Hans-Christoph Steiner @eighthave@librem.one

User accounts are so often a method of tracking users, yet they are not a requirement for running most internet services. #FDroid #Jitsi #CleanInsights #Wikipedia #Briar #FirefoxFocus all provide shining examples of working without accounts. https://f-droid.org/2022/02/28/no-user-accounts-by-design.html

f-droid's de facto complete lack of any sort of malware is literally more important than any theoretical concern imo

is it possible to sneak malware in if you really tried? yes

is there malware? no absolutely not

you go on google play and download a flashlight app and the top 20 results are all malware lol
sure f-droid has some pretty shit apps but none of them will infect your phone, and to be fair f-droid also has a handful of extremely high quality apps that you would have trouble finding otherwise
so idk, for the average user f-droid is just de facto higher quality apps, and confers more security just by being a little more tightly controlled by forcing apps to be open source (malware people will typically not want to make their shit open source. that's usually how it works)

Even though I'm terrible on keeping you up-to-date on the development of Fractal-next. We are making really good progress.

I will talk about Fractal-next during FOSDEM 2022 in the matrix dev room.

GNU/Linux systems are developed transparently by large communities around the globe with no single entity that is in control.

Unlike Android, code changes can be proposed transparently by anyone around the world.

https://fsfe.org/activities/upcyclingandroid/howtoupcycle.html

#Munich regional court finds embedding Google Fonts in a website violates #GDPR, "legitimate interest" did not apply since the fonts can easily be directly integrated into their website, thereby avoiding sending IP addresses to #Google.

https://thehackernews.com/2022/01/german-court-rules-websites-embedding.html

Some of the #GuardianProject team will be at #IETF 113 in Vienna, it'll be good to see people in person again!

Registration for #IETF113 (19-24 March 2022) is now open. Sign up to participate in and read all the details about the first-ever hybrid IETF meeting: https://ietf.org/blog/113-registration-open/

@eighthave and @duckduckgo, note that while the software is indeed libre, if one does not self-host and use their service, their privacy policy states:

We may share aggregate or de-identified information about users with third parties for marketing, advertising, research or similar purposes.

Can we have truly Free Software phones, without tracking and unwanted pre-installed proprietary software? GNU/Linux-based OS for phones are a reliable option for every user who values their privacy.

Learn more at #UpcyclingAndroid
https://fsfe.org/activities/upcyclingandroid/howtoupcycle.html

Are you looking to join a great team who will soon be united in the offices in Hanover again?! Check out our open positions: https://tutanota.com/jobs Let's fight for #privacy together! 💪💪😎😎

Use of Google Analytics is not #GDPR compliant according to the Austrian DPA. Other EU Privacy authorities including the Dutch are doing their own research. It might be wise to start looking into an alternative for Google services.
https://noyb.eu/en/austrian-dsb-eu-us-data-transfers-google-analytics-illegal

Hacking revelations have rocked Poland, #Pegasus targets domestic critics and rivals: Liberals in EU parliament seek inquiry into abuse of spyware https://apnews.com/article/technology-middle-east-israel-poland-europe-50ed323d62ecb49e0f5fdf2c54103095

The US State Dept's "Global Internet Freedom" funds (#OpenTechFund #StateDRL #USAGM and more) now require #OpenSource: section 7050, "Funds... may only be made available to support open-source technologies that undergo comprehensive security audits...".

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4373/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Department+of+State%2C+Foreign+Operations%2C+and+Related+Programs+Appropriations+Act%22%2C%22Department%22%2C%22of%22%2C%22State%2C%22%2C%22Foreign%22%2C%22Operations%2C%22%2C%22and%22%2C%22Related%22%2C%22Programs%22%2C%22Appropriations%22%2C%22Act%22%5D%7D&r=1&s=8#H33E670CAB846443F906B4EE722D7E91C