Libb

Not the OP, but I tried encrypting my files before uploading them to OneDrive. Microsoft did not liked that and was constantly bugging me regarding potential threats.

For the moment, lacking any better solution/knowledge, I put DIY encrypted cloud backups on hold (and went back to using iCloud which as far as I understand is encrypted, and as I’d rather not have MS nor Google constantly sniffing my personal files at all) but I will have a look at Hetzner offering. If it’s doable for a non-geek like myself to configure a Storage Box for automated backups, I may decide to use that instead. Being EU-based makes it a + as far as I’m concerned.

I’ve been using Kagi for a little over a month now and I would not want to go back to before that time. As a matter of fact I switched to their yearly paid-plan less than a week after I started using their free trial version. I was hooked.

Next to an iPad I use as one would expect, I also use a Kindle I disconnected from the Web (and Amazon) many years ago. It doesn’t get updates (no need in order to read ebooks) and I have to manually load ebooks, which is fine by me. The battery is still great. And I know nobody is sniffing my reading habits.

I’ve been reading ebooks since I owned a Palm Pilot (yep, that was quite some time ago) and have always privileged digital over print since then: it’s just more convenient.

But a very surprising thing started happening to me recently: tired of having to fight big tech to get some privacy and to avoid updates with always more useless ‘features’ pilled over my reading experience (I don’t like at all how Apple Books is changing), I started purchasing print editions. Instead of the ebooks, I mean. More and more. To the point that last month and the first two weeks of December I purchased zero ebook, only print.

It’s a a nice experience to be certain that no one is profiling my reading habits (I can still purchase books paying in cash if I want to), or enter my house to remove it from my bookshelves. I like it so much that I’ve also started using my notebook and fountain pen much more for note-taking instead of the iPad. Curious to see where it will lead me, if anywhere ;)

100% agree.

Yep… There is a lot of teaching/educating to be done.

Lol what will you say them? Your IP won’t be shared to other websites, but only to Google, switch your browser now! That will be so dumb…

I won’t tell them much. I will suggest they read it and let them know I will gladly answer any question they may have after reading it.

They’re just ignorant of the technical considerations but they still have a fully working brain, and given some lead they should easily understand the topic at hand (a bit like, say, if I discussed the differences in the process of painting watercolor versus oil or gouache while you have yourself never painted a canvas in your live I would not consider you too dumb to understand, or laugh at you, I would instead take some time to explain you what are those essential differences and why they matter. Well, this article will do exactly that in regard to Google, for those persons).

As I wrote in my first comment, this article is a nice and clear summary of the issue (Google privacy-washing) and should help them understand or, if you prefer, realize that this issue may be worth getting more into it. Then, could begin our discussion.

Don’t you agree that understanding there is an issue is a required starting point for anyone to take any decision in order to try to correct said issue?

As for the rest of your well thought-out comment, here is my take: I hope they will change, and not just their browser, but I certainly will not tell them to change or to do anything they don’t want.
I know we live in this strange new world, where hostility and mockery is becoming the norm, but barking orders or Loling at the face of people is not what a discussion is supposed to be. Maybe that is something that’s worth repeating, no matter how dumb it sounds.

Thx for sharing.

This article makes for a real nice and clear summary I will share with people around me that don’t get it or can’t be bothered with too much details.

Let’s hope it will be enough to encourage them to reconsider their choice of browsers and online services.

not sarcasm joke, really curious

I take your question without sarcasm.

Disclaimer: I use uBlock Origin myself, as I really don’t like being forced to see ads.

That said, I don’t think paying for content is ‘barbaric’ either. It’s a personal choice. Either you want to pay and you can, or you don’t want to, or you simply can’t. All three are fine by me.

As a teen, back in the 80s, I could not and did not pay for content (it was not online back then but copying music, books and even movies, or computer applications was a thing). Since then I got a few jobs, and the money that come with them. So, I can support the creators I like and I don’t need to spend time copying anything or searching for workarounds to access it. Be it on YT, or anywhere else. I would love to not pay Google, mind you, but since so, so many creators are still only hosted there, and since YT premium makes it so easy to pay them (a single monthly payment)…

Hi,

Trying to do it myself but I’m stuck with YouTube.

I mean, I need a gmail account to pay for the Premium sub. And then, most creators are still using YouTube not the few alternatives… How do you guys do?