Old Fucking Punk @lwriemen@librem.one

When Amazon tells you they're replacing actual human narrators at Audible with AI for the glorious cause of accessibility, remember that those assholes regularly rope authors into Audible Exclusive deals, which not only means you can only hear them on Audible, it also means those audiobooks then become inaccessible to PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

It's not about accessibility, it's about the profits.

#Amazon #Audible #AudioBooks

First, they'll ask for your official IDs to confirm your age and identity.

This will create large treasure throve
of sensitive data, which will attract criminals, and will inevitably leak from either negligence or malice, sooner than later.

Then, they'll claim your official ID is
unreliable, because it was stolen so many times, and demand you share your biometric data.

They will collect your face scan,
your palm scan, and even your iris scan (no exaggeration, these are all already being collected by some companies for identification). They will claim it's super safe.

This will create large treasure throve
of sensitive biometric data, which will attract criminals, and will inevitably leak from either negligence or malice, sooner than later.

Then what? Rinse and escalate.

You will have lost control of not just your corporate social media accounts by participating to this, but to any data capable of validating your identity, to your privacy rights, to the protections you could use online to stay safe.

We don't have to wait that it escalates.

We can, and must, push back and say No now. Start to say No now.

#Privacy #Biometrics #DataMinimization #AgeVerification

Brilliant essay -- "The Copilot Delusion" -- on how "AI" is ruining so much, programming in this case.

https://deplet.ing/the-copilot-delusion/

"We’re building a world where that curiosity gets lobotomized at the door."

Now just lay off the CEOs, then https://www.theverge.com/news/673194/tech-ceos-zoom-klarna-replace-earnings

This week's comic: Highly selective health nuts

#health #science #climate #environment

I took a stab at redesigning Massachusetts' stabby flag. https://www.dailykos.com/story/2025/5/23/2323880/-Cartoon-Massachusetts-flag-redesigns

#Mountain marvel: how one of biggest #batteries in #Europe uses thousands of gallons of #water to stop blackouts | #Energy industry | The Guardian

#GravitaionalBatteries are very reliable.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/may/24/europe-battery-gallons-water-dinorwig-wales

#Environment #RenewableEnergy #Renewables #Hydroelectricity #UK #Wales

Live #FacialRecognition #cameras may become ‘commonplace’ as #police use soars | Facial recognition | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/may/24/police-live-facial-recognition-cameras-england-and-wales

#UK #Surveillance #Privacy #CivilLiberties #HumanRights

> If you think your workers and colleagues are too stupid to recognize good tools that will help them do their jobs better, then... you are a bad leader and should step down. Because you've created a broken culture.

From a scathing but accurate post by @anildash

https://www.anildash.com/2025/04/19/ai-first-is-the-new-return-to-office/

"Indigenous Land defenders are not solely responsible for resisting the colonial death march of extractive industry—the frontlines are everywhere. Don’t wait for permission. Don’t ask for justice. Fight alongside those creating it. Land defenders need immediate material support and brave anti-colonial accomplices."

https://mtlcounterinfo.org/all-eyes-on-the-nehirowisiw-aski/

Tusky on Codeberg / Codeberg on Tusky
#Tusky #Codeberg

@dangillmor Bluesky’s validation form does not require uploading a photo of an identification card.

Announcing: https://justaqrcode.com.

Tired of "free" QR code generators that are full of ads and trackers, that share your data, and that want to sell you something? Me too. Here's my act of resistance: I made a one-page site that works entirely in your browser to generate a simple QR code. And that's all it does. You can download the HTML page and run it locally, even. Read the source; nothing up my sleeves. Just a QR code.

My offer to you -- I will continue to pay for the domain name and web hosting for it, myself. If you find it valuable, you can pay it back by creating your own useful thing for the world and releasing it for free. Let's take back the friendly web, one vexingly-monetized utility at a time!

#QRcode #Free #FriendlyWeb #Resistance

This is some real Gestapo-like shit: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/us-citizen-immigration-raid-real-id-handcuffed-alabama-rcna208794

The greatest job alert! My team at EFF is hiring and you could be on it: https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=262470&clientkey=28620672D234BF368306CEB4A2746667

Seriously, Bluesky? Your new account-verification system requires signing into a Google account and uploading a photo of a state-issued ID via a Google Form? GMAFB.

Don't send #Bluesky an image of your government photo ID just to get "verified" with them. Seriously. And especially not via a #Google Form. Unless you're a serious masochist, I suppose.

The next release of Mastodon will have features to better support communities in different jurisdictions around the world - multi-lingual rules translations, terms of service, and optional minimum age requirements for signup. You can learn more in our latest blog post. https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2025/05/legal-features-updates/

This doctor calls LGBTQ+ rights ‘satanic’. He could now undo healthcare for millions - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/23/supreme-court-case-steven-hotze-hiv-prep what an absolute nutter; clearly has deep sexual issues he won't face....