User-unique gets collected, and then the user-unique data sent to a remote server.

Only on the remote server will this data be aggregated, or so Mozilla says.

I think a big part of the problem is that they didn’t show anyone a notification or an onboarding dialog or whatever about this feature, when it got introduced.

Right. Not only didn’t they notify anybody, but they took to Reddit to defend the decision not to notify anybody:

we consider modal consent dialogs to be a user-hostile distraction from better defaults, and do not believe such an experience would have been an improvement here.

Which is strange, because Mozilla has no problem with popups in general.

• Is Firefox trying to be my default browser in a sneaky way?
• Mozilla sends pop-up ad overlay in Firefox
• How do I completely disable this “reminder” from popping up again?
• Firefox reminds users to backup data and verify it periodically
• Keep pesky trackers off your tail

Tor is Firefox, why are you calling it “a shit-quality browser” while defending Mozilla so hard

It looks like they’re just searching for people who will respond positively to their foregone decision to add the Shopping tool. I don’t know how else to read that post, especially with how the team is interacting with the responses.

(Is that AI-generated spam in the replies too?)

In Gaza, I think the claim is “The invasion doesn’t stop the corrupt Hamas government from stealing food”…

Again, the solution is the invading country leaves and stops interfering.

“The people being invaded need to behave better” is one way people justify brutality against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. And despite the argument working better on Hamas, I reject it there too.

In both situations, the chaos is being caused by the invading country, and the onus is on the invader to leave.

You said “LOL” about Ukraine not getting to join the EU, but that was the same attitude the US and Israel had towards UNESCO for daring to admit Palestine as a member state in 2011.

Last time I checked, Ukraine is fighting a war against a Russian invasion.

During World War II, the US censored pictures of dead soldiers until 1943. And that was without a war happening on American soil.

Expounding on previous suggestions…

“On iOS” is rough because you’re at the mercy of whatever incredibly limited experience Apple allows. Safari is the only real browser on your phone and it can be subjected to limited ad blocking, followed by your system (phone or tablet) with something like AdGuard.

If you’re on a particular home WiFi network, you can also add your own DNS filter using something like PiHole.

It could function as a nicotine patch for people who have a Schüllian obsession with Twitter.

Just the world’s biggest election between a popular, incumbent president associated with the color orange and religious nationalism, versus a disorganized opposition. And fake news is a problem.

If you’re in the US and mostly worried about one app, you can probably devote a Work folder via an app like Shelter to a GF.

Probably an iPhone user.

Or otherwise concerned about using an app banned by the state.

I can do this in like 5 seconds with my PiHole and not only am I not a network engineer, I would encourage people to never employ me as such.

So for an actual business that has a bigger budget than me ($0) and more hours to devote to it than me (.02), shouldn’t it be less of a problem?

Don’t all providers have the ability to filter things?

Personally I have very few problems with DNS providers filtering out malware, that sounds like a benefit to me.

After removing the sponsored shortcuts in Firefox…

with each Firefox start up, it would query these sites.

I don’t like that. Sponsored sites get a free ping from FF?! I thought those icons would be preloaded.

Sometimes it’s easier to sell solutions to the problems that you describe versus problems that are real. I’ve gotten that sense with his videos from the beginning, even the less extreme ones I’ve been recommended in the past. At some point you need to cut your losses, and at this point I think Braxman is more unhelpful than helpful in the tech space.

Update: especially because, recently, some banks will use your transaction history to advertise to you, I feel even better jumping onto one with stricter rules regarding that

https://www.pcmag.com/news/chase-bank-to-let-advertisers-target-customers-based-on-spending-habits

I’m pretty sure it’s the opposite, although it’s understandable that it’d give off that illusion.

You might experience a lower framerate in apps because your battery is overheating, but intentionally invoking it (like Mull does) will make your device require less processing power and thus less likely to overheat.

This reads as extremely petty.

He’s part of an organization that also made an app that also has a license that isn’t totally perfect, therefore all his other advocacy is inherently wrong?

Cancel Louis Rossman first, and then we can reassess whether his comments here are also incorrect.

ETA: I found this article that lays out the issues about GrayJay and its license. It doesn’t deem the app, nor anyone associated with it, particularly cancel-worthy either.

That’s a good point. For me, it lets me obscure my real name and real address from some websites, so it’s good enough for me.

For everything else, I would probably consider purchasing in person whenever possible, or with cryptocurrency as a last resort.