This is a public service announcement: by saying "IT is crap because users still buy it" you are effectively blaming the victim.

There is a huge information and resources asymmetry between large companies creating software and hardware, and regular person who just wants their Internet-connected device to, you know, not do harm. Companies effectively made a business model out of that asymmetry.

We need education and regulation to make IT not crap.

@rysiek

If you try to tell people their television literally spies on them (https://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/), most people will think you're some kind of nutcase.

I worry that people will only start to accept reality if we go through some kind of horrific Stasi-type scenario, but by then it may be too late to do anything about it 😟

@switchingsocial
Even more tinfoil-hat sounding is the use of ultrasound for tracking, yet also real.

What I find at our community is that many people are really worried, but - just like with climate change, the environment - they are talking the talk, but not willing to walk the walk. Problems seem overwhelming, and this perception can lead to defeatism, and actively ignoring the problems ("I can't do anything. Let the big shots figure it out").
@rysiek

@humanetech @switchingsocial depending what you mean by "walking the walk". Consider: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2017/jul/17/neoliberalism-has-conned-us-into-fighting-climate-change-as-individuals

@rysiek
Yes, agree with article, and very much at play in tech world too. But now you see ppl putting blame at big corp and not changing themselves. Blame is shared by e.g. taking convenience of the supermarket. Eat less meat and you can afford to shop at eco-friendly local store.

In tech too ppl want to fight harms, but when it comes to action, they are busy, busy, busy .. using google, FB, etc. out of convenience. We must prepare an easy path for them to engage
@switchingsocial

@humanetech @rysiek @switchingsocial We cannot blame people for using the tools of surveillance capitalism as long as 99.99999% of all investment goes into surveillance capitalism. That’s victim blaming. It’s the same as telling people that they can solve climate change by altering their consumption habits while just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of all carbon emissions. We need systemic regulation of abusers and investment in alternatives.

@aral @switchingsocial @rysiek @humanetech
Who's going to regulate the abusers? You know the answer and you should know that regulation does not fucking work.