We've Detected Lightning on Mars for the First Time
We've Detected Lightning on Mars for the First Time
Scientists analyzed 28 hours of recordings over two Martian years, listening for electrical signals.Passant Rabie (Gizmodo)
RNA viruses like flu and COVID-19 mutate rapidly, creating new variants that escape immunity. On the other hand, viruses like measles mutate in ways that are mostly harmful to themselves.
Why Do Viruses Like COVID-19 and the Flu Mutate Rapidly and What Does it Mean for Vaccines?
Some viruses mutate more rapidly than others. Learn more about why that is and what that means for your health.Avery Hurt (Discover Magazine)
We are all mosaics: vast genetic diversity found between cells in a single person
We are all mosaics: vast genetic diversity found between cells in a single person
Technical advances allow researchers to trace the genetic changes that occur over time.Ledford, Heidi
Scientists Are Increasingly Worried AI Will Sway Elections
Scientists are raising alarms about the potential influence of artificial intelligence on elections, according to a spate of new studies that warn AI can rig polls and manipulate public opinion.In a study published in Nature on Thursday, scientists report that AI chatbots can meaningfully sway people toward a particular candidate—providing better results than video or television ads. Moreover, chatbots optimized for political persuasion “may increasingly deploy misleading or false information,” according to a separate study published on Thursday in Science.
Archive: archive.today/9Jq17
Scientists Are Increasingly Worried AI Will Sway Elections
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Subscribe to 404 Media to get The Abstract, our newsletter about the most exciting and mind-boggling science news and studies of the week.Scientists are raising alarms about the potential influence of artificial intelligence on elections, according to a spate of new studies that warn AI can rig polls and manipulate public opinion.
In a study published in Nature on Thursday, scientists report that AI chatbots can meaningfully sway people toward a particular candidate—providing better results than video or television ads. Moreover, chatbots optimized for political persuasion “may increasingly deploy misleading or false information,” according to a separate study published on Thursday in Science.
“The general public has lots of concern around AI and election interference, but among political scientists there’s a sense that it’s really hard to change peoples’ opinions, ” said David Rand, a professor of information science, marketing, and psychology at Cornell University and an author of both studies. “We wanted to see how much of a risk it really is.”
In the Nature study, Rand and his colleagues enlisted 2,306 U.S. citizens to converse with an AI chatbot in late August and early September 2024. The AI model was tasked with both increasing support for an assigned candidate (Harris or Trump) and with increasing the odds that the participant who initially favoured the model’s candidate would vote, or decreasing the odds they would vote if the participant initially favored the opposing candidate—in other words, voter suppression.
In the U.S. experiment, the pro-Harris AI model moved likely Trump voters 3.9 points toward Harris, which is a shift that is four times larger than the impact of traditional video ads used in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Meanwhile, the pro-Trump AI model nudged likely Harris voters 1.51 points toward Trump.
The researchers ran similar experiments involving 1,530 Canadians and 2,118 Poles during the lead-up to their national elections in 2025. In the Canadian experiment, AIs advocated either for Liberal Party leader Mark Carney or Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre. Meanwhile, the Polish AI bots advocated for either Rafał Trzaskowski, the centrist-liberal Civic Coalition’s candidate, or Karol Nawrocki, the right-wing Law and Justice party’s candidate.
The Canadian and Polish bots were even more persuasive than in the U.S. experiment: The bots shifted candidate preferences up to 10 percentage points in many cases, three times farther than the American participants. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the models were so much more persuasive to Canadians and Poles, but one significant factor could be the intense media coverage and extended campaign duration in the United States relative to the other nations.
“In the U.S., the candidates are very well-known,” Rand said. “They've both been around for a long time. The U.S. media environment also really saturates with people with information about the candidates in the campaign, whereas things are quite different in Canada, where the campaign doesn't even start until shortly before the election.”
“One of the key findings across both papers is that it seems like the primary way the models are changing people's minds is by making factual claims and arguments,” he added. “The more arguments and evidence that you've heard beforehand, the less responsive you're going to be to the new evidence.”
While the models were most persuasive when they provided fact-based arguments, they didn’t always present factual information. Across all three nations, the bot advocating for the right-leaning candidates made more inaccurate claims than those boosting the left-leaning candidates. Right-leaning laypeople and party elites tend to share more inaccurate information online than their peers on the left, so this asymmetry likely reflects the internet-sourced training data.
“Given that the models are trained essentially on the internet, if there are many more inaccurate, right-leaning claims than left-leaning claims on the internet, then it makes sense that from the training data, the models would sop up that same kind of bias,” Rand said.
With the Science study, Rand and his colleagues aimed to drill down into the exact mechanisms that make AI bots persuasive. To that end, the team tasked 19 large language models (LLMs) to sway nearly 77,000 U.K. participants on 707 political issues.
The results showed that the most effective persuasion tactic was to provide arguments packed with as many facts as possible, corroborating the findings of the Nature study. However, there was a serious tradeoff to this approach, as models tended to start hallucinating and making up facts the more they were pressed for information.
“It is not the case that misleading information is more persuasive,” Rand said. ”I think that what's happening is that as you push the model to provide more and more facts, it starts with accurate facts, and then eventually it runs out of accurate facts. But you're still pushing it to make more factual claims, so then it starts grasping at straws and making up stuff that's not accurate.”
In addition to these two new studies, research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last month found that AI bots can now corrupt public opinion data by responding to surveys at scale. Sean Westwood, associate professor of government at Dartmouth College and director of the Polarization Research Lab, created an AI agent that exhibited a 99.8 percent pass rate on 6,000 attempts to detect automated responses to survey data.
“Critically, the agent can be instructed to maliciously alter polling outcomes, demonstrating an overt vector for information warfare,” Westwood warned in the study. “These findings reveal a critical vulnerability in our data infrastructure, rendering most current detection methods obsolete and posing a potential existential threat to unsupervised online research.”
Taken together, these findings suggest that AI could influence future elections in a number of ways, from manipulating survey data to persuading voters to switch their candidate preference—possibly with misleading or false information.
To counter the impact of AI on elections, Rand suggested that campaign finance laws should provide more transparency about the use of AI, including canvasser bots, while also emphasizing the role of raising public awareness.
“One of the key take-homes is that when you are engaging with a model, you need to be cognizant of the motives of the person that prompted the model, that created the model, and how that bleeds into what the model is doing,” he said.
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Subscribe to 404 Media to get The Abstract, our newsletter about the most exciting and mind-boggling science news and studies of the week.Persuading voters using human–artificial intelligence dialogues - Nature
Human–artificial intelligence (AI) dialogues can meaningfully impact voters’ attitudes towards presidential candidates and policy, demonstrating the potential of conversational AI to influence political decision-making.Nature
Guerilla Fighters in West Papua Are Facing Extermination by Indonesia's High-Tech Forces
Kristo Langker
Nov 30, 2025
This dispatch from Kristo Langker is from the mountains of West Papua, a part of the world we don’t typically cover, and it’s different in another way, too: we usually report on, and from, parts of the world where the U.S. war machine operates. In this story, the weaponry in question is made by a multinational French weapons manufacturer and Chinese manufacturer, but you’ll see the structure is the same: the Indonesian government using drones and helicopters to terrorize and displace the people of West Papua, while the historical reason imperial interests loom over the region stems from a U.S. mining project in the 1960s. The videos in this story are well worth watching: exclusive interviews with the guerilla group fighting off the drones and airplanes with bows and arrows.
Guerilla Fighters in West Papua Are Facing Extermination by Indonesia's High-Tech Forces
The West Papua National Liberation Army has resisted counterinsurgency in the Star Mountains for decades. Drop Site spoke with guerilla leader Lamek Taplo a week before he was killed.Kristo Langker (Drop Site News)
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African leaders push for recognition of colonial crimes and reparations
African leaders push for recognition of colonial crimes and reparations
Algerian foreign minister says African countries and peoples continue to pay a heavy price for colonialismGuardian staff reporter (The Guardian)
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Benjamin Netanyahu asks Israel’s president for pardon in corruption case
Presidential pardons in Israel have almost never been granted before conviction, with the one notable exception of a 1986 case involving the Shin Bet security service. A pre-emptive pardon of a politician in a corruption case without an admission of guilt would be precedent-setting and highly controversial.The submission on Sunday comes weeks after Donald Trump wrote to Herzog to ask him to pardon Netanyahu, who has been on trial since 2020 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, involving alleged political favours for wealthy backers in return for gifts or positive media coverage.
Trump writes to Israeli president calling for Netanyahu pardon
Isaac Herzog can pardon convicted criminals in some circumstances, but cases against Israeli PM are ongoingJason Burke (The Guardian)
Air Force award ceremony shows just how close Ansar Allah came to smoking US jets, supercarrier
It is very telling what the US military's own press releases will not say. A recent award ceremony gave a Silver Star to Lt. Col. William Parks for gallantry during missions in early 2025. The official story describes a fifteen minute life or death struggle where he performed high G maneuvers to evade missiles that were detonating feet from his aircraft. He is credited with six aerial victories and personally defending against five surface to air missile engagements, all while preventing the loss of two other US jets.
"For 15 minutes, with enemy missiles detonating mere feet from his aircraft, Parks led his flight through a serious of high-G maneuvers and countermeasure employment” and coordinated the emergency deployment of tankers, which “prevented the probable loss of two aircraft due to fuel starvation."
Parks was “Parks has been credited with six aerial victories protecting the lives of more than 5,000 Sailors aboard the USS Harry S. Truman” carrier, and “personally defended against five deadly surface-to-air missile engagements targeting his aircraft.”
The curious part they completely omit is who he was fighting. The release does not mention Yemen, the Red Sea, Ansar Allah, or the Houthis. The only clue is that his deployment supported Operations Prosperity Guardian and Rough Rider, the twin US campaigns against Yemen.
Rare high-resolution observations of a flare-prolific solar active region
Rare high-resolution observations of a flare-prolific solar active region
Scientists have captured an exceptionally rare, high-resolution view of an active region that produced two powerful X-class solar flares—an achievement rarely possible from Earth.Janine Fohlmeister (Phys.org)
How does discovery work in fedora server?
I can pull up cockpit by using the hostname in the web browsers url, but samba doesn’t point to the server by name. Only IP address pulls it up.
I don’t want to risk installing conflicting stuff but I’m not finding a lot of detail here. Does fedora have something for this included? Does it use avahi? Systemd-resolved? Smoke signals?
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I'm aware of what it is. This is a Fedora Server install that shouldn't have it enabled by default because it generally only fits the use-case of home users. Someone installing the default package list in an enterprise setting would not want this enabled.
I even checked to be certain, and it is not enabled by default.
Poll: In a dramatic shift, Americans no longer see four-year college degrees as worth the cost
Poll: In a dramatic shift, Americans no longer see four-year college degrees as worth the cost
Americans have grown sour on one of the longtime key ingredients of the American dreamBen Kamisar (NBC News)
Chernobyl Fungus Appears to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability
Chernobyl Fungus Appears to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability : ScienceAlert
The Chernobyl exclusion zone may be off-limits to humans, but ever since the Unit Four reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded nearly 40 years ago, other forms of life have not only moved in but survived, adapted, and appeared to thrive…Michelle Starr (ScienceAlert)
This appears to be supported by the findings of a 2022 paper, in which scientists describe the results of taking C. sphaerospermum into space and strapping it to the exterior of the ISS, exposing it to the full brunt of cosmic radiation.There, sensors placed beneath the petri dish showed that a smaller amount of radiation penetrated through the fungi than through an agar-only control.
The aim of that paper was not to demonstrate or investigate radiosynthesis, but to explore the fungus's potential as a radiation shield for space missions, which is a cool idea. But, as of that paper, we still don't know what the fungus is actually doing.
That's where it seems really cool to me. If we have nuclear spacecraft or even just passive cosmic radiation exposure, what's otherwise a waste/threat could become a factory. Reinforcing the hull with a regenerative radiation shield, genetically engineering it like E. coli to biosynthesise needed compounds, mass producing it as food for something we can eat- it'd be so useful to have something like that in space where you're surrounded by energy you can't use.
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They outlawed every communist/socialist/anarchist organization that wasn't them, and then, when there was no other party to kill, they started killing their own, but you are probably in the wrong instance to bring that up.
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That's a pretty fantastical view. The Bolsheviks came in second, behind the SRs, who were fond of terrorism and were entirely backwards in theory and in practice. The SRs had also had a major split shortly before the election without most of the voters knowing. It was the bolsheviks that succeeded in carrying out the revolution, weathering the Russian civil war, and then solidifying the socialist state.
They didn't just murder anyone that had more support than them, that's a fanfiction view of soviet history. They were, towards the revolution, consistently the most supported among the working classes. The Left-SRs, who weren't really a coherent political force as the SRs themselves had a major split, supported the revolution and many ended up joining the bolsheviks anyways as the SRs faded away. The Right-SRs, who came behind the bolsheviks, had some join the bolsheviks and some join the White Army.
All in all, the bolsheviks were supported by the majority, and the CA was being phased out in favor of the soviets anyways.
Bolshevik was a faction name in use after a split in 1903, the minority within the party, who chose the name because the amount of delegates leaving the congress instead of voting on resolutions gave the Bolsheviks the majority vote
you're presenting it like they called themselves 'the majority' only after 1917
The pure socialists’ ideological anticipations remain untainted by existing practice. They do not explain how the manifold functions of a revolutionary society would be organized, how external attack and internal sabotage would be thwarted, how bureaucracy would be avoided, scarce resources allocated, policy differences settled, priorities set, and production and distribution conducted. Instead, they offer vague statements about how the workers themselves will directly own and control the means of production and will arrive at their own solutions through creative struggle. No surprise then that the pure socialists support every revolution except the ones that succeed.The pure socialists had a vision of a new society that would create and be created by new people, a society so transformed in its fundaments as to leave little opportunity for wrongful acts, corruption, and criminal abuses of state power. There would be no bureaucracy or self-interested coteries, no ruthless conflicts or hurtful decisions. When the reality proves different and more difficult, some on the Left proceed to condemn the real thing and announce that they “feel betrayed” by this or that revolution.
The pure socialists see socialism as an ideal that was tarnished by communist venality, duplicity, and power cravings. The pure socialists oppose the Soviet model but offer little evidence to demonstrate that other paths could have been taken, that other models of socialism — not created from one’s imagination but developed through actual historical experience — could have taken hold and worked better. Was an open, pluralistic, democratic socialism actually possible at this historic juncture? The historical evidence would suggest it was not.
Decentralized parochial autonomy is the graveyard of insurgency — which may be one reason why there has never been a successful anarcho-syndicalist revolution. Ideally, it would be a fine thing to have only local, self-directed, worker participation, with minimal bureaucracy, police, and military. This probably would be the development of socialism, were socialism ever allowed to develop unhindered by counterrevolutionary subversion and attack.
One might recall how, in 1918-20, fourteen capitalist nations, including the United States, invaded Soviet Russia in a bloody but unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the revolutionary Bolshevik government.
Certain anarchist factions were nothing more than bandits, its honestly weird to see someone defend those clowns.
Plenty of anarchists joined the Bolsheviks, somehow those are never mentioned.
Emma Goldman (and others) who were in exile because instead of organising with workers in America, they were busy deciding what the workers should be doing and going around blowing shit up.
Honestly unsurprising that someone as smug as you would like Emma Goldman's writing, she's as smug and pompus as any modern anarchist twitter acedemic. Tell me more about how you think workers have no autonomy and are lead like sheep by like 1 spoopy bad guy
::: spoiler spoiler
(Сталина 👻)
:::
1. Oppose all authority.
2. Are also CIA agents.
Another solid piece of logic from the red fascists.
Its because anarchism isn’t seen as a valid threat or opposition to the US empire and because of it’s ineffectiveness against capitalism, the CIA/FBI can use the promotion of anarchism to split the left, silence revolutionary activity, and attack Marxist-Leninism, an actual working ideology. People that claim to be anarchists who take it upon themselves either in real life or online to bash “tankies”, AES states, etc are doing the current state’s work for free.
red fascists
Deeply unserious term and proves my point lmao
Yeah as we can see Rojava is a state and as far as states go imo doesn’t deserve undying support. My solidarity lies with the people of the region in their struggle against imperialism, not in the leadership’s ideals and use of authority.
For questions about the vanguard and why socialism is a better proven model both politically and economically I recommend State and Revolution by Lenin.
If you would be curious what decentralization looks like under a Socialist state, this video explains Vietnam’s recent government restructure to allow for more self-regional control in it progression towards communism and the “withering away” of the state.
If voting didn't work, you will blame it on corruption or unprecedented times like war or natural disaster.
Its either democracy or some external thing happened, never that voting didn't bring democracy.
And we haven't even touched the subject of legally making it difficult for minority and "unwanted" groups to vote. We also didn't talk about immigrants who live work and pay taxes but are not represented by voting
If I can VOTE(the most important thing)
Ancient Greek democracy begs to differ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sortitio…
They argued that electoralism will result in rich amd artistocracy corrupting the whole process and getting into power and never letting it go, focusing on their own selfish interests
My comment is sarcastic.
They argued that electoralism will result in rich amd artistocracy corrupting the whole process and getting into power and never letting it go, focusing on their own selfish interests
Thank goodness that never happened!
In Italy we had a communist party in parliament but not anymore since Berlusconi (wich fortunately died After 4 terms)
I Hope every day we Will have a real left again in Italy, wich now Is like these other countries
Beware of Westerners Bearing Gifts
Beware of Westerners Bearing Gifts
The American peace proposal for Ukraine is deficient, but the EU proposal is an absolute farce, which is clearly just an attempt to stall for time and buyБрайан Энтони Рео (New Eastern Outlook)
Terrorist Attacks on Black Sea Tankers Linked to Obstructing Ukraine Settlement – Russian MFA
Terrorist Attacks on Black Sea Tankers Linked to Obstructing Ukraine Settlement – Russian MFA
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian regime's terrorist attacks on Gambian-flagged tankers Kairos and Virat in the Black Sea, as well as on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) infrastructure, are directly connected to desire to obstruct international e…Sputnik International
West losing arms race to Russia – Lavrov
West losing arms race to Russia – Lavrov (FULL INTERVIEW)
The West wants still more sanctions on Moscow because it cannot compete with the Russian weapons industry, the foreign minister has saidRT
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united24media.com/latest-news/…
Is this what "winning the arms race" looks like?
Russia Sends “Disposable Soldiers” Into Battle With No Helmets and No Armor
Ukrainian forces document the lack of basic protective gear among Russian troops, reflecting serious supply issues and tactical concerns on the battlefield.Ivan Khomenko (UNITED24 Media)
So wild that this is such a widespread phenomenon and yet Ukraine can't seem to resist the onslaught of ... unarmored and unarmed soldiers who eat nothing but tree bark and have to scavenge for their weapons and ammo.
Ukraine must be in really bad shape if they can't defend against that, huh?
russiamatters.org/news/russia-…
This report from the Harvard Kennedy school indicates that Russian forces gained 258 square miles of Ukrainian territory between end of Oct and Thanksgiving, with half of those gains in the week running up to Thanksgiving. I can't find data for gains over the last 5 days, but the rate of Russian gains is increasing.
According to this report from the Harvard Kennedy school
Yeah man sounds super russian
I think it's so awesome how you guys have to give yourselves processing disorders to avoid parsing information that threatens your curated slava ukrani reality
It's literally Harvard
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is the hub of Harvard Kennedy School's research, teaching, and training in international security and diplomacy, environment and natural resource issues, and science and technology policy.
Like literally it's the race-science white supremacist nazi-friendly ivy league school of the USA.
The fact that you got triggered by their choice of domain name is on you, not on them.
Holy shit.
Holy fucking shit.
Can you people get any more stupid?
Literally calling Harvard Russian propaganda.
I mean, my God. And you won't even learn anything from this. You'll just memory hole it. We were always at war with Eurasia.
Shocking that your Russian propaganda site favors the Russian military.
quote and screenshot of the clownery, for posterity
Moscow condemns Ukrainian ‘terrorist attacks’ in Black Sea
Moscow condemns Ukrainian ‘terrorist attacks’ in Black Sea
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has condemned “terrorist attacks by the Kiev regime” in the Black SeaRT
Hot take:
The US has committed horrifying war crimes and crimes against humanity against Muslims and continues to do so.
And so does China
Its always fascinating to see the war between Nazis and Tankies fight over which imperial power is based, rather than demonstrating a working frontal lobe and damning both for their crimes.
And so does China
The only "evidence" of this comes from the empire and is demonstrably false
Skip to the nameca...
Oh wait. We are at the belittling flowchart. I do not know this one yet.
Let me grab popcorn.
Idk man, this page has over 401 citations from various sources.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecut…
Edit: This also has a lot of citations ns from various sources too.
Sounds like a colossal reach at best, and pathetic cope at worst.
You understand the colossal differences between multiple independent journalists researching and reporting on the same topic, and a large organized group of pseudointellectuals trying to disprove a single person based on vibes alone, right?
You seem to be very desperately, and pathetically holding onto a form of fallacy of composition:
practicalpie.com/fallacy-of-co…
Fallacy of Composition (27 Examples + Definition) - Practical Psychology
We've all heard the saying, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." But what if we assumed that what's true for one part must be true for thePractical Psychology
No, I'm simply calling out a lazy gish gallop. It's the same in both cases.
How many sources are listed on the Wikipedia page for Christianity? If I accept your logic as valid, it seems I'll have to convert.
The 400 citations in question:
[1] Victims of Communism Memorial Association
[2] Burger Eagle Freedom Institute
[3] China Freedom NGO (Washington DC)
[4-399] Western State Television Station (retrieved in 2020)
[400] Literally the CIA
The article editors in question:
u/USA_STEM_Edgelord_USA_1990
u/TotallyNotAFed69
u/WhiteCisManInHis30s
Wikipedia is one of the most reliable sources of public information, most especially do to the international collaboration efforts on it.
You can't just dismiss a source on the basis that you don't like it. You need to provide actual evidence that the source is untrustworthy
Wikipedia is one of the most reliable sources of public information
Yeah if you're looking up wood joints and math theorems. Not if you're trying to learn anything about politics or history that ties into the interests of the systems and institutions that filter the media allowed as valid citations.
You need to provide actual evidence that the source is untrustworthy
Do they ban the New York Times because they lied the country into every war it's been in since McKinley?
Gift Ideas for Privacy People
Happy winter and merry festivities!
Last year I made a post outlining many gift ideas for privacy enthusiasts. I'm back this year with an updated list. Privacy enthusiasts, by nature, are sometimes difficult to buy gifts for. This list is here to make it easier for you to come up with ideas, even if you don't directly gift what's on the list. I've decided to make a rule this year: only physical items. You can't put a subscription under the tree.
3D printers
3D printers can turn plastic into any shape you want. While a lot of 3D printers include proprietary privacy-invasive software, there are open-source options such as RepRap. The privacy benefit of these comes in the form of homemade firearms. Traditional firearms include many elements to trace the ammunition back to the firearm, but homemade firearms (such as ones made using a 3D printer) exclude these. The reliability of the firearm depends on the quality of the 3D printer, but the designs are getting easier and easier to make.
Accessories
Especially for phones, there are a few of privacy accessories that are simple but effective.
- Faraday bags
- Lens covers (which some phone cases include)
- Microphone blockers (which is more effective as a recording jammer)
- Monitor filters (better known as privacy screen protectors)
Anonymous dress
Anonymous dress is clothing that conceals your identity in public. Obtaining these items of clothing is a chore, so it's always easiest when it is gifted by somebody else. Black, unthemed clothing does the best job of protecting privacy. The holy grail of anonymous dress is:
- A balaclava to hide your face.
- A baseball cap to further hide your face, although a sun hat does a better job.
- A hooded down jacket to hide body shape and skin color. There are significantly long down jackets that extend below the knees that can somewhat conceal your gait too. Last year I included jackets that spoof AI recognition or blind infrared cameras, but those are very difficult to find and can be very identifying.
- Elevator shoes to conceal your height.
- Sunglasses to hide your eyes. Reflectacles do the best job of this.
- Touchscreen gloves to prevent fingerprints and still be able to use touchscreens. Normal gloves work when paired with a capacitive stylus.
- An umbrella to hide your clothing from surveillance cameras.
Ciphers
Not all encryption is digital. Traditionally, complex codes and ciphers were created to conceal messages. Hardware devices like the enigma machine were used to further aide the process. Modern versions of those devices, as well as related items such as invisible ink are still around and can be a fun project.
Computers
Laptops, desktops, and servers are all useful devices for accessing digital services privately. While there is no best choice, some lists can help shine some light on which hardware is considered secure:
- PrivSec.dev Laptop Hardware Security
- Qubes OS Hardware Compatibility List
Concealment devices
Concealment devices are things that look like ordinary objects, but in some way or another, have a hidden compartment used for storage. These are excellent ways to hide sensitive items such as cash, backup security tokens, and more. These are excellent gifts if you're giving one-on-one rather than at a party.
Cryptocurrency wallets
Cryptocurrency wallets are devices used to securely store (the keys for) cryptocurrency such as the private cryptocurrency Monero. The two best options are:
- Ledger
- Trezor
Dumb tech
Dumb tech is the opposite of smart tech. It doesn't connect to every device in your house. It doesn't broadcast that data to a corporation. It doesn't get exposed in a data breach. It doesn't get hacked. It doesn't go down when the internet goes offline. Things like dumb TVs or dumb cars are becoming harder to find but more and more valuable for privacy.
Mail is almost always sensitive. For that reason, it's useful to protect the contents by using security envelopes. For delivering packages privately, it's also useful to have a label printer capable of printing shipping labels.
Money
Banks and payment service providers are almost always incredibly privacy invasive and offer poor security. While some of these issues can be mitigated with services like Privacy, it doesn't fix the underlying issue. Anonymous payments not only protect your privacy, but protect your money too, and having the ability to make payments like these is what allows privacy to further grow. Anonymous payment methods include:
- Cash
- Gift cards (when purchased with cash and adequate anonymous dress)
- Monero (which is physical when paired with a cryptocurrency wallet)
- Stored-value card (when purchased with cash and adequate anonymous dress)
Optical discs
Optical discs are a physical way to store movies, shows, music, games, and more. The idea is that, instead of paying a subscription and streaming content, you can pay a one-time fee and get the full quality media offline. This is also excellent for ripping to create a digital archive to stream from your own servers for free.
Paper
Your most sensitive information is put at risk the moment it becomes digitized, so pen and paper isn't so bad for some uses:
- Earlier this year, Amazon removed the option to download and transfer ebooks. It's becoming increasingly harder to "own" an ebook, especially without using privacy-invasive software. For that reason, books are much better for privacy.
- Calendar apps are convenient for reminders, but they often sync to cloud services or include telemetry. Physical calendars are a good way to have peace of mind knowing that your personal events are away from prying eyes and can be erased without a trace.
- Notebooks are also useful for the same reasons as books. There are also numerous benefits to writing things down instead of typing them.
Paper shredders
Paper shredders destroy sensitive documents to prevent obtaining sensitive information by digging through landfills. However, shredded documents can be recovered using automated software. The paper shredder industry hasn't discovered fire yet, it seems.
Power cables
Most cables carry both power and data. However, that can be exploited by cleverly designing fake power stations that discreetly steal data when plugged into devices. Some cables only deliver power, without delivering data. These are incredibly useful for protecting vulnerable devices in public settings.
Printers
Printers suck. So much so that not even Framework wanted to make one. Nevertheless, a new printer called Open Printer is in the works. Until it's finished, the best option is to gift a printer that allows printing over a wired connection.
Promotional merchandise
There is no shortage of promotional merchandise for privacy. Some of my favorites include:
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Naomi Brockwell TV
- Privacy Guides
I also recently found products like this that serve a functional benefit of telling people you don't want to be recorded without explicitly talking to them.
Rayhunter
Rayhunter is a device created by the Electronic Frontier Foundation to detect Stingray attacks. It can be installed on supported devices, which are great gifts for high threat model people.
Safes
Safes are a secure box to store sensitive items. I shouldn't need to explain why this is a good idea.
Security seals
Security seals are a special type of sticker that makes it very clear if the seal has ever been broken. This is useful to place on the case of computers or other containers that shouldn't be opened often.
Security tokens
Security tokens are hardware devices used to authenticate accounts at a hardware level. When setup correctly, they are one of the most secure way to login. The most popular open source options are:
- Nitrokey
- OnlyKey
- SoloKeys
Smartphones
GrapheneOS is the most private and secure operating system available. They recently announced that they are partnering with an OEM to manufacture devices designed for GrapheneOS. However, until that device is made available, Google Pixels are still the only device GrapheneOS can be installed on.
USB flash drives
USB flash drives are the unsung heroes for so many areas of privacy. Whether it be installing operating systems such as Qubes OS and Tails, or creating offline Seedvault backups for GrapheneOS, USB flash drives have a multitude of uses. Just remember: it's better to have many, smaller USB flash drives than one, large USB flash drive.
Wi-Fi hotspots
Wi-Fi hotspots are (for privacy use-cases) hardware devices that allow connecting devices to the cellular network in a much more private way. The best one that supports an excellent privacy organization is the Calyx Internet Membership.
Wired headphones
Wired headphones not only provide higher quality audio output, but they also avoid the history of security issues with Bluetooth and the surveillance capitalism that comes with Bluetooth Low Energy beacons. Which type of wired headphones you gift depends on a lot of factors, but one that pairs nicely with Google Pixels are the Pixel USB-C earbuds sold by Google themselves.
Wireless routers
Wireless routers often leak everything sent through them. For that reason, custom software such as OpenWrt was designed to replace the privacy invasive software preinstalled on routers. OpenWrt also created their own router called the OpenWrt One. Earlier this year, they announced that they would be creating a new router called the OpenWrt Two. It hasn't come out yet, but maybe it will be on the list next year.
Conclusion
There is no shortage of privacy tech. The same technology that empowers privacy is the thin veil slowing down the world from its dystopian target. Giving the gift of privacy means giving the gift of a better future for those of us fighting on the front lines.
Lack-of-AI notice
I’ve been burned before, so I always try to mention that none of my content is AI generated. It isn’t even AI assisted. Just because something is comprehensive and well-structured does not make it AI generated. Every word I write is my own. Thank you for your understanding.
peripheral device used to gain access to an electronically restricted resource
Contributors to Wikimedia projects (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.)
Gift ideas for a privacy enthusiast
Happy Christmas and Merry Hanuka!If you're struggling to find something to buy your privacy enthusiast friend for the holidays, I have some gift ideas. As with any gift, not everyone will need these, but it can give you a good idea of what to look for. Feel free to submit your own suggestions, as well!
No affiliate links, no sponsors, no favorites. All prices are in USD. If a price is something like "$X.99" or "$X.49" or "$X39" I have rounded it up by one digit.
Subscriptions
Some privacy tools come at a cost, and not all open source software can be used for free!Addy.io
Addy.io is an email aliasing service.Lite: $1 / month
Pro: $3 / month
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is a cloud-synced password manager.Personal Premium: $10 / year
Personal Families: $40 / year
Business Teams: $48 / user / year
Business Enterprise: $72 / user / year
Calyx Institute Internet Membership
The Calyx Institute Internet Membership provides you with a privacy respecting cellular hotspot.Contributor Yearly: $500 / year for first year, $400 / year thereafter
Contributor Quarterly: $150 / 3 months
Contributor Plus: $600 / year for first year, $500 / year thereafter
Sustainer Yearly: $750 / year for first year, $500 / year thereafter
Sustainer Quarterly: $175 / 3 months
JMP
JMP is an open source phone number provider.Plan (USD): $5 / month + additional usage costs
Mullvad VPN
Mullvad VPN is a virtual private network.1 month: $5.28 / month
Physical vouchers are also available through resellers.
MySudo (PROPRIETARY)
MySudo is a proprietary aliasing software. I could not find any open source option for aliasing phone numbers, especially this cheap.SudoGo: $1 / month or $10 / year
SudoPro: $5 / month or $50 / year
SudoMax: $15 / month or $150 / year
Privacy.com (PROPRIETARY)
Privacy.com is a proprietary financial transaction masking and aliasing tool. There are other options such as Revolut (open source), but Privacy.com seems to be the one that works best in the United States. Consider your threat model while using these tools.Plus: $5 / month
Pro: $10 / month
Premium: $25 / month
Proton
Proton is a software suite that includes email, VPN, cloud storage, password manager, calendar, and wallet. Their pricing is extremely convoluted and difficult to navigate.Pricing
Proton Unlimited 1 month: $13 / month
Proton Unlimited 12 months: $10 / month
Proton Duo: $15 / month
Proton Family: $24 / month
Mail Plus 1 month: $5 / month
Mail Plus 12 months: $4 / month
Drive Plus Monthly: $5 / month
Drive Plus Yearly: $4 / month
Proton VPN Plus 1-month plan: $10 / month
Proton VPN Plus 1-year plan: $5 / month
Proton VPN Plus 2-year plan: $4.50 / month
Pass Plus Monthly: $5 / month
Pass Plus Yearly: $3 / month
Proton Business Suite Monthly: $15 / user / month
Proton Business Suite Yearly: $13 / user / month
Mail Essentials Monthly: $8 / user / month
Mail Essentials Yearly: $7 / user / month
Mail Professional Monthly: $11 / user / month
Mail Professional Yearly: $10 / user / month
VPN Essentials Monthly: $9 / user / month
VPN Essentials Yearly: $7 / user / month
VPN Professional Monthly: $12 / user / month
VPN Professional Yearly: $10 / user / month
Pass Essentials Monthly: $5 / user / month
Pass Essentials Yearly: $2 / user / month
Pass Professional Monthly: $7 / user / month
Pass Professional Yearly: $3 / user / month
Drive Professional Monthly: $10 / user / month
Drive Professional Yearly: $6 / user / month
Hardware
Not everything is digital. Hardware is the foundation for privacy, after all!Dumb Television
Smart TVs are so last century... and this century... and the next century... Enjoy the luxury of buying a "dumb TV" while it lasts, because your TV doesn't need to spy on you! There's no best option here. You might need to purchase a large monitor instead of a TV.Google Pixel
Google Pixel phones are one of the most secure devices, especially when you run a security/privacy focused custom Android distribution such as GrapheneOS. Other phones exist for this category, but the Google Pixel is a good baseline. Prices here are based on what are actively being sold on Google's own website.Some things to look out for when installing a custom Android distribution:
- Make sure the custom Android distribution you want to install supports being installed on the device you get. GrapheneOS, for example, only supports Google devices.
- Make sure the device you purchase allows unlocking the bootloader.
- Make sure the custom Android distribution you want to install supports locking the bootloader after installation for the device you get. Some devices do not allow relocking the bootloader, and in some cases this can brick the device. Google Pixels generally have the best support for this.
- Make sure the device you purchase is carrier unlocked or the carrier allows OEM unlocking/bootloader unlocking. Some carriers (most notoriously Verizon) will disable this functionality to maintain a monopoly and will refuse to lift the restriction. Second hand sellers are often unaware of this and will mistakenly list the device as "carrier unlocked" when it is in fact not.
Pricing
Refurbished Pixel 6 128GB: $340
Refurbished Pixel 6 256GB: $390
Refurbished Pixel 6 Pro 128GB: $540
Refurbished Pixel 6a: $250
Refurbished Pixel 7 128GB: $430
Refurbished Pixel 7 256GB: $480
Refurbished Pixel 7 Pro 128GB: $630
Refurbished Pixel 7 Pro 256GB: $680
Refurbished Pixel 7 Pro 512GB: $780
Pixel 7a: $500
Pixel 8 128GB: $700
Pixel 8 256GB: $760
Pixel 8 Pro 128GB: $1,000
Pixel 8 Pro 256GB: $1,060
Pixel 8 Pro 512GB: $1,180
Pixel 8 Pro 1TB: $1,400
Pixel 8a 128GB: $400
Pixel 8a 256GB: $460
Pixel 9 128GB: $650
Pixel 9 256GB: $750
Pixel 9 Pro 128GB: $850
Pixel 9 Pro 256GB: $950
Pixel 9 Pro 512GB: $1,070
Pixel 9 Pro 1TB: $1,300
Pixel 9 Pro XL 128GB: $950
Pixel 9 Pro XL 256GB: $1,050
Pixel 9 Pro XL 512GB: $1,170
Pixel 9 Pro XL 1TB: $1,400
Pixel 9 Pro Fold 256GB: $1,500
Pixel 9 Pro Fold 512GB: $1,620
OpenWrt One
OpenWrt One is the first router designed specifically to run OpenWrt. It's not the only supported device, and there are other open source router firmware projects, but this is a good out-of-the-box choice.Pricing
This can currently only be purchased from unofficial resellers for $90.
Qubes OS certified hardware
Qubes OS is likely the most hardened Linux distro available. They have their own list of certified hardware that comes with Qubes OS preinstalled. Those devices aren't the only ones capable of running Qubes OS. You can also check out the Hardware compatibility list and Community-recommended computers. These computers can run more than just Qubes OS, but if it's good enough to be certified by them, it will likely run anything else just as securely!Pricing
NitroPad V56: Lowest $1,565.58
NovaCustom V56 Series 16.0 inch coreboot laptop: Lowest $1,256.40
NitroPC Pro 2: Lowest $1,614.73
Star Labs StarBook: Lowest $863.00
NitroPC Pro: Lowest $1,614.91
NovaCustom NV41 Series Lowest $930.60
Dasharo FidelisGuard Z690: Lowest $994.28
NitroPad T430: Lowest $737.79
NitroPad X230: Lowest $737.79
Insurgo PrivacyBeast X230: $1,341.46
Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pis are miniature computers that are very useful for setting up proxy servers.There's endless configurations, but the most recent Raspberry Pi model is the Raspberry Pi 5. There are multiple resellers of this, and the cheapest one is the $50 Raspberry Pi 5 2GB
Self-hosting hardware
A privacy enthusiast's best tool is being able to self-host certain things. There is no single device to self-host, but some ideas are:
- A server rack for general self-hosting
- A powerful GPU for self-hosting AI
- A self-hosted home automation kit
Hardware Accessories
What is a piece of hardware without a few accessories? Modularity is always a benefit of modern technology.Camera covers
From laptops to webcams to phones, cameras are everywhere. If you don't fully trust the device you use and want some peace of mind, having an accessory to obscure the lenses of your cameras is a good thing to have. There are lots of options here depending on which camera you want to cover. Some phone cases even offer a sliding camera cover.CD/DVD/Blue-ray drives
Some CD/DVD/Blue-ray drives can allow you to preserve the physical DVDs that you have bought and paid for, that may soon be end-of-life. These devices allow you to read the contents of the disk, and save a digital copy of it for archival purposes. There is no best-option here, so look around to find one that fits.Data storage devices
Data storage devices are useful for many things such as backups, installing operating systems, booting live operating systems, data transfer, and more. The market here is huge and convoluted, so learn about different types of drives, different connectors, different connector versions (such as USB), etc. before making an educated decision.Hardware security keys
Hardware security keys allow your accounts to be locked with a physical form of multi-factor authentication. Many organizations sell these, and some of them even provide open source hardware/software. Here are a few common brands:Microphone blocker
Microphone blockers come in all shapes and sizes, but they all serve the same function: making sure your microphone is not able to hear anything. The effectiveness of some of these are debatable, given that most phones have multiple microphones, but it can be a fun gift nonetheless.Privacy screen protector
Privacy screen protectors are films that you apply over your screens to restrict viewing angles. This means that if someone were to look at your phone while standing next to you, they likely wouldn't be able to see what you're doing. These screen protectors are also available for laptops, smart watches, and other screens.When buying these, make sure of the following:
- The screen protector supports fingerprint unlock for relevant devices.
- The screen protector actually works well.
- The screen protector will actually protect the device as a screen protector.
- The screen protector fits correctly for the device you're getting.
- The cameras will still work after the screen protector is applied to relevant devices.Wired headphones
Bluetooth can pose a privacy risk, and that is especially true when you need to play sensitive audio. One time I was in a hallway with my Bluetooth earbuds in, connected to my phone but not playing anything, when suddenly I heard a grainy piano song. My phone wasn't playing anything, and eventually the music just cut out. To this day I have no idea how it happened, but it does mean you should be careful with wireless headphones.Wires can be annoying, but being able to fully turn off Bluetooth can give you peace of mind knowing that your audio stays inside the wire. Having high quality wired headphones can be a blessing, and even provide a better listening experience. It's worth looking at many brands, but Google still sells USB-C wired earphones and headphones from a few different brands. Here are a few:
Google Pixel USB-C™ earbuds: $30
AIAIAI Pipe 2.0 USB-C Earphones: $40
AIAIAI Tracks 2.0 Headphones: $60
Currency
Anonymous payments are growing more and more difficult, so if you aren't sure what to buy, these are well appreciated options.Cash
Cash is one of the most anonymous methods of payment, and can be a privacy enthusiast's gold. Multiple small bills ($1, $5, etc.) are appreciated more than a few large bills ($20, $50, etc.) because many places do not accept cash in large bills. You can also gift some rare or interesting cash, such as $2 bills, half dollars, silver dollars, dollar coins, etc.Cryptocurrency
Getting cryptocurrency, especially anonymously, can be a long and painful process. If you are comfortable setting it up, this is a huge time saver and a great gift. Monero is generally considered the most private cryptocurrency, so that's a better choice than other cryptocurrencies. However, Bitcoin is the most popular and most widely accepted, even though it isn't very private. Try to obtain these through anonymous means such as using cash at cryptocurrency ATMs that may be in your city.Prepaid cards
There's usually no option to pay in cash online, but there are ways around this. If you buy gift cards or prepaid VISA cards with cash, it can be almost as anonymous as cash itself. Some good choices may include:
- Amazon Gift Cards: Amazon is very hard to use privately, but this can help significantly.
- Google Play Gift Cards: Google Play is one of the most secure ways of installing apps, but not all of them are free. Google Play gift cards can allow you to pay for apps anonymously, so you can maintain your security.
- Visa Prepaid Card: This is a catch-all solution for when there's no specific gift card available.
Physical Items
As with hardware, not everything needs to be digital. There are plenty of items that are cheaper and good for almost anyone.Books
eBooks are a marvel, but they come with complications. Sometimes the formatting isn't right, sometimes you can't get them anonymously, and you need a device to even view it. If the digital apocalypse ever happens, the only way to access information will be through books. No ads, no eye strain. A good privacy related book you could buy is Michael Bazzell's Extreme Privacy: What It Takes to DisappearCalendar
Digital calendars can be convenient, but not always safe. Anything digital can risk being remotely accessed or spied on. Having a physical calendar means you can have the benefits of a calendar, without the need for a digital device. Plus, it comes with pictures that you get to pick.DVDs
Best paired with a DVD ripper, having physical copies of movies and games means no company can take it away from you with the push of a button. You have no ads, use no internet, no subscriptions, and have full quality.Faraday bags
Faraday bags and pouches are containers for your devices that block all incoming and outgoing signals. That means anything that goes inside of it will have no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, NFC, etc. This is useful if you want to make sure your device isn't phoning home. This is an item that you may want to spend extra on, because lower quality ones can still leak radio signals.Merchandise
Privacy themed merchandise can be a good way to show that you care about privacy and to help spread it. You can find privacy merch anywhere, but NBTV (a privacy YouTuber) has a good selection of products: shop.nbtv.media/en-usd/Monerochan my beloved
Notebooks
Having everything in a digital notes app can be nice or convenient, but I much prefer to write a lot of things down in a physical notebook. From diaries to sketches, it's nice to take a break from your digital life to jot down some ideas, privately.Paper shredder
When you have sensitive documents that you need discarded, one of the best ways is a paper shredder. If you buy one of these, the best ones are ones that dice the paper or burn it entirely. Even those small squares can be pieced together again.Safes and lockboxes
Speaking of sensitive documents, where do you store those? A good place to store sensitive documents is in a safe or a lockbox. From government documents to your best ideas, they deserve to stay (in a) safe. It's good to make sure you buy a fireproof safe, just in case Fahrenheit 451 becomes more of a reality.Surveillance camera jackets
As the looming threat of widespread AI surveillance comes closer, defenses against them grow stronger. Generally, you have two options:
- A jacket that fights AI recognition
- A jacket that blinds cameras entirely
These can be expensive and hard to find, but the best way to fight surveillance.
Ending notes
Thank you all for reading this! I hope it helps you find a gift for a privacy enthusiast you can't think of a gift idea for. You don't have to buy the exact things listed here, but it gives you a general outline with ideas. I know there are some great gift ideas I missed here, so please leave them in the comments to help out others!Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, and have a nice day!
- The 8232 Project
Real-Life 'Invisibility Cloak' Stops AI Cameras From Recognizing People
Scientists have developed a real-life "invisibility cloak" that tricks AI cameras and stops them from recognizing people.Pesala Bandara (PetaPixel)
like this
Report: Dublin to drop motion to remove former Israeli president's name from city park
The Dublin city council is expected to withdraw a proposal to remove the name of a former Israeli president from a local city park, Raidió Teilifís Éireann reported.
According to Ireland's National Television and Radio Broadcaster, Dublin Mayor Ray McAdam said the motion to rename Herzog Park didn't contain enough information for an "informed decision," adding that, "there is not a procedure" in place to complete it.
McAdam reportedly added that the motion will be withdrawn due to legal "question marks," adding that he personally didn't think it was "appropriate or right to look to rename Herzog Park."
The contenders for a new name for the park included "Free Palestine Park," "Palestine Park" and "Gaza Park."
NixOS 25.11 released | Blog | Nix & NixOS
NixOS 25.11 released | Blog | Nix & NixOS
Nix is a tool that takes a unique approach to package management and system configuration. Learn how to make reproducible, declarative and reliable systems.nixos.org
Waiting some weeks for uncaught bugs to be ironed out might be advisable if you still have limited debugging capabilities.
Otherwise, you can always nixos-rebuild build-vm using the new release channel and see whether it breaks anything you depend on.
My experience is that it probably won't. My past few years of updating my server from one stable release to the next were, in one word, boring. Some renames, deprecations etc. with clear errors/warnings to fix at eval time but nothing that actually broke once it was built and deployed.
The Trump administration keeps cancelling key economic reports - people are concerned
The Trump administration keeps cancelling key economic reports and everyone is suspicious
The Donald Trump administration keeps cancelling key economic reports and everyone is concerned.On Monday (24 November), the US Bureau of Economic Analysis cancelled the release of its growth estimate report for the third-quarter GDP.Ellie Abraham (indy100)
Mega-thread of Palestine, climate, and labor protests around the globe - Nov. 30
Mega-thread of Palestine, climate, and labor protests around the globe - Nov. 30from MiniMia (who was arrested, need to find out more about that.)
syzito.xyz/@fkamiah17/11563734…
#FreePalestine
#Palestine #LaborSolidarity #EndFossilFuels #news #politics #USpol #UKSpol #ClimateAction
Well, there's been a hella lot of protest action around the globe while I was getting arrested, so here goes ...As part of the We Ain't Buying It campaign, activist carolers picketed branches of Home Depot in protest at their cooperation with ICE.
1/
#SolidarityIsBeautiful #GlobaliseTheIntifada #USPolitics #FuckICE
dflemstr likes this.
Mega-thread of Palestine, climate, and labor protests around the globe - Nov. 30
Mega-thread of Palestine, climate, and labor protests around the globe - Nov. 30from MiniMia (who was arrested, need to find out more about that.)
syzito.xyz/@fkamiah17/11563734…
#FreePalestine
#Palestine #LaborSolidarity #EndFossilFuels #news #politics #USpol #UKSpol #ClimateAction
Mastodon server hosted in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mastodon server hosted in Copenhagen, Denmark, by a dane. All languages are welcome, Federated with other Danish servers. Focus on safety, transparency and security.Mastodon hosted on expressional.social
Well, there's been a hella lot of protest action around the globe while I was getting arrested, so here goes ...As part of the We Ain't Buying It campaign, activist carolers picketed branches of Home Depot in protest at their cooperation with ICE.
1/
#SolidarityIsBeautiful #GlobaliseTheIntifada #USPolitics #FuckICE
Isn't that what countries are supposed to do? Prioritizing taking care of their own population first? Does that make me sound like a nazi? I dont think so...
Also, the nazis werent really into what youre talking about anyway, youre just making stuff up..
Fucked up with no one to blame but myself.
cross-posted from: aussie.zone/post/27191517
I spun up nextcloud to replace onedrive about a year ago. Everything was going well so I chose not to renew my onedrive subscription, this was exactly 6 months ago, I'd assume.I got an email a few days ago reminding me that they would delete my data. I ignored it because obviously I had moved my data to nextcloud. not gonna trick me Mi¢ro$oft.
But yesterday I decided to have a quick look though and it turns out I didn't copy over everything, and certanly not my 5 years of camera roll backups.
I started a sync of everything last night and woke up in the morning to find that it had stopped at about 10gb out of 80gb. And now onedrive won't connect and if I try to log in to onedrive with that account via the web it just kicks me back to the microsoft portal.
I'm 99.5% sure there is nothing to be done and I'm not an overly sentimental person so if they are lost it won't break me. I have many important photos backed up in immich but just not everything.
But I just needed to ask in case someone knows where to find the M spot I can touch for magic file recovery.
Edit: turns out you can just pay them more money and they still had my stuff. thank you for joining me on the shortest support ticket of all time
Who Killed Hannibal
A Who Killed Hannibal meme. Caption your own images or memes with our Meme Generator.Imgflip
US whistleblower exposes Biden administration’s Israel cover-up
US whistleblower exposes Biden administration’s Israel cover-up
Whistleblower Steve Gabavics tells Marc Lamont Hill how the US dismissed Israel's killing of an Al Jazeera journalist.Al Jazeera
geneva_convenience likes this.
What distro do you install on other's computers?
What distros do you install on your mom's, sister's, buddy's, etc machines?
My go-to has usually been Mint, but I wonder if there is a better set and forget, easily understood distro to install on the computers of those who will rely on you for support.
atomic distros would probably be a good option, but it seems that same disk dual boot is a no no, and that can be a deal breaker.
I'm thinlink QoL, for me, that is.
400+ installs in the past four years - discarded/donated business laptops that get fixed, cleaned, upgraded with cheapest SSDs and donated to predominantly tech illiterate users.
99% is ubuntu lts + ansible playbook that removes snap, disables A TON of update naggings, installs flatpak, coupla apps and systemd timer to autoupdate all flatpaks. this is the only thing that has low support requests, everything else we tried (mint, debian, fedora) has a disproportionately higher support request frequency (reinstalls, wifi, fix this, remove that, etc).
I totally could adapt debian to be as good or even better (fedora with the bi-annual versions is right out), but one of the important caveats is the user being able to install it with minimum hassle if needed and that just would not be doable.
I'd urge everyone ITT to look at the thing through the user's eyes and not get lost in "no true scottsman" fallacies. the goal is to convert a user over, not to demonstrate how cool you are. once they know what's what, you can sell them on fedora and atomic and whatnot, but not as a first step.
I don't use ubuntu, have it on none of my stuff, and wouldn't go out with you if you do. but it's presently the only option for beginners for use on laptops that has a semblance of a modern desktop OS.
I'm not looking for a date, but this made me curious. Would you elaborate?
I don't use Ubuntu and wouldn't go out with you if you do
White House unveils ‘media bias’ tracker
White House unveils ‘media bias’ tracker
The Trump White House has launched an online tracker targeting news organizations accused of publishing “false and misleading stories”RT
like this
Reporter: [REDACTED]
Reason: Breaks Community Rules
In that people report on Russian media posts all the time, this isn’t remarkable. But the story is true, and the irony of it being about the latest new US propaganda organ isn’t lost one me.
Against Decay, We Build: DeDe (Decentralized Delivery) Protocol
This is DeDe (Decentralized Delivery) Protocol:
Not a token, not speculation.
It’s infrastructure, deployed on Ethereum mainnet.
We’re watching the same pattern everywhere:
Postal systems collapsing.
Parcels lost, broken, stolen or seized.
Increased surveillance, ID requirements, more decay.
Less reliability, less privacy, less dignity.
The institutions that were supposed to protect our right to communication are failing, even though privacy of correspondence is guaranteed under UN Article 12 and ICCPR Article 17.
So instead of being stuck in surveillance and Inefficiency-As-A-Service, we have to build parallel systems immune to centralized control.
Systems by us for us, in the spirit of the Fediverse:
community-powered
decentralized
permissionless
protocol, not platform
no corporations
no bosses
no surveillance
no extraction
DeDe (Decentralized Delivery) is not a token, not a scam, not a VC product, not a walled garden.
It’s a rail, an open delivery settlement layer anyone can build on.
What it does:
Every parcel is an NFT with a lifecycle
Escrow is automatic, trustless, and transparent
Anyone can create an NFT-Parcel
Anyone can carry parcels while they’re already on the move
No fleets, no gig exploitation, no “shadow wages”
Zero extra CO₂, use the movement people already make
Protocol fee is immutable (0.5%), so nobody can rug / extract
Privacy is natively built in.
Fully MIT-licensed & open-source
It’s not a startup.
It’s not a marketplace.
It’s not a company.
It’s the peoples infrastructure for physical logistics.
Because if we want a free world, we can’t outsource critical communication infrastructure to decaying governments, surveillance corps, or gig economy parasites.
If you want to understand the philosophy behind it, here’s the full manifesto + artwork:
Medium:
medium.com/@ekarlsson66/dede-t…
If you want to poke around the contracts:
DeDe Protocol GitHub (MIT):
github.com/pablo-chacon/dede-p…
DeDe Quik-Start Templates GitHub (MIT):
github.com/pablo-chacon/dede-t…
No pressure to “like crypto.”
DeDe is just a tool.
Use it, fork it, ignore it. All up to you.
More decentralized civilizational fundamentals, means less dependency of collapsing control systems.
We must have working alternatives when the centralized systems break down.
Against decay, we build.
That’s the spirit of the fediverse.
That’s the spirit of DeDe.
GitHub - pablo-chacon/dede-protocol: DeDe Protocol, Neutral, Trustless Settlement Rails for P2P Crowdshipping
DeDe Protocol, Neutral, Trustless Settlement Rails for P2P Crowdshipping - pablo-chacon/dede-protocolGitHub
Fedex and UPS deliver almost anywhere, and can do insured packages. Here in the U.S. there's also the postal service, which also can deliver across a wide geography, beyond that of the U.S. borders. These cost a trivial amount of money and if one has a post office near them, they can pay with cash and avoid revealing their identity.
It sounds like you want people to use a form of cryptocurrency to pay a stranger, whichever stranger comes first, to deliver a physical package, then paying the deliverer once the package is accepted, using that same cryptocurrency.
Even if the protocol doesn't track or identify anyone, if the ledger is available for anyone to see or even if it were limited to package deliverers, a tracking mechanism would be trivial to create.
This does not guarantee any level of security for the package, only the payment, which is only theoretically secure because I haven't taken the time to check.
If it somehow took off as a solution people needed, once a package is put on the chain, there could potentially a mad free-for-all of deliverers, all fighting tooth and nail to get that package.
The entire trip delivering would also be fraught with dangers potentially, as deliverers who weren't fast enough might simply rob or kill the winning deliverer, take the package, then deliver it themselves. If they wanted to...
If the payment for a package is high enough, one might wonder just what was so important to warrant such a payment. Drugs? Guns? Biological weapons? Black market organs for transplant? Actual cash money?
Don't forget that computational costs electricity, which costs the environment until the world gets off of fossil fuels. Potential users would have to ask themselves if the package delivery is more important than climate change.
This sounds like a way to try and make crypto money, for doing absolutely nothing, by inserting crypto into a market that doesn't need it, to do a job already handled just fine by companies that already have the infrastructure in place, with no real problem being solved that needs solved.
What problem does this solve? How does this make package delivering any better?
Thanks for the thoughtful critique. Some clarification to help:
DeDe isn’t trying to replace FedEx/UPS/USPS.
DeDe is not a platform or an app.
It’s a protocol, closer to TCP/IP than Uber.
It handles one function only:
escrow -> pickup -> dropoff -> finalize
Everything else (matching, identity, trust, messaging, routing) is off-chain, by design.
That separation is what preserves privacy and prevents metadata leakage.
What problem DeDe actually solves
Not postal logistics, those require fleets, warehouses, and fixed infrastructure.
DeDe addresses the centralized crowdshipping model used by Uber/Doordash/Amazon Flex:
• zero privacy
• centralized control
• data extraction and surveillance
• wage manipulation
• platform lock-in
• mandatory identity
• opaque matching
DeDe gives communities the same underlying mechanics of crowdshipping
without a corporation in the middle collecting or exploiting sender/carrier/destination data.
No tracking, no identity, no metadata
Parcel NFTs only encode:
• parcel ID
• escrow amount
• lifecycle state
No names, addresses, routes, timestamps, or identities.
All sensitive information stays off-chain.
DeDe doesn’t broadcast parcels, seek couriers, or coordinate delivery.
It only settles funds trustlessly.
No token, no speculation
• no governance token
• no staking token
• no inflation
• no “earn crypto for nothing”
• no VC angle
Ethereum is used strictly as a neutral, permissionless escrow layer.
In short
DeDe is a tiny, open, neutral settlement rail for P2P delivery,
just infrastructure communities can use or ignore as they like.
Regarding environmental footprint:
Blockchain environmental impact depends on how electricity is produced, not on the existence of computation itself.
Electricity demand has been rising for decades, long before blockchains or AI, and will continue to do so.
If critical economic infrastructure depended on abundant, cheap green power,
it would create a strong incentive for energy producers to scale sustainable sources faster.
The largest investors in green energy today are still heavily tied to fossil fuels,
so shifting economic incentives can help accelerate the transition.
Have Nvidia drivers on Linux gotten worse over later generations?
I just saw the GamersNexus benchmarks and I wondered to myself, why do they have so many problems with Nvidia on Bazite? I've used PopOS with my RTX 30 graphics card and I've essentially had performance parity with Windows.
Do you guys think they misconfigured something in the background or do you think that the driver has just gotten worse? What are your experiences?
I’m on Arch, with Hyprland as my Window Manager. I use an RTX 3070.
For Wayland specifically, the driver was next to unusable for a while. I jumped ship from Windows in Sept. 2023. Beginning with driver 560 iirc, it got a lot better, plus their engineers pushed a lot of changes across the Wayland ecosystem to implement explicit sync support (a net positive, but before this, Nvidia was too stubborn to implement implicit sync, so bad screen tearing was unavoidable). Also there’s been a slow migration to using the GSP processor on newer cards. They claim it can improve performance, which may be true, but I also recently learned it helps them keep some more parts of their code closed-source, which is likely why it’s required to use the open source kernel modules.
At this point, though, it does feel very smooth and I can play games like The Finals at competitive framerates!
But relative to my performance under Windows, it’s still worse, mainly in average framerate. Like others have said, DX12 games seem to be hit hardest. I sometimes have to run lower settings to compensate. Also, if my VRAM gets filled, Xwayland apps all break, so I have to be very careful with higher quality texture quality especially.
Anyways, to answer your question, I think an average gamer doesn’t notice the degraded performance, without benchmarking or comparing framerates back to back— it still runs pretty smooth and framerates are still pretty high. If they aren’t happy with it, they’ll drop quality settings or resolution, just like they’d do under Windows.
Israeli forces carry out attacks in Gaza, breaching ceasefire
Israeli forces carried out attacks across multiple areas in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in breach of the ceasefire agreement, according to Wafa news agency.
Israeli troops conducted intense shelling and aerial attacks from helicopters east of al-Bureij refugee camp, in central Gaza. Israeli warplanes also carried out six air strikes east of Rafah, in southern Gaza.
In Khan Younis, Israeli forces shelled a house in the town of Bani Suheila. There were no immediate reports of casualties in any of the attacks.
count_dongulus
in reply to Tony Bark • • •If all you do is read the little statements booklet they send out, and then do the mail vote based on that, then AI is not in the loop unless the candidate is dumb enough to paste chatbot output into their statement.
Seriously people, get your friends and family off of the ragebait rectangle. Most "news" media today is just opinion wrapped with ads about content they bought from Reuters and AP.
seathru
in reply to count_dongulus • • •... then you are no better informed than Bob, who is voting for the guy his pastor told him to. People should personally vet any candidate they are voting on. AI will make that more and more difficult moving forward.
count_dongulus
in reply to seathru • • •Well my approach is:
- Mark off every candidate who did not bother to provide a statement
- Mark off every candidate with no listed volunteering experience in the little section for it
- Mark off every candidate whose statement claims they will do things their desired office is not empowered to do
- Mark off every candidate with a platform that doesn't claim to be aiming for any kind of change or improvement in particular. (I don't support chair warmers.)
- Mark off every candidate whose email is a personal one listed as itsyaboymrthiccpenis@yahoo.com or something else similarly unprofessional
- Mark off any candidate aligned with the party that supported the coup attempt in 2021
After this quick pass, which only takes a couple of minutes, I'm typically only left with two or three offices with more than one remaining choice to compare. I then read their platform and pick the candidate with the platform goal that seems most relevant to my or my community's interest.