Notices by switching.social (switchingsocial@mastodon.at), page 31

If you've been waiting to join the #PixelFed instance https://pixelfed.social but kept missing the signup windows, they have now opened registrations until further notice:

https://pixelfed.social/register

They also have their own Mastodon account at @pixelfed to distinguish it from the general PixelFed platform.

#DeleteInstagram

@LWFlouisa

Thanks, it's already listed as one of the NextCloud options:

https://switching.social/ethical-alternatives-to-dropbox-google-drive-and-google-docs/

@eliasg

Apparently @Tutanota, has also been hit by similar attacks by the same group:

https://www.reddit.com/r/tutanota/comments/8ue539/looks_like_tutanota_is_down/

What their motive could be I don't know, but they seem to be picking targets that respect user privacy.

It's #FollowFriday! Here are some #alternatives to follow:

@cloutstream CloutStream: An open source federated alternative to LinkedIn, just launched its new website

@Chocobozzz Chocobozzz: Lead developer of #PeerTube, the ethical alternative to YouTube

@Purism Purism: Makers of privacy-oriented computers and the upcoming Librem5 smartphone

@fdroidorg F-Droid: The open source alternative to Google Play

@krita Krita: Open source painting software aimed at artists and illustrators

#FF #FFed

I need some help with ethical alternatives to #Alexa, #Siri and #GoogleHome.

The main open source voice assistants seem to be #Mycroft and #Snips:

Mycroft AI
https://mycroft.ai/

Snips AI
https://snips.ai/

Any others?

Does anyone have opinions about how well the #alternatives respect people's #privacy?

Is it correct that Mycroft is centralised (voice queries via a central server) and Snips is decentralised (voice queries locally on the device)?

#MycroftAI #AmazonAlexa #AppleSiri

.@mhall119 is developing an ethical alternative to #MeetUp called #GetTogether.

There's already a flagship site up and running:

https://gettogether.community/

The dev is working on #ActivityPub support and is requesting feedback on what more needs to be done:

https://github.com/GetTogetherComm/GetTogether/issues/60

If you're interested in helping federate GetTogether, join the discussion at the link above.

#Alternatives

@nev

GetTogether is working on something like this?

https://github.com/GetTogetherComm/GetTogether/issues/60

.@Framasoft's crowdfunding for #PeerTube has just passed 100%, so it will definitely get funding 🎉 👏 🍾

There's still 12 days to go, so the appeal is going for a stretch goal to add even more features 😎

Well done everyone! 👍

#DeleteYouTube #Alternatives

.@Blender's videos on #YouTube have now come back, but they are also being told by Google/YT that they HAVE to monetise them. #Blender are considering refusing, which presumably would mean the videos being taken down again:

https://www.blender.org/media-exposure/youtube-blocks-blender-videos-worldwide/

Whatever they once stood for, #Google's aim now is exploiting their users' content for maximum profit.

If you don't want your videos to be exploited, it is important to switch to an independent alternative:

https://joinpeertube.org/en/

#DeleteYouTube

After the chaos over #YouTube's inexplicable takedown and enforced monetisation, Blender is now testing its own #PeerTube instance:

https://twitter.com/blender_org/status/1009077941676986368

#Alternatives #DeleteYouTube

We already know that automated content filters don't work. They put absolute power over content in the hands of a system that is opaque and broken.

A couple of days ago YouTube took down all of the Blender Foundation's videos from the Blender Foundation's channel due to a copyright claim by... the Blender Foundation.

The BF is an official YT partner, but days later they still cannot get a straight answer from YT about what is going on:

https://twitter.com/tonroosendaal/status/1007952844329189377

https://twitter.com/tonroosendaal/status/1008677459640881152

The #EuropeanParliament is voting on 20th June on changes to the #CopyrightDirective.

#Article13 would mean automated content filters (like YouTube uses) on all sites. Large corporations would be able to censor and spy on all internet content, because they would be running the filters on behalf of smaller sites:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/06/internet-luminaries-ring-alarm-eu-copyright-filtering-proposal

Call/email your MEP *today* to say no to Article 13, especially if they're on this list of committee members:

https://edri.org/files/Copyright_JURI_MEPs_undecided.pdf

#DeleteArticle13

#YouTube makes money from videos promoting extremism. Its algorithm radicalises viewers, because it wants people to be angrily clicking on more videos.

YouTube is tearing society apart by encouraging us to hate each other:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/18/extremism-pays-why-silicon-valley-not-shutting-it-down-youtube

The most promising ethical alternative to YouTube is #PeerTube, which is decentralised and in beta testing.

You can support development of PeerTube to a release version at its crowdfunding page:

https://www.kisskissbankbank.com/en/projects/peertube-a-free-and-federated-video-platform

#DeleteYouTube #DeleteGoogle

The EU is about to update #Article13 to force sites to use YouTube-style content filters on all uploads.

This is a terrible idea:

https://boingboing.net/2018/06/07/of-dogs-breakfasts-article.html

Some MEPS are already fighting back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8pi6e5GLaQ

but they need as many allies as possible:

https://saveyourinternet.eu/

Please email/call your MEP as soon as you can (as in today!), tell them that these changes are dangerous to European freedom, business and culture.

List of MEPs & contacts:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/map.html

#DeleteArt13

#Amazon treats its warehouse workers badly, pays very little tax and tracks its users. Its #Kindle platform will delete books that people have already bought.

Here are some updated ethical alternatives to #AmazonBooks, Kindle and #GoodReads:

https://switching.social/ethical-alternatives-to-amazon-and-goodreads/

Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions for alternatives, if you have any more suggestions (or feedback on these alternatives) please reply to this post.

#Kindle #Goodreads #Privacy #DeleteAmazon #DeleteKindle #DRM #eBooks #Books

#Webmasters,

Do you use #GoogleForms, #SurveyMonkey or similar services?

Are you happy with your data, and your users' data, being exploited by third parties for commercial purposes such as shadow profiling?

There are #Free #OpenSource alternatives which let you control your data and offer your users privacy, which you can self-host or use online as a service:

#Webform
http://webform.com/

#LimeSurvey
https://www.limesurvey.org/

#Privacy #DeleteGoogle #Google

@kensanata

If you want a simple messenger with good voice and video calls, Ring is pretty good: https://ring.cx/

It's open source, decentralised and has apps for android and iphone (though make sure you load the right app, there's a totally different app also called Ring that is for a home security system).

Ring also has clients for Mac, Win and Linux.

@Framasoft is crowdfunding further development of #PeerTube, the ethical alternative to #YouTube:

https://www.kisskissbankbank.com/en/projects/peertube-a-free-and-federated-video-platform

#PeerTube is #federated through #ActivityPub, #OpenSource and uses #PeerToPeer to spread the load if videos go viral. More details at the link.

#Alternatives #DeleteYouTube #DeleteGoogle

#Pixelfed, the ethical alternative to #Instagram, has started its beta testing and looks nice 😎

You can get the latest news on the beta and upcoming #federation by following @pixelfed

Apparently the first PixelFed cat photo was posted by @mike at https://pixelfed.social/bremensaki

Is anyone doing a #federated #OpenSource alternative to Meetup.com?

It's useful for local events, but very expensive for organisers ($15 a month for a basic events page). People pay purely because others use it, an open alternative would be 👍

Meetup's "network effect" might be overcome because it isn't a global network (e.g. someone in London is only going to care about meetups in London).

Also, an open alternative would be perfect fit for #federation, each community having its own instance.