TWeaK

Up until like a year or two ago, YouTube links always used to be pretty clean. The format was youtube .com/watch?v=[video_ID]. A year or two ago, they started adding a tracking suffix on, so it would be youtube .com/watch?v=[video_ID] &si=[tracking_ID].

Over the last day or so, I've noticed links with a different format, youtube .com/watch?v=[video_ID]&pp=[tracking_ID] - only the pp= string is much longer than the si= string. This can only be because they're including more information in it. What that information is is anyone's guess.

This is basically a PSA to watch YouTube links more carefully, as people are by and large complacent with them (moreso than other links) and never even realised the si= change, let alone this new pp= change.

It could also be that the change to pp= is meant to circumvent communities, like this one, which automatically filter out the si= suffix. They may have decided to address that, then took the opportunity to make their tracking more severe.

I've had enough of the text editing issue, where when you press backspace it highlights the space before the word and ends up deleting it. The developer passes off responsibility for this to the engine they use and seems to have no intention of addressing it.

What are the pros and cons of the other Android apps? I'm only considering ones on F-Droid, not the Play Store, so that rules out Summit and Boost. Ones I have available are:

• Thunder (IzzyOnDroid)
• Interstellar (IzzyOnDroid)
• Voyager
• Eternity
• muffed (IzzyOnDroid)
• Combustible

Just had the following email from GOG about account migration for CD Projekt Red games, not quite sure what to make of it. Don't CDPR own GOG? Why do they need to be separated? What does this mean for the long term future of the services?

MIGRATION OF CD PROJEKT RED ONLINE SERVICES

Dear [user],

You are receiving this email due to your use of online features, including Cross Progression and My Rewards, in CD PROJEKT RED games, as well as your participation in platforms like the CD PROJEKT RED Forums. We are migrating these products to a new account system, owned and operated by CD PROJEKT S.A., effective from March 5th, 2024. This consolidation will involve the transfer of governance of your personal data, including your email address and username, from the GOG account system to the CD PROJEKT RED account system.

What does this change?

Starting March 5th, 2024, the above mentioned online features and services will be available through a new CD PROJEKT RED account system.

Do I need to take any action?

No, a new CD PROJEKT RED account will be created for you automatically based on your GOG Account information: user ID, username and email address. This will allow you to continue using features provided by CD PROJEKT RED with no interruption. No action is required on your end.

How can I log in after the migration?

Your new account will use the same email address as your GOG Account. If you’re already logged into any of our games, you will stay logged in when the account change takes place.

What happens to my personal data?

Upon migration, CD PROJEKT S.A. will become a data controller of your personal data connected with CD PROJEKT RED account. Transfer of data will be based on a legitimate interest in ensuring continuity of CD PROJEKT RED online services. For more information see updated CD PROJEKT S.A. Privacy Policy available here.

How does this affect my current GOG account?

Your GOG account and all your GOG purchases remain unaffected. The GOG.com website and the GOG Galaxy app will continue to use the GOG account system. Your GOG account will be separate from your CD PROJEKT RED account.

Can I opt out?

If you do not wish to have a CD PROJEKT RED account created for you, you may opt out of the account creation process by clicking this link. After the account system migration, you will be able to delete your account with the same link.

If you choose to opt out, please note that on March 5th, 2024 you will lose access to Cross Progression, My Rewards, and RED Forums, and all connected data will be permanently deleted.

You can create a new CD PROJEKT RED account at any time.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please visit our support page.

Warm Regards,

GOG and CD PROJEKT RED Teams

I know this isn't strictly piracy related, I apologise, but I think it is tangentally related in that piracy protects you from data theft by avoiding the services the biggest thieves operate. Also, I feel like people here might be very interested in this take.

Apparently, the "legal" data brokerage industry was worth $319 billion in 2021, and is predicted to be worth $545 billion in 2028.[^1]

Meanwhile, in 2021 there were only 7.9 billion people in the world[^2] - many of whom do not have internet access or have very little data being traded. If we generously assume 6 billion people have equal volumes of data being traded, that means each person's data is worth $53.17 per year on the market.

Data is effectively stolen from people. We do not get anything in return for it. We may be offered access to a website free of charge, but that is a separate transaction - it is not appropriate for another transaction to be hidden in the fine print of the terms and conditions. When you buy insurance, the key terms have to be front and centre - you pay x, you get y service. Not "You can have y for free!!! ^(But^ ^also^ ^you^ ^give^ ^us^ ^x^ ^for^ ^free.)^" You're supposed to be able to compare the value of the things being traded.

Bearing in mind that this is merely data brokerage, not actual processing or deriving any value from the data, a simple profit margin can be applied. They simply collect the data - easily and at low cost through automated processes - and then sell it. If businesses still took a very generous 30% profit (rather than a ludicrous infinite and pure profit) then the value of an average person's data that they are owed is around $40 per year.

To run the other numbers to check, the global population in 2028 is predicted to be 8.4 billion - a growth of 6.329%. So our 6 billion population would become 6.38 billion, and with the $545 billion market value an individual's data would be worth $85.43 on the market, or $65.71 to the individual. The value of user data is predicted to rise.

Obviously that 6 billion population figure I used is an approximation - a blind one at that. To give a worst case valuation for 2021, if we assume all 7.9 billion people equally have data being traded, then an individual's data is worth $40.38 on the market, and $31.06 to the user. These are the minimum values, averaged evenly across the entire global population.

When Google and Facebook started out, data had very little value - there was no market for it. Thus it seemed reasonable to let them just take it, even if maybe it could be worth something. The service they offered was new and novel, a shiny new toy for everyone to play with. They then used this data to become some of the wealthiest businesses in the world. Now, even big players like Microsoft have joined in, in spite of the fact that their main products are paid products.

One form of bank fraud is where the criminal takes pennies out of multiple accounts, the idea being that people won't notice such a small debit, and banks might write it off as some kind of error. This has been legislated against and proven illegal - yet these assholes take $40 each from everyone and get away with it!

[^1]:https://www.knowledge-sourcing.com/report/global-data-broker-market Edit: lmao we broke it https://web.archive.org/web/20240107042301/https://www.knowledge-sourcing.com/report/global-data-broker-market ...or did they maybe take it down?? /tinfoil Edit2: it's back up lol [^2]:https://www.populationpyramid.net/world/2021/

When did this happen?! It makes me so happy!

It's still not quite as good as old reddit with RES was, where you started with everything normal and then clicked a button to expand (or contract) media. Being able to contract everything is almost as useful, particularly if you want to scroll further down. However it's still a great improvement, as well as proof that lemmy just keeps getting better.

Rule 1: No bigotry - including racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, or xenophobia.

I'm struggling here. Xenophobia? But they clearly do not support either side.

If you use both as justification, you don't have to worry about different communities having them the other way around. It gets real fun when a community has the rules one way, but the instance sets them the other way.

Rule 1: No bigotry - including racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, or xenophobia.

Rule 2: Be respectful, especially when disagreeing. Everyone should feel welcome here.

Meanwhile, replying to the commenter with "My little cyκa" (bitch) received no moderation.

Frankly, moderators should be more detailed in their reports, and clearly specify which rules they are acting under.

The Removed Comment entries should also specify which community they were removed from, just like the bans. This would further clarify the set of rules being moderated under. You can determine this by viewing a community modlog, but not when viewing the modlog overall (although I'm sure the core database has this functionality).

However the user here definitely deserved moderation, and a 3 day ban is appropriate. Maybe not based on the first comment alone, but the overall haul of them. The Kkkracker label might not have been justified by those comments, but they certainly have a bias leaning that way, based on some of their other comments.

I almost thought this was another case of the mod removing the same comment multiple times, but no, the user really did post the same comment over and over again.

An ounce meant a loud announcement allowed

Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20231113080922/https://i.imgur.com/bZkSCfg.png

Text: Banned, reason: PUNISHMENT TIME BITCH! -> Unbanned -> Banned, reason: liberal

I bet they thought they were sending a message to the user, not writing an entry into a permanent log.

Moderation on lemmy really should include the option of messaging the user, though.

This is no doubt a massive butchery of the original quote, taken from my memory of the book "The Buddha, Geoff and Me", but I hope the sentiment carries through regardless.

Every day, the Buddha would walk through town. While walking, he would pass a man, who deeply despised the Buddha and everything he stood for. He would hurl insults at the Buddha, the most vile and reprehensible accusations. Every day, the Buddha would just nod and smile towards the man, then carry on his walk. Every day, the man would say the worst thing he could think of.

One day, the man did not say anything horrible. He stood in front of the Buddha, stopping him, and asked him, "I say all these things to you every day, why don't you react? Do you not understand how much I think you're a horrible person?"

The Buddha replied, after a moment, "If I gave you a gift, would you accept it?"

The man said, "No, of course not. You're the worst, I wouldn't accept anything from you."

"Then who would the gift belong to, would it be yours?"

"No, it's not mine, you have to keep it!"

The Buddha replied: "Such is the way with your anger. If I do not accept it, then it belongs to you, and you alone."