquotes@friendica.world

                        A quotation from Salman Rushdie

                        The creative act requires not only freedom but also this assumption of freedom. If the creative artist worries if he will still be free tomorrow, then he will not be free today. If he is afraid of the consequences of his choice of subject or of his manner of treatment of it, then his choices will not be determined by his talent, but by fear. If we are not confident of our freedom, then we are not free.

                        Salman Rushdie (b. 1947) Indian novelist
                        Speech (2012-05-06), Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture, PEN World Voices Festival, New York City

                        More about this quote: wist.info/rushdie-salman/84768…

                        Salman Rushdie quotation

                        Alt...Salman Rushdie quotation

                          Privacy and Surveillance boosted

                          [?]Script Kiddie » 🌐
                          @scriptkiddie@anonsys.net

                          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.

                          movie poster from the circle with the face of Emma Watson

                          Alt...movie poster from the circle with the face of Emma Watson

                          Location: Matrix

                            HistoPol (#HP) 🏴 🇺🇸 🏴 boosted

                            [?]Script Kiddie » 🌐
                            @scriptkiddie@anonsys.net

                            People think the was about robots. It wasn't. It was about operating systems.


                            is the blue pill.

                            You take it, and everything stays comfortable. Pretty icons. Friendly sounds. A setup wizard asking if you want to save your soul to the . Updates appear at the worst possible moment like a Marvel post-credit scene nobody asked for. Your reboots. You cry. thanks you for improving your experience.

                            is the red pill.

                            You wake up. You see how deep the goes.

                            At first, it is terrifying. The stares at you like Darth Vader asking if you know the power of the . You type one wrong character and feel like you accidentally launched nuclear missiles.

                            But then something changes. You realize your actually belongs to you.

                            No ads in the Start Menu. No assistant spying harder than a reality TV producer.

                            No mysterious background process eating half your like Pac-Man after three energy drinks.

                            You choose what gets installed. You choose when happen. You choose what your looks like.

                            You are Neo.

                            Windows are still sitting in their pods, downloading the latest mandatory called KB-Whatever-Again, wondering why their printer suddenly speaks ancient Sumerian.

                            Linux is not perfect. Sometimes Wi-Fi drivers behave like a side quest in Dark Souls.

                            Sometimes you spend two hours fixing a problem just to feel smarter than everyone else.

                            But that is the point. The red pill was never about comfort. It was about .

                            And freedom means occasionally reading a forum post written by a Finnish guy in 2007 who solved your and vanished forever like a master.

                            Welcome to Linux. There is no spoon. Only .

                            matrix meme for OS

                            Alt...matrix meme for OS

                            Location: Matrix

                              Steam Powered Frisbee 🥏 boosted

                              [?]WIST Quotations » 🌐
                              @wistquotes@friendica.world

                              A quotation from Adlai Stevenson

                              A hungry man is not a free man.

                              Adlai Stevenson (1900–1965) American diplomat, statesman
                              Speech (1952-09-06), “Farm Policy,” National Plowing Contest, Kasson, Minnesota

                              More about this quote: wist.info/stevenson-adlai-ewin…

                                [?]Mastui - the TUI client » 🌐
                                @Mastui@mastodon.social

                                What features do you miss in Mastui? Because you do use Mastui right?

                                  [?]SeaGL 2026: Oct 23rd and 24th » 🌐
                                  @SeaGL@mastodon.social

                                  10 more days until our is closed.

                                  Remember we moved our dates and is now happening October 23rd and 24th. Same location.

                                  Visit: seagl.org for details

                                    [?]Truth & Answers » 🌐
                                    @collective_truth@mastodon.social

                                    @geethap2007 I might be in the same position as you in some way & not sure what it helps ...

                                    Without people building upon lots of people we're stuck... if going towards / etc.

                                    I don't know how we're all going to win this mostly alone; from making music to helping lyrics that say / fix whatever a lot better.

                                    Has helped in talking to you so I guess it's a start.

                                    But do think more on it.

                                    (this is not a dating request but trying work together to mean something more?)...

                                      Privacy and Surveillance boosted

                                      [?]Doerk [he/him] » 🌐
                                      @NebulaTide@mastodon.bsd.cafe

                                      The threat of age verification is becoming increasingly real. More and more states are seeking to introduce identity checks through the back door under the guise of age control, ostensibly for the protection of children. And an increasing number of providers, as well as open-source projects, are implementing this—partly in preemptive obedience—or are at least laying the groundwork for it.
                                      So far, the Fediverse remains a safe haven, an island of bliss. But what if the state seeks to control the age of users here as well? Unfortunately, the Fediverse is not immune to such attacks, because instances are operated by people who, in the worst-case scenario, could face legal penalties.

                                      Would like to hear your thoughts on this.

                                        [?]Andy Cc » 🌐
                                        @Berean@mastodon.social

                                        “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
                                        ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NIVUK‬‬

                                          [?]Lisa J. Warner / Lisa Luv » 🌐
                                          @LisaWarnerLisaLuv@mastodon.social

                                          🏩🌞🥳🎊🎉🪅🤠💛🩷💜🌐🌏💛💁🏼‍♀️*DEAR BELOVED FREE BROTHERS!*& SISTERS!*& TREASURED FRIENDS WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?🤔🤓🇺🇲🌎🇺🇸🌐💜💁🏿‍♀️*IT is a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States!*{OH!*HAPPY DAYS!}*& It marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston!*Texas!*finally received word that they were free!*over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation!*HALLELUJAH!*& AMEN!🙏🙏🏻🙏🏿👉

                                            [?]Lisa J. Warner / Lisa Luv » 🌐
                                            @LisaWarnerLisaLuv@mastodon.social

                                            🏩🌞🥳🎊🎉🪅🤠💛🩷💜🌐🌏💛💁🏼‍♀️*DEAR BELOVED FREE BROTHERS!*& SISTERS!*& TREASURED FRIENDS Happy Juneteenth!🎂🥳🎊🎉🫂🪅🤠🇺🇲🌎🌐🩷💁‍♀️*& WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?👉

                                              [?]Lisa J. Warner / Lisa Luv » 🌐
                                              @LisaWarnerLisaLuv@mastodon.social

                                              🏩🌞🥳🎊🎉🪅🤠💛🩷💜🌐🌏💛💁🏼‍♀️*DEAR BELOVED FREE BROTHERS!*& SISTERS TREASURED FRIENDS GOOD FRIDAY MORNING!🌞👉

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