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Alec is a technologist, writer & security consultant who has worked in host and network security for more than 30 years, with 25 of those in industry.
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The world needs social sovereignty | Mastodon Blog | Fediverse’s 800g Gorilla calls for local platforms, for local people…

2025-12-09 20:36:40

Because of course what the world really needs is balkanized discourse policed by local law enforcement:

“The term digital sovereignty means that an institution has autonomy and control over the critical digital infrastructure, data, and services that make up their online presence. Up until this point, social media has not been a part of this conversation. We think it is time to change that.”

https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2025/12/the-world-needs-social-sovereignty/

Speculation: “Reddit enlists lawyers to take on teen social media ban”

2025-12-09 06:35:09

Interesting if true speculation in Australia; the anti-corporatist populist pols will do their nut:

Reddit is expected to launch a High Court challenge against Australia’s under-16s social media ban, the Australian Financial Review has reported. The masthead reports [that it] has enlisted barrister Perry Herzfeld, SC, backed by law firm Thomson Geer to run its case, according to anonymous sources with knowledge of the challenge.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-news-live-wells-under-fire-for-fresh-travel-expense-revelation-reddit-expected-to-challenge-government-s-social-media-ban-in-court-20251209-p5nm0c.html archived at https://archive.ph/PMljn

What the world might look like if we get a federal GRANITE Act | Preston Byrne | …the joy of this is that it might even be bipartisan

2025-12-09 04:57:13

[Someone] referred to GRANITE as a “legal atomic bomb.” I think that description is apt, and suggestive of what will emerge after such a law’s enactment – a state of affairs I would describe as an “Online Censorship Cold War.” The larger the EU makes their penalties, or the bigger and more strategically important a U.S. target they pursue … the greater are the statutory civil damages recoverable in American courts.

https://prestonbyrne.com/2025/12/07/what-the-world-might-look-like-if-we-get-a-federal-granite-act/

A US psychologist prescribed a social media ban for kids. How did Australia become the test subject? | Social media ban | The Guardian

2025-12-08 17:38:35

In emails obtained by Crikey under freedom of information, the South Australian government wasn’t as keen to hear from [Francis] Haugen since she had described a ban as a “bumper sticker solution”.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/07/how-australia-became-the-testing-ground-for-a-social-media-ban-for-young-people

“India’s request for satellite-aided iPhone location data is a privacy nightmare” | AppleInsider

2025-12-08 03:20:09

According to sources of Reuters, India has thought about a telecom industry proposal to require smartphone producers to enable satellite location tracking. It is to be kept active, so as to better improve surveillance efforts. Multiple sources and documents have emerged, showing that Apple, Google, and Samsung all opposed the order, over concerns for user privacy.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/12/06/indias-request-for-satellite-aided-iphone-location-data-is-a-privacy-nightmare

Sometimes even politicians agree that it is necessary for social media to carry videos of people literally and really being blown to pieces…

2025-12-08 02:29:30

You have to wonder how the Online Safety Act is going to accommodate such thinking?