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Comment by echelon

4 years ago

That document you downloaded that is critical of the party will land you and your family in jail. Enjoy your iPhone.

Seriously, folks, we shouldn't celebrate Apple's death grip over their platform. It's dangerous for all of us. The more of you that use it, the more it creates a sort of "anti-herd immunity" towards totalitarian control.

Apple talks "privacy", but jfc they're nothing of the sort. Apple gives zero shits about your privacy. They're staking more ground against Facebook and Google, trying to take their beachheads. You're just a pawn in the game for long term control.

Apple cares just as much for your privacy as they do your "freedom" to run your own (un-taxed) software or repair your devices (for cheaper).

And after Tim Cook is replaced with a new regime, you'll be powerless to stop the further erosion of your liberties. It'll be too late.

Stop. Using. Apple.

25 comments

echelon

Reply
bigiain  4 years ago

> Stop. Using. Apple.

But is there a realistically better alternative? Pinephone with a personally audited Linux distro? A jailbroken Android device with a non-stock firmware that you built yourself? A homebuilt RaspberryPi based device? A paper notepad and a film camera and an out of print street map?

  • kaba0  4 years ago

    The best bet is probably a pixel phone with GrapheneOS. (Do note, that copperhead os is a scam and is not to be used)

    Gnu/linux phones have nonexistent security, other than being niche (so security by obscurity at most). And also, they are not yet usable as a daily driver for me personally, at least.

  • fsflover  4 years ago

    > Pinephone with a personally audited Linux distro?

    Even if you don't personally audit it, you still benefit from other people doing it. Especially if the software is reproducible (and many packages are).

  • j-james  4 years ago

    An Android device running non-stock is a realistically better scenario. The big problem there is that the state of Android drivers means your hardware options are severely cut down (in practice, to a selection about the size of Apple's - the Pixel line and some assorted others).

  • marderfarker2  4 years ago

    Viable alternatives were long gone. I really miss the days of Symbian and Meego, phones that are hackable yet intuitive to use (I.e. Nokia N900, N9).

    Realistically now we have Tizen and Jolla OS, which had backings from Samsung but nobody gave two damn about it.

    I bet even if any of these vanilla mobile OS gets big enough they’ll get bought by the 3 giants and suffocated to death just like how Microsoft sniped Nokia.

  • echelon  4 years ago

    Not really, and I'm not going to sway anyone deeply into the ecosystem.

    My hope is that those of you that share my viewpoint will call your legislators and demand regulations or a break up. There are forces of good within the DOJ that are putting together an antitrust case against Apple, and the more of us that lend our voices, the louder and more compelling the argument.

    The DOJ is really the last lever we have, and that's pretty good measure for the power Apple wields.

    • wmf  4 years ago

      Other companies seem even less interested in fighting government surveillance so I don't see how weakening Apple will help anything.