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Failed to connect to MySQL: (1203) User howardkn already has more than 'max_user_connections' active connectionsPath: ...!npeer.as286.net!npeer-ng0.as286.net!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!not-for-mail From: ram@zedat.fu-berlin.de (Stefan Ram) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: you don't want AI? Too bad, we're force feeding it Date: 21 May 2025 15:44:03 GMT Organization: Stefan Ram Lines: 91 Expires: 1 Jun 2026 11:59:58 GMT Message-ID: References: <682d4ad1$0$17$882e4bbb@reader.netnews.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: news.uni-berlin.de pG+qGppFzuGQEoZUDf/AnQYegr9A1tmM4anYP7ChMiDzJ/ Cancel-Lock: sha1:AXcsltDb90QdL5Vq9aPQT/hpueY= sha256:7uMsvyy70S4L7usjk2Jjfc40FieF9DkHwNC+ejUyioE= X-Copyright: (C) Copyright 2025 Stefan Ram. All rights reserved. Distribution through any means other than regular usenet channels is forbidden. It is forbidden to publish this article in the Web, to change URIs of this article into links, and to transfer the body without this notice, but quotations of parts in other Usenet posts are allowed. X-No-Archive: Yes Archive: no X-No-Archive-Readme: "X-No-Archive" is set, because this prevents some services to mirror the article in the web. But the article may be kept on a Usenet archive server with only NNTP access. X-No-Html: yes Content-Language: en-US Bytes: 5265 Retrograde wrote or quoted: >You want more “AI”? No? Well, too damn bad, here’s “AI” in your file manager. I asked my chatbot about it. No, he's okay. Here's what he said about it: AI is invading every corner of our digital lives - file explorers, smartphones, and web browsers - turning once-private spaces into open books for corporate algorithms. You can't move a file, browse a website, or send a message without some AI lurking, reading, and analyzing your data for "convenience." But let's call it what it is: a privacy nightmare masquerading as progress. Why This Is a Problem Your Files Aren't Safe: Microsoft's Copilot and upcoming AI Explorer can scan, analyze, and index everything on your device - documents, photos, conversations - without clear boundaries. Even if features are opt-in or have toggles, the default trajectory is toward more surveillance, not less. Web Browsers Are Compromised: Major browsers - Edge, Chrome, Safari, even Brave - are integrating AI tools that can read and upload the contents of every web page you visit, including sensitive, authenticated sessions. These tools often process data in the cloud, meaning your private business data or personal info could be stored indefinitely on someone else's server, out of your control. Smartphones Are Next: Apple, Google, and Meta are embedding AI deeper into mobile operating systems and apps. Sometimes you can opt out, but often you can't - especially outside regions with strong privacy laws. Even when you can toggle features off, companies are incentivized to make opting out difficult or incomplete. Data Used for AI Training: All this data isn't just for your benefit. It's fuel for training AI models, improving corporate profits, and building behavioral profiles. The more you use these features, the more you feed the beast. What Can You Do to Protect Yourself? The truth is, you can't fully escape this wave unless you go offline. But you can fight back: Turn Off What You Can: Dig into your device and app settings. Disable AI assistants, file analysis, and web page summarization wherever possible. Apple, for example, lets you opt out of "Apple Intelligence" in settings. Microsoft and Google offer some toggles, but you'll need to hunt for them - and they may not cover everything. Use Privacy-Focused Alternatives: Seek out software and browsers that minimize AI integration or offer local-only processing. Open-source projects and privacy-first tools are less likely to embed cloud-based AI by default. Block Internet Access for Sensitive Apps: If possible, restrict network access for apps that don't need it. This can prevent them from uploading data to external servers. Demand Regulatory Action: Support organizations and politicians pushing for stronger privacy laws. Only regions with robust data protection frameworks (like the EU) force tech giants to offer real opt-out options or limit data collection. Encrypt Sensitive Data: Use strong encryption for your most private files and communications. Confidential AI frameworks and trusted execution environments (TEEs) are emerging, but mainstream adoption is slow. Educate Others: The more people push back, the more pressure companies will feel to offer privacy-respecting options. The Bottom Line AI in your file explorer, browser, and phone isn't just about convenience - it's about control. Your digital life is being harvested, indexed, and analyzed without meaningful consent. If you value privacy, you have to fight for it - by opting out, switching tools, encrypting data, and demanding better laws. The machines are reading everything, and unless we act, the concept of personal digital space will become a relic of the past. (what the chatbot said)