Have you also tried using Signal instead of WhatsApp? Sorry, had to do it.

Originally I thought I could, but no. Because when I listen to the music, I’m giving that artist money, attention, and power.

That results in giving them a bigger platform to spew their bigoted opinions/actions is counterintuitive to my goals. I would rather not.

This would only be meaningful if it wasn’t collected in the first place.

I’ve bought every single generation of an Apple Watch, and I returned it every time.

I wanted to love it so much, but I couldn’t.

It’s just a glorified notification system.

Anytime I got a notification on it, or wanted to use it for something, it was faster and far more convenient to just pull out my phone and do whatever I needed to.

The only thing I found it good for was controlling music from a distance, but that’s not an important use case for me and definitely not worth the price tag, plus the recurring data plan. It’s a money and attention hog, just like any other smartphone.

That network wasn’t built overnight either, though. The same way it was built little by little over time, it can also be dismantled.

I understand the chokehold of network effects. I really do. But what’s the alternative?

Whose fault is it though? I get that collective will is hard, but you as an individual have the power to move, organize, mobilize, whatever you want.

The company doesn’t value you? Move. Why are you giving this company free labor?

For the “prestige” of being a (“anonymous”) reddit mod? Give me a break. There’s better things to do and be prouder of in life.

Stop giving this company time, money, and attention. And tell others to do the same. Otherwise, you’re digging your own (and everyone else’s) hole.

Yes, it’s unfair, but it’s an unfair system. So let’s all do our part. And let’s also organize and mobilize on that. Can’t be done by continuing to feed it.

What’s even scarier is that takeout is probably only the data they want you to see, or are legally obliged to share.

I would be willing to wager they have lots more on you that you’re not even aware of.

I couldn’t agree more. We shouldn’t need to be somewhere else to receive announcements (especially such important ones).

Not to mention Discord’s horrible record of privacy and security. I don’t have an account and will never make one, and I’m sure many others in the fediverse will agree.

I actually just tested out the account making process, and I got asked for my phone number. No. Way.

We’re here because we care about a decentralized, open network. Aside from its confusing and busy UX, it’s not even indexable. Discord is literally a black hole for information and terrible for everyone except for Discord itself, who is doing who knows what with all of our data.

Discord is everything the fediverse stands against.

There’s no way to build, let alone restore, trust with that kind of business model. All behavior manipulation companies need to die. Their mere existence is unethical.