Protests crack down on the internet has been going on for quite some time, don't just blame it on trump but on the whole government and its infrastructure.
this post was submitted on 27 Apr 2025
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Privacy
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One should be have been assuming since Windows 7 and automated online updates that the Microsoft key used to sign OS updates is in the hands of at least the NSA (and hence probably the Israeli equivalent) and they can push whatever they want to your computer as an OS update, bypassing all protections.
In fact the same applies to Linux updates of certain distros - if they're maintained by a company based in the US they can be forced by FISA courts to provide the signing keys to the US Government.
More in general, just go read about FISA courts and their secret court orders - companies based in the US or hosting things in the US can be secretly forced to just "give the keys of the Realm" to parts of the US Government.
Since things like the Patriot act one should be treating companies based in the US as just as untrustworthy as companies based in China.
(By the way, some other supposed Democratic countries have similar or worse systems - for example the equivalent of FISA courts in the UK have things like secret court sessions were the side which is not the State is not authorized to have a legal representation, see most of the evidence or even know the decision of the court).
Have people already forgot most of what came out in the Snowden Revelations?!
Would stuff like Fedora be in danger, in this case? I couldn't find if Red Hat was US based
Yep... Snowden, Charles Maning, Assange and an older whistleblower who died recently but I forgot his name... They also forgot what Cambridge Analytica was about. They just need to throw some bread and games at us and we go one living as nothing ever happend.
Chelsea* Manning
But, yeah, most people just do not care if they are spied on because they don't think it will be used for anything besides advertising. Trump is going to wake a lot of people up to the immense power we've handed over to our tech overlords.
I switched from Fedora to openSUSE recently and it has been painless. Would recommend to anyone who are looking to get away from US companies and US jurisdiction. Edit: note that it uses RPM package manager though, I don't know yet if that is problematic or not. If someone knows then please elaborate on that.
Tumbleweed or Leap or something else?
Most likely Tumbleweed. As it is the most modern of them. Because it is rolling.
Correct, Tumbleweed is the one I started using.
As a long time debian user, I have my eyes on Leap. I value stability (in the unchanging functionality sense) over latest versions.
Was considering migrating from Fedora and getting a MacBook, but this is making me reconsider.
What does linux need to try?
To stop overachieving
To all the people who are criticising this guy for working for Meta, I would like to remind you of the phrase, "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer".
I am very much a left-winger, but I still read right-wing papers and articles, I like to know what the other side is thinking.
I use Ubuntu. Can someone tell me if that’s “independent and outside US jurisdiction”? I know it’s made/maintained by canonical.
What are some Linux distros that we should avoid? What are some that are independent?
Debian is a community distro. Ubuntu is downstream of it.
It's UK based
I don't trust the UK either after they left the EU.
I want to get into Linux and I need a new laptop. I'm happy to go secondhand but I actually want a half decent thing that can play some games, not the cheapest box I can put Linux on and use fake word.
Am I best off just buying a new windows laptop than I can dual boot? Or any other suggestions?
Windows is US$ 139.00. So I figured if I buy a laptop without windows it will be 139 less but I guess manufacturers get windows for like $20 so there are no saving anyway.
Edit:should probably add I'm from to UK I that's relevant
Yes, at least Lenovo Linux laptops are 140$ cheaper.
Take a look at Framework, or System76 for Linux first hardware.
i would recommand also tuxedo computer, they based in Germany, their laptops offer various keyboards layout, and if you need cheaper option, refurbished pro laptops are a good options, look for informatic broker : they buy by lots from enterprises and the quality is overall good, maybe the battery will be a bit less consistant.
Lenovo recently started shipping laptops with Linux at a discount. But its probably better to buy a laptop from a Linux seller so that you know the hardware compatibility is being maintained.
use massgrave[dot]dev for all the windows software. its very easy
FUCK YEAH, YEAR OF THE LINUX DESKTOP
It's funny how they're saying "You need to use Linux" and not "You need to get off Facebook". How's Linux going to save you from Facebook spying on you?
I think the be careful what you do on Facebook is implied. He's highlighting something that's less expected, where you may need to be careful what you do on Windows systems.
They mentioned Microsoft updating privacy agreements at the same time as other companies, and OP mentioned that the context was a discussion of a Windows ultra-keylogger type of feature, the implication is they're in on this shit too, and Linux is a way to not use Windows.
Back in 2020 when I took my class for my A+ cert I remember the instructor directing us to a Windows 10 debloating video tutorial to speed up a Win10 computer. If I recall correctly In that video the host point's out that one of the Microsoft services that ran in the background of every standard distribution of Windows 10 was a keylogger. It was one of the many things that got permanently turned off in the in the tutorial.
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"im a henchman for a bad guy....and lemme tell you...I think we might be starting to do bad stuff...not sure yet..."
Thanks bud
Unfortunately, not everyone has a choice in who they work for in end-stage-capitalism. Work is about survival, not ideology. The majority of Americans are not far-right capitalists, but the vast majority of CEOs are, and it's not really possible to survive long enough to start a small business in most of the US without investment from a far-right capitalist or inheritance (usually also from a far-right capitalist family member).
If you have the skillset and CV to work at Meta, you have a choice to work somewhere slightly lower on the scale of exploitation.
Dude, look around. Most of us are way, WAY past the "We're all in this together! We can do it if we try!" method of living and have been operating in survival mode for the past 5 years. And can you blame them? The flood waters are rising and people are wanting to make sure they have a life raft. If that means working for evil people/companies, then so be it. It's not like working somewhere else will stop or slow the flood. Morals are nice, but they won't keep you afloat.
At some point we need to start welcoming people to the Light, instead of demonizing them for having been in the Dark. It's pretty difficult for me not to dunk on people as they wake up to the nightmare that they voted for, but a lot them ARE actually otherwise decent folks. Making America Great is going to involve deprogramming a lot of people.
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"Are we the baddies?!"
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