Copy-pasting old tricks into new tech is like trying to use crayons on a touchscreen. The bad guys are turbocharging their ideas with algorithms, not posters on a wall.
Owning your tools matters. If you build a treehouse in someone else’s yard, they can kick you out anytime. Same with hosting your stuff on Big Tech’s servers—they hold the keys.
Infrastructure is the backbone. Apps like Signal are great until the internet cops start sniffing your traffic. Real independence means building networks and tools that don’t rely on corporate overlords or fairy dust.

Now go build something real, not just shiny toys.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Now go build something real

What should I do? Like laying my own fiber optic cables to my friends' and family's houses? That might be a bit beyond my means and abilities...

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

A very silly minor but accessible thing most people can do is simply downloading their media where they can and enjoying it offline.

If you're a little bit savvy or interested you can start building a catalogue and library of your consumed media that you can access outside the streamed online world.

From there it isn't too out of the realm to explore acquiring or supplementing media from various sources, like say torrents.

Share your library with close friends and family, as one might've lended a CD or VHS before streaming or general internet access.

Start unsubscribing to media streaming services. Use the same expense to directly fund and donate to content creators, causes, and your own damn self for a change.

Offloading media consumption from centralized, ad driven sources is a normie friendly type of effective action. (Beware the Pipeline!)

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 15 hours ago

acquiring or supplementing media from various sources, like say torrents

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about ;)

[–] meowmeowbeanz@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago

You don’t need to trench fiber cables to make a difference—start where you are. Our initial suggestions weren’t about becoming an ISP; they were about reclaiming autonomy in small, actionable ways that scale.

Spin up a Lemmy instance or join one aligned with your values. Learn to self-host something simple, like a blog or email server, and understand the basics of decentralized tools like Matrix. These aren’t just tech experiments—they’re stepping stones toward creating resilient communities outside corporate chokeholds.

If you’re not tech-savvy, contribute by organizing, spreading awareness, or supporting those who build. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s participation. Every small act chips away at the dependency on systems designed to fail us.