Firefox rejects free speech, bans free speech commenting plugin Dissenter from its extensions gallery

submitted by HeyImSancho from reclaimthenet.org

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[–]HeyImSancho[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

What of all the chatter where it looks like, 'he said, she said'. The different links have people saying, 'yes it is, and then 'no it isn't'.

I'm guessing you're either a programmer, or a hacker, I'm a novice. What you wrote is striking though to think about, can anyone turn any source 'code' into spyware, and no way to stop it, or do you think dissenter is purposely tracking people?

I'm also wondering what are the real implications of spyware. As I said, I'm a complete novice in regards to 'code', or even computers. All the big tech companies, or apps, they demand all our private information, and sell it. The scandals of google, or facebook don't seem to stop. I keep finding out how both were, or perhaps still are doing things that seem intrusive; like google's location always being on when turned off, or facebook tracking duolingo sign ins?

I still use google, I still use facebook, but I don't use this computer for anything but web surfing due to that.

Does that make sense? My question?

[–]wizzwizz4 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Read from this line. See that it's making a GET request in the background. That is, I believe, triggered on page load; you can verify it by getting the extension (not recommended outside a VM – just in case) and seeing whether the comment counter comes up within a second of loading a page.

Anyone can turn source code into spyware, yes. Anything can be spyware. If you're letting it run on your computer, it has access to all the information that your computer does and, realistically, could be shipping it anywhere.

I don't know whether Dissenter is tracking people. I do know that they can, and whoever controls their servers can. I also know that they set this to be the default option, which is a big no-no. Any cool features that compromise people's privacy must be opt-in only.

To me, Google and Facebook's unending scandals aren't scandals; they're how the companies have always made money (except very-early Google) and should already be public knowledge. The location-tracking is a scandal, almost, but the sign-in tracking isn't; you're obviously, literally saying "hey, Facebook, I'm signing into Duolingo! Tell that evil owl who I am," and Facebook remembers that.

Get Friendica. It's to Facebook as email is to letters, and it talks to Mastodon, Pixelfed and, to an extent, Prismo. Also get DuckDuckGo or Searx: the former has bangs, but the latter has Google results.

Ironically, using the computer for stuff other than the web would be safer than using it just for the web. Web-only computers are what Google and Facebook want – look at Chrome OS!

[–]HeyImSancho[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Thanks for the explanation. A lot of food for thought in your post. I comprehend forums to a degree, and user end stuff of computers, 'okay', but have never delved very far beyond that. I've got other interests that I value more, and so spend my times there, and am glad there are people that study computer tech.

I basically feel, like any interaction on the computer is open for all to see. I remember when TOR was the rage, other people in other forums, were like, 'load it dude, you can go anywhere, and not be tracked', but I knew caveat emptor is a real thing, and didn't have anything, or anywhere to be that needed secrecy, so I stayed away.

Then all these guys started being tracked with TOR from what I understand, and didn't the silk road guy get tracked via TOR?

Then the Chrome OS, my old computer I used Mozilla, I go into the computer shop, and buy a new one, the guy says, 'don't use mozilla, it's crap, and has all these vulnerabilities'..... Yet, I read you, and others who state Chrome is bad.

The idea of Dissenter, and apparently Gab are taboo in todays world, and all I thought they represented was a means to state what, and how you feel without worry of being erased. I like seeing what others think, and where their minds are at in our world.

[–]Icalasari 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

but I knew caveat emptor is a real thing, and didn't have anything, or anywhere to be that needed secrecy, so I stayed away.

Thing is, you never know what things you say now may be used against you in the future. Plus every person who doesn't try to practice privacy ends up weakening it for others via the "Well they have nothing to hide, so clearly you have something to hide" argument

[–]HeyImSancho[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Very true statement you make.