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“People looking for alternative social media apps should be cautious about the privacy implications of sharing information with an app that has not yet seen substantial public scrutiny outside of China,” EFF’s @cooperq told @verge. theverge.com/2025/1/16/2434524…

As Americans flock to RedNote, privacy advocates warn about surveillance

US officials warned that the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the legislation that banned TikTok, could also apply to RedNote.
Gaby Del Valle (The Verge)
@Exploit Code Not People @The Verge
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Charlotte Aten
Charlotte Aten
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My first thought was to reply with "It can't be any worse than Facebook." After checking the article, I see that this was in fact addressed.
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

cedad_camus
cedad_camus
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that's the point? it wasn't as if people went to rednote to get more security or to have more freedom of expression, it was a middle finger as in "oh, you don't want the Chinese to have my data?" the fact that people don't get that baffles me
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Tombstone Taleteller
Tombstone Taleteller
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I doubt that the people going to Redbook are concerned about the "public scrutiny" of the app. I suspect they only want their bread and circus.
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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Many people are suggesting that it's impossible to protect privacy, so it doesn't matter which app you use.

Others are trying Rednote because they are, reasonably, tired of tech oligarchies.

Both are understandable reactions to the surveillance capitalism ecosystem. But there's more we can do. 🧵

in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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There are steps you can take, and steps that we believe legislators should take, to protect our privacy in the future. Things CAN be better. eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/priv…

Privacy Isn't Dead. Far From It.

Welcome! The fact that you’re reading this means that you probably care deeply about the issue of privacy, which warms our hearts.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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Rednote shares data with Facebook and Google ad networks, so using it doesn’t protect your data from US-based companies. It also has more pervasive censorship than similar apps. What we really need isn’t a new app—it’s a federal privacy law. eff.org/wp/privacy-first-bette…

Privacy First: A Better Way to Address Online Harms

State, federal, and international regulators are increasingly concerned about the harms they believe the internet and new technology are causing.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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Some states have passed strong privacy laws, but so far, we do not have a federal law. In our view, the discussion of how banning TikTok fails to protect privacy has made it more likely that we can reach a privacy law, because legislators are waking up to the reality of the surveillance ecosystem. eff.org/deeplinks/2024/12/eff-…

EFF Statement on U.S. Supreme Court's Decision to Consider TikTok Ban

The TikTok ban itself and the DC Circuit's approval of it should be of great concern even to those who find TikTok undesirable or scary.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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Individuals must tell their legislators to pass a comprehensive privacy law. But there are also actions YOU can take right now to protect yourself from data surveillance by U.S. and foreign companies and governments. Visit our Surveillance Self-Defense Guide to learn more. ssd.eff.org
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
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Lastly, it can be easy to assume that there is no way to protect privacy, and that surveillance gets worse every year. Don’t give up hope — there are many reasons to be optimistic. Here are just a few: eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/priv…

Privacy Isn't Dead. Far From It.

Welcome! The fact that you’re reading this means that you probably care deeply about the issue of privacy, which warms our hearts.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

pmonks (330ppm)
pmonks (330ppm)
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Can you explain how government-run surveillance ecosystems are an "understandable" alternative to capitalist ones, especially for non-residents of that government's country? I'm having a very hard time understanding how anyone could come to the conclusion that Rednote's surveillance is "better" than Facebook et al's.

And to be crystal clear - in my opinion both are *terrible* in an absolute sense but foreign government-run surveillance is worse.

in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

James Richardson
James Richardson
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here's a post I just did on my freshly minted blog that is related. I plan on sharing this in my FB account this week as I enact my plans to delete it and try and convince others to do so.

blog.tjhome.dev/suck-it-zuck/


Suck it, Zuck!

As you have probably all heard by now, Facebook and Instagram are about to become way more hostile to certain individuals and I can only image how much more toxic the platform will become.
James Richardson (Wits n' Giggles)
in reply to Electronic Frontier Foundation

Shark Attak
Shark Attak
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Okay, we're talking about people who were still using TikTok, but consciously choosing ANOTHER chinese app is really...indescribable.
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