Hans-Christoph Steiner @eighthave@librem.one

If you needed any more proof that the so-called #AppAssociation #ACT is an #Apple front, their lobbyist just asked #Google whether it wasn't worried that 3rd party app stores are dangerous to users and would put a control process in place (like Apple does). 😠

How to install old apps on Android 14 #Android, #Android14, #BypassLowTargetSdkBlock, #Security, #Sideloading

https://liliputing.com/how-to-install-old-apps-on-android-14/

Just in case you're wondering why #Apple & #Google etc. are such jerks about implementing #DMA, here are some numbers:

* play store revenue 2019: $ 11.2 Billion
https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-play-app-store-revenue-reached-112-bln-2019-lawsuit-says-2021-08-28/
* apple appstore revenue 2021: $ 85.1 Billion
https://www.statista.com/statistics/296226/annual-apple-app-store-revenue/
* apple app store made more money on games alone in 2019 than nintendo, microsoft and sony combined
https://www.techspot.com/news/91577-apple-reportedly-made-more-money-games-2019-than.html

Today: #DMA compliance workshop with #Alphabet/#Google :)

While Alphabet seems to be better in terms of the new #browser & #search choice screens, they have a strange view regarding their new obligation to allow un-installing pre-installed apps like #PlayStore or #Gmail:

Alphabet's lobbyists argue un-install and remove are two different things and as the #DigitalMarketsAct's Art 6(3) only mandates un-install but not removal, the current "deactivation" feature in Android would be enough. 🤔

EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager called out Apple’s proposed core technology fee for what it is: a way to protect its monopoly instead of actually complying with the Digital Markets Act.

“…if the new Apple fee structure will de facto not make it in any way attractive to use the benefits of the DMA. That kind of thing is what we will be investigating.”

https://www.reuters.com/technology/eus-vestager-warns-about-apple-meta-fees-disparaging-rival-products-2024-03-19/

#DMA

Haha #Google bitches against #Apple: "We allow 3rd party app stores, #sideloading, automatic updates for sideloaded apps, and #PWA for free."

I really like the phrase malicious compliance.

There's a lot of that going on so many levels. Not just #DMA and finally I can call it out with one single phrase.

It looks like #Apple is using salami tactics with the @EU_Commission on #DMA compliance, giving up tiny slices in hope that might sway (and shut up) the regulator and the public.

I sincerely hope the Commission's enforcement team is not being fooled by this.

#DigitalMarketsAct #competition #appstore #appfreedom #foss
Source: #PoliticoPro newsletter

I'm sitting in the @EU_Commission #DMA compliance workshop for #Apple right now and as much as I appreciate the format, it's frustrating to see that Apple is the only party on the panel and in addition has its proxies like #CCIA and the #AppAssociation #ACT in the audience that are allowed to ask convenient questions and steer the discussion in Apple's interest.

#DigitalMarketsAct #competition #appfreedom #deviceneutrality #foss

We have a new blog post .

@uniqx wrote about how we handle our servers to protect your privacy: https://f-droid.org/2024/03/08/privacy-design-of-fdroid.org-webservers.html #FDroid

With today's votes on #CRA and #PLD on the introduction of liability rules for software, a broad exception for #FreeSoftware was made, so that after long and intense debates individual developers and non for profit work are safeguarded.

https://fsfe.org/news/2024/news-20240312-01.html #SoftwareFreedom

I'd pay good money to read a 2,500-word deep dive comparing voluntary carbon markets with Pope Leo X's pay-for-penance scheme.

#climate #church

Docusign just admitted that they use customer data (i.e., all those contracts, affidavits, and other confidential documents we send them) to train AI:

https://support.docusign.com/s/document-item?language=en_US&bundleId=fzd1707173174972&topicId=uss1707173279973.html

They state that customers "contractually consent" to such use, but good luck finding it in their Terms of Service. There also doesn't appear to be a way to withdraw consent, but I may have missed that.