Pegasus spyware

[therealjaxon]

Is it time to leave the mobile phone entirely?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57881364

[Nag]

Nope.

[Sly Reflex]

Well that doesn't look good for Whatsapp.

[Jimboxy]

I've not really read how it works, but would it not compromise all of the instant chat apps, telegraph etc?

 

It's pretty shitty, Snowden was tweeting about it and how it could blow up into the biggest story of the year.

[HandsomeDead]

I think journalists particularly in the weeds and bolder activists are already pretty aware of the potential spying through communication devices so this isn't really a new thing.  It's probably the worst version of it, but still.

 

I remember some conflict amongst protesters during BLM last year between those covering them by filming them and those worried about getting their faces scanned and picked up later.  I dunno how you square that circle as both things are valid 

 

But your average person shouldn't worry unless you're planning a revolution.  If so, use another means I guess...

[therealjaxon]

This year I bought a degoogled S9 which runs on /e/ OS.

 

I have no social media (unless you regard this forum as SM), no YouTube account, no WhatsApp blah blah.

 

Its interesting when you look at apps on the /e/ store as it lists the permissions needed and trackers used for the  individual apps (so I now don't install any) therefore my phone is now just for basic calls, texts and emails.

 

I've even found myself leaving my phone at home now as I'm largely detached from it.

Something I would never of done in the past (I would've rather been without clothes than my phone).

[HandsomeDead]

Best part(s) of my day is giving the CIA a Show

[therealjaxon]

The mobile phone has to be the best surveillance tool in the history of the world, especially when you consider the subjects are so happy and eager to help out lol.

[HandsomeDead]

I mean, computers more generally are susceptible the same way.  I mean if you want to Return to Monke then you do you but I still think using technology is good overall.  Most of this spying stuff is just used for targeted ads anyway.

[one-armed dwarf]

I think if you're worried about stuff like this installing custom OS could be the best way.

 

I think distrust of technology is good in moderation, I don't think I could live my life without it though.

 

Smart phones tho, I would like to live without. But job requires MFA and MS Teams and all this shit and they won't let you just use text based MFA. Has to be this stupid app. The only thing I really like about smart phones is maps.

[HandsomeDead]

Knowledge is power and everything, and yeah, having something of an idea of how the tech industry uses this data and who can harvest it is good to know.

 

But using this as an excuse to fall down a conspiracy hole where we all need to be afraid of who knows our info is not a good road to go down.

[therealjaxon]

I'm already well inside that conspiracy hole ?

 

My employer wanted me to install the Microsoft Authenticator app in order to log in and use email.

I said no out of principle. For a start its my own personal phone, secondly the app is riddled with trackers and thirdly Bill Gates is a bellend.

[one-armed dwarf]

I mean you at least submitted to some sort of MFA though, right? Because they're well within their right to insist on it imo, even if not necessarily the MS auth app

 

Also Bill Gates has nothing to do with MS anymore lol

[therealjaxon]

Holy mother, you're right, he owns less than 2% now ?

Regardless, he is still a bellend and that's an undeniable fact ?

[HandsomeDead]

Of course Bill 'stop the third world from getting COVID vaccines" Gates is a bellend.

 

But he has fuck all to do with all this.

 

 

But just know.  No-one gives a shit about you even if you are technically monitored.  As long as you don't rock the boat you'll be fine.  

 

Like if I say "communism is poggers" I wouldn't be surprised if that is getting pinged somewhere.  Saying The Last of Us 2 is too woke, well, no-one important really gives a shit.  Some young, well meaning students will get mad at you, but what power do they have?

 

Social media companies got all this data from us and the first thing they thought is not "how can we control the world?" but "how can we make money?" And that's why we get these weird ads.  I go shopping in Sainsbury's, use my Nectar card (your email is tied to it) then I'm home, I check Twitter and I have a bunch of Sainsbury's ads.

 

Now if you are some antifa soldier you have to be careful, as that info can be accessed by the feds and they will find a valid way to kill you.  It doesn't matter too much of you're a white supremacist.  Sure someone will half heartedly tell you to behave but that doesn't upset the status quo too much.

 

I'm sure Comrade Socko from the Bo Burnham special would agree with me.

[therealjaxon]

I'm thinking some people need to research Bill Gates a bit more.

He's no life saver that's for sure!

[HandsomeDead]

Yeah, umm, I said he was a third world killing ghoul, what more do you want?

 

This is why I say boomers are dopes.  They have no reading comprehension.

[one-armed dwarf]

Him and Epstein ate lots of children for their adrenochrome I heard

[HandsomeDead]

I mean, I was agreeing with his take on Bill and expanding on it.  But he didn't realise.

[therealjaxon]

I assumed it was sarcasm ?‍♂️