Ethical Software

Hi!
I usually tell my friends that GAFAM aren’t ethical software because they monetize user data.
But I’d like to understand better other ethical issues brought by these companies.
Any readings you can recomend me?
Thank you so much

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

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The capitalism of surveillance, by Shoshana Zuboff.

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If you are looking for big headlines telling you that selling data kills people or something outrageous like that, you are going to be disappointed. Which is one of the common arguments against data privacy in the first place: why is it bad if nobody is dying from it?

One big issue that I see is that law enforcement and government agencies can access very sensitive information about millions without a warrant. In many countries around the globe this entirely defeats the purpose of having laws of presumed innocence or probable cause. It’s important to understand that data is today just another resource like water, wood, oil, minerals, etc. Those who control the supply of a resource can influence other people, which in turn circles back to the good old “rich people get richer and poor people get poorer”.

This will vary from one region to another but the US is one of the most affected by it. I’m not going to say that this is specifically because of “unethical software” but it’s not unreasonable that it plays a role in it, considering the ever increasing cases of “fake news” we are forced to swim through every single day. Less educated people are easier to manipulate after all.

Journalism is supposed to keep you informed of things happening in the world so that you can make informed decisions. Up until now a very common and effective strategy was to use distraction, bread and circuses as they say. But now how can you make informed decision when the information that is presented to you has been tampered with?

Even when that is not the case you can still be uniquely identified because of the technology developed by big tech companies. You can get into trouble just by looking at something you are not supposed to, flagged by automated processes without anyone ever getting up from their chairs. This level of control is unprecedented and dangerous, and is only getting worse as more of anti-encryption laws are being pushed forward.

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I would like to add an alternative to the here discussed Surveillance Capitalism which seems to be the root of the problem. The Economy for the Common Good seems to be working counter part and I would love to see the /e/ foundation adapt its principles, since I think many values already align.

For instance I use FairApps to sync my data, contacts and calendars. FairApps embodies the EcoGood principles and was certified.

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Already read that one last year.
Thank you so much

Nice to know. May I add

Edward Snowden, Permanent Record ?

But I’m afraid I’m bringing coal to Newcastle !

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In some way similar to the Economy for the Common Good, there is also a nice religious initiative called The Economy of Francesco that gathers people from many backgrounds.

kkkk yes a little lol

As a humanist I try to keep my distance to any religious initiatives because most of them have a chauvinistic sub-layer. Nevertheless, thanks for the link, I hope that The Economy of Francesco is an exception and that they do things differently :wink:

I understand your point but specially inter-faith projects (that include also non religious people) on ecology have a good potencial to hearten or influence many people on a positive way.
So, keeping a “humanist” view, anyway, i’d love to also see inter-faith projects on FOSS, freedom of expression (and, why not, religious freedom).

Hi,
Two great documentaries on Netflix:

  • The Great Hack, about Cambridge Analytica
  • The Social Dilemna, about personnal data

Have a nice day.

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Insider information.

In Spanish: https://www.nogafam.es/

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Heard right now on the radio.

It seems interesting

@monpseud0
Watched The Social Dilemma before. Now just watched The Great Hack. Thank you so much.

@Td1957
What is that? An online magazine? A book?

@Mateu_MT
Great to see this kind of information in Spanish.

@nottolino
Thank you.


Meanwhile, the “de-google-ify Internet” project also has synthetic information in the bottom of the page at: “What is at stake?” and “Our proposals”. Beside that, this website has many alternatives to GAFAM.

Hello @Hermano

I learned recently that sadly the GAFAM are not the only ones selling our data. If you understand French you can watch https://mobile.france.tv/france-2/cash-investigation/2450927-nos-donnees-personnelles-valent-de-l-or.html to learn more.
If our health data are also sold without us even suspecting it, I feel like it’s without end…

Hi!
the website demands to register to be able to watch. But I’ll try in my parents house next week. I think they have France TV in their box; I’m not sure.

But yes, I also feel sometimes, «it’s without end…»
That’s why we’ve to go one engaging people to the privacy cause!

It would be interesting if we could convince our governent that data about us is our property, and that others had to pay us to use it.kind like royalties.

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