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Sex Workers Say Porn on Google Drive Is Suddenly Disappearing
[...] Six porn performers I talked to and more on social media said that they suddenly can't download adult content they keep on Google Drive. They also said they can't a[sic] share that content with other accounts or send to clients. In some cases, the adult content is disappearing from Drive without warning or explanation. The porn performers I talked to started sounding the alarm on Twitter last week. They said that Google Drive no longer seemed sex-trade friendly, detailing error messages and sharing cloud storage alternatives with each other.
When I asked about sexual content being blocked on Drive, a spokesperson for Google directed me to the Drive policy page—specifically the section on sexually explicit material, which says, "Do not publish sexually explicit or pornographic images or videos.... Additionally, we do not allow content that drives traffic to commercial pornography." Writing about porn and sex is permitted, the policy states, as long as it's not accompanied by sexually explicit images or videos. According to Google, Drive uses a combination of automated systems and manual review to decide what's in violation.
[...] "It seems like all of our videos in Google Drive are getting flagged by some sort of automated system," Stone said. "We're not even really getting notified of it, the only way we really found out was one of our customers told us he couldn't view or download the video we sent him."
Stone's files aren't removed from Drive, but when she tries to play the video or download it, she said Google gives her an error message: "Whoops! There was a problem playing this video" with an option to download the item, but the download link doesn't work.
Some sex workers are wondering if this has something to do with the impending vote on the SESTA-FOSTA bill, which is on the Senate floor for debate this week. [ed. note: it was passed]
It could also be that Google is suddenly enforcing its Terms of Service without warning.
[...] "I don't believe that Google should be allowed to dictate what you and another consenting adult send to each other through email."
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday March 25 2018, @03:32PM (2 children)
Since 1995 or so, United States pr0n has been required to archive the IDs of all their models and actors, which can be examined by visiting their Custodian Of Records.
That Custodian's real name and physical street address must be published along with the content.
While I expect most sex workers aren't US residents, Google is a US company. That one's drive may be at a non-US TLD doesn't imply that the physical location of one's data isn't in the US.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:07PM (1 child)
Given that this is a US law, and therefore applies to US entities, and that the whole "custodian of records" bit is also a US thing, I wonder why you'd state that?
I've never met a prostitute that wasn't pretty obviously* a US citizen; I've lived in many US cities and several rural areas and have known quite a few sex workers. I'm willing to consider that it may be just one of those luck-of-the-draw things... but it seems most unlikely to me.
* US-centric attitudes, social skills, speech patterns, etc.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @07:19AM
If you look in the same US cities, most Chinese people you meet are probably also US residents.
That doesn't change the fact that most Chinese people aren't US residents.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @03:36PM (17 children)
Encrypt your images and videos before you send them off to the cloud, duh. When you're in that kind of industry I'd expect these things to be common knowledge.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday March 25 2018, @03:54PM (8 children)
I once met a porn star. "What's your website?"
"I don't know"
"It's vitally important that you own your own domain"
I have a friend who is a web design consultant. He enforces payment by registering his clients' domains in his own name.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by r1348 on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:10PM (4 children)
The accessibility of the profession (needs working genitals) often attracts low-IQ individuals with no hope in succeeding in other fields. This, of course, makes them ripe for exploitation.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by fyngyrz on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:26PM (2 children)
What makes them ripe for exploitation is the laws that apply massive pressure to marginalize them by pushing them down into the lowest social classes, lowest level of social support, lowest level of respect, lowest level of legal recourse when exploited/abused.
The problem here isn't the victim of the exploiter, or any apparent "ripeness" thereof.
The problem is the exploiter, and the laws that make it easy to be an exploiter.
I'd also point out the prevalence of religious belief among people of various IQ's. It's very clear that exploitation is doing very well all along the gaussian. When we allow, encourage, or enable exploitation, the unscrupulous will find a way to victimize people just that much more easily. Assigning blame accurately all along the causative path isn't all that difficult once you step back and look at the enabling factors as well as the events themselves.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday March 26 2018, @05:56PM
However, the negative correlation is well established in the scientific literature.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by r1348 on Tuesday March 27 2018, @10:03PM
I wasn't victim-blaming, I fully support bold investments in free and accessible education that can improve the overall IQ of the general populace, safeguarding disadvantaged individuals from being exploited because of their intellectual vulnerability.
Of course exploiters should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. A newborn is defenseless, it doesn't mean you can kick it.
(Score: 1) by milsorgen on Monday March 26 2018, @05:38AM
Citation Needed
Sounds like an incredible crass and callous thing to say about people.
On the Oregon Coast, born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:47PM (2 children)
Whaatsacompooder?
Is that like a google?
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Sunday March 25 2018, @07:30PM
What does IT stand for?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfa2ecb5lZw [youtube.com]
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by edIII on Monday March 26 2018, @12:08AM
We apologize for the confusion. A compooder is that miracle million boobies box that makes your nether regions tingle.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:19PM (7 children)
Duh to you, too. Read the summary - they use google drive to share photos/vids with their clients. How you gonna do that when they are encrypted? This is about whores and johns, not crypto peoples.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:23PM
Hand them a USB stick with instructions/software and the password?
Crypto is survival, don't take my word, ask a banker.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by NotSanguine on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:25PM (5 children)
Given that these are likely commercial transactions, strong encryption actually makes a lot of sense.
Make the content freely available in encrypted form, and once payment is received, provide a decryption key.
In fact, that would solve the problem completely. Google shouldn't be doing this, and presumably the actors/producers want to get paid. Strong encryption prevents the former and guarantees the latter.
And, unless I read it wrong, these are not "whores" and "johns," they are creators and consumers of pornography. I assume you understand the difference, right? Or perhaps you should hit the dictionary and clear things up.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @08:02PM (4 children)
DRM doesn't work. Key sharing is a real thing. BTW - A "whore" is a woman that uses sex to get money, aka a prostitute. A 'john" is her paying customer. I'll let you figure out what a "pimp" is all by yourself. Sheesh, this is the world's oldest profession. I thought everyone knew about it. Thank heavens for dictionaries.
(Score: 3, Informative) by linuxrocks123 on Sunday March 25 2018, @11:26PM (1 child)
After looking up all the other words you're misusing, I've got another term for you.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/idiot [dictionary.com]
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @06:00PM
So...you're an idiot? That's okay! Lots of people are too stupid to be a whore.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Monday March 26 2018, @03:43AM (1 child)
Since you're obviously confused, I'll explain:
The relationship between a prostitute and his/her customer is that something of value is exchanged for sexual activity *between those people*.
An adult *performer* is not a prostitute, and a paying consumer of such performances has not engaged the services of a prostitute.
I was really confused as to why you might think that things worked differently, then I realized that perhaps viewing porn was your only experience with sexuality. Then your statement made a lot more sense.
I'll clue you in on something of which you're apparently not aware: Watching others in sexualized imagery or performing sex acts is *not* the same thing as having sex. If you pay me to write you an erotic story, that's not prostitution. If you pay me to send you photos/videos of me fucking someone, that's not prostitution. If you pay me to fuck *you*, that's prostitution.
Given your apparent lack of knowledge about what is sex and what isn't, I'm going to assume that reading/viewing depictions of sexual activity is your only experience with sex. Unless you're fourteen, more's the pity.
tl;dr: If you pay someone to interact in physical sexual activities *with you*, that's what's called prostitution. If you pay someone to provide images/video/written word *depictions* of sexual activities, that's performance, not prostitution.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @06:21PM
You seem confused. You seem to think that prostitution involves only intercourse between two people. "Sexual activity" and "sexual services" can be different things and more than just that. If I pay a whore to cram dildos up her ass and send me videos of it...yup, that's prostitution. Webcam girls? Prostitution. Heck, there are even pimps for webcam girls! I know it bakes your noodle thinking about it but performance can be prostitution and that would make the performer a whore in pretty much anybody's book. Make sure you know what you're talking about before you try to explain something. But it was nice of you to try.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by jelizondo on Sunday March 25 2018, @03:45PM (13 children)
They agreed to the terms of service, what are they complaining about?
If I walk into a cafe or other food-serving establishment and they do not sell alcohol, can I demand that they serve me alcohol? No, I need to find some other establishment where they do sell it. Simple.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by bobthecimmerian on Sunday March 25 2018, @05:28PM (9 children)
So you've read the complete terms of service to every website you use? Really?
One thing I find amusing about all of this is that the adult industry rides the cutting edge of the internet. Porn drove adoption of the net by the average user, porn was at the forefront of file sharing and adoption of bittorrent. So maybe this is next, porn leads the average person into becoming encryption-savvy, or maybe abandoning centralized services like Google Drive, or both.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by jelizondo on Sunday March 25 2018, @06:11PM (6 children)
I did not write 'read', I wrote 'agreed', big difference. I can place a contract in front of you and if you sign it, you agree to the terms, whether you read it or not.
The last paragraph of the summary makes it clear some people believe they can tell Google how to run its business. Google is not obliged to carry porn, anymore than YouTube is obliged to carry gun-related videos. They are private enterprises and can very much set any terms for the servcies they offer.
And of course, as you point out, porn will find a way using the latest tech, so good for them but they should stop whining.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Sunday March 25 2018, @06:31PM (3 children)
Not in all jurisdictions. I've been told that in Quebec the terms of a contract you sign are not binding unless you read and understand them. I gather it is the notary whose responsibility it is to make sure you do understand the terms, and, if necessary, read them to you and explain them.
Anyone here really know this is so?
-- hendrik
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Sunday March 25 2018, @07:38PM (2 children)
So in Quebec you need a notary to enter any contract? Seems they have a lot of work for notaries there…
In Germany, there are only some contracts that need a notary (for example, when real estate is involved). And in those cases, it is indeed the notary's duty to read out all of the contract, and to explain anything that may be unclear. I'd expect that to be the case also in Quebec. I cannot imagine that every time you buy something at a shop, a notary reads you the general terms and conditions of the shop (remember, whenever you buy anything at a shop, you enter a contract).
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 2) by linuxrocks123 on Sunday March 25 2018, @11:57PM (1 child)
Well, no, that's obviously absurd. Almost always, when you reach an absurd result like that, you're missing something, and need to keep researching the topic.
As best I can find -- this isn't an area of interest for me -- sales in shops are oral contracts where a customer makes an offer and the shopkeeper accepts said offer simultaneously at the time of payment. Since it's an oral contract, you haven't signed it, and the GP was talking about written contracts. This essay is illustrative:
https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/contract-law/whether-display-of-goods-constitutes-an-offer-contract-law-essay.php [lawteacher.net]
Posted return policies of the store are probably considered to be implicitly part of the customer's oral offer.
A warning about the essay, though: Quebec likely has its sales contract law based on civil law, like Louisiana, which has not adopted the UCC for sales. In Louisiana, a sales contract has three elements: price, thing, and consent. The contract is void if any one of those is missing, but the contract need not be written to be valid. Since both jurisdictions have a similar French history, my best guess is that Quebec is the same way.
IANAL and this isn't legal advice.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Saturday March 31 2018, @05:14PM
Quebec civil law is based on the French civil law from a few centuries ago.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday March 26 2018, @03:12AM
Since the beginning of the 'net, porn has been a problematic driver of traffic.
An openly posted porn video is, usually, downloaded many many more times than your average cute cat video - and that traffic is probably what gets most of them deleted. Now, for industry workers with just a few clients getting the files - Google must be doing some screening, presumably AI, to flag the content - still runs afoul of the TOS, and probably causes Google problems in more than a few jurisdictions if they don't enforce that part of the TOS.
In reality, this will just drive the adoption of encrypted video transfer. Simple enough to encrypt the stream to make it unreadable without a passphrase. I doubt that the porn industry will graduate from symmetric to asymmetric encryption, but they certainly could.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @09:12AM
That's true.
That's false. Because quite often whining results in change. Quietly accepting stuff is a lot less likely to result in the change you want.
You often don't know whether the whining is pointless till you try it enough :).
T&Cs can be changed and how they are applied and whether they are applied can vary. After all these bunch still have their accounts right?
(Score: 2) by jcross on Sunday March 25 2018, @07:36PM
I've heard from some googlers I know that porn ads make up a nontrivial percentage of Google's revenue, so "we do not allow content that drives traffic to commercial pornography" in that context comes off as extra ironic. I think the real problem might be that they're not making much money out of this usage.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by urza9814 on Monday March 26 2018, @09:46PM
For my personal stuff, only occasionally.
But I damn sure read the terms for any service I'm using as part of a business transaction!
It's not unusual to have terms such as "by uploading any content you agree to give us copyright/license". If your entire business is based on selling that data, do you really want to risk losing ownership of it because you were too damn lazy to read the terms? They're lucky that this is all Google is doing...they could have lost a hell of a lot more by blindly transferring their work into someone else's control.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday March 26 2018, @03:07AM (2 children)
It's a little more twisted than that. Google Drive implies some confidentiality of your data, but then places restrictions on the types of data you may store there - which implies that they are looking at your confidential data somehow to determine compliance.
It's more like dining at a restaurant with wine lockers, and bringing your own bottle of something illegal like Absinthe (or, maybe even something illegal that won't kill you...) As an earlier AC posted, if you encrypt your files - or put the illegal liquid in an Quinta do Seixo bottle, they should leave you in peace, and even pour for you.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by darkfeline on Tuesday March 27 2018, @04:33AM (1 child)
>Google Drive *implies* some confidentiality of your data
How about reading the terms of service first, before claiming vague things like "implies". Google reserves the right to use your data for the purpose of providing services to you, in this case, Google Drive, which includes scanning for content that breaches the terms of service. As a counterpoint, a Google employee eyeing through your nudes is not "for the purpose of providing services to you", which would be a breach of contract.
Google's paid business offering notably has very different terms of service. Ignoring the fact that the users agreed to the terms of service, they can hardly complain when they have paid nothing for a valuable service; if they pay for the service, they'll probably find the terms more to their liking.
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 27 2018, @12:12PM
>>*implies* some confidentiality
>How about reading the terms of service first, before claiming vague things like "implies"
ANGTFT
(Ain't Nobody Got Time For That)
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Bot on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:15PM (4 children)
Whether me, you, google or the US thinks about porn is irrelevant.
Whatever is written in the TOS nobody reads is legally important but in this case irrelevant.
The relevant thing, if the story is indeed true, is the sh!t level of communication from google to its clients, I mean its products, us.
"Dear client
I am afraid your content (link list below) violates our guidelines as clearly explained in the TOS (JK, we don't completely understand what's in the TOS either).
You have 30 days to download your files to a safe location, after that it will be deleted. Sharing of the content will be stopped in a week.
Sorry for the inconvenience,
yours
The not yet evil Google"
Today is porn, tomorrow is whatever the psychopaths at the wheel decide.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:31PM (2 children)
The size really is not the issue here. Such a stupid and puerile rule only exists to please some weird prudes somewhere, that's why it's important to treat the violators like the garbage they obviously are and smite them. Google is acting god's sword, not as hosting service. Sharia USA.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @05:16PM (1 child)
Ah, um, we're talking about p0rn, right?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @09:19AM
(Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Monday March 26 2018, @05:40PM
You mean the gun videos on youtube? The people at the wheel already decided on that.
Google is bending to the will of those that PAY them. The product line (the people) may be made smaller in the culling, but the culling is required to keep the advertising funding coming in.
I expect there will be more enforcements.
They have no morality here; it's not about guns and porn and being leaning this way or that way. It's easy to blame that, but this isn't even evil. This is just business. They are trying to do damage control to prevent a further hit to their bottom line.
The only way they will restore what they have taken away is by popular demand of the people that view the ads that make Google so much money. Stop viewing ads, and they'll display whatever content they have to in order for the ad coinage/spice to flow.
We can guess what is next, but whatever it is will probably be at the fringes of acceptable cultural behaviors; nothing mainstream will get censured. That'd upset too many people.
(Score: 2) by Dr Spin on Sunday March 25 2018, @04:43PM (4 children)
I don't believe that Google should be allowed to dictate what you and another consenting adult send to each other through email
Google, however, believes they rule the world.
On balance, Google wins.
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
(Score: 2) by jelizondo on Sunday March 25 2018, @06:17PM (1 child)
Why do you think anyone other than shareholders and directors of Google should be allowed to tell Google how to carry their business? As long as the service being offered is legal, you either take the service or not.
I like to have a beer or two with my dinner, does that grant me the right to demand that every restaurant, cafe and fast-food joint has to sell beer? The answer is no, and the answer is no, Google does not have to carry porn if they decide against it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @09:27AM
0) Force no. Speech yes. Because freedom of speech.
1) Customers and users often tell companies how to run their business. Sometimes the companies listen. And sometimes that results in mutual benefit - the companies make more money and the users have a better experience. For example, some people ask restaurants to provide vegan options.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday March 26 2018, @03:25AM
I think this is more a case of the world ruling Google - other than compliance with local laws (and occasional traffic spike issues) what's Google's incentive to censor here?
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by choose another one on Monday March 26 2018, @07:41AM
> I don't believe that Google should be allowed to dictate what you and another consenting adult send to each other through email
I don't believe the originator of this quote understands the difference between email and Google Drive, or the difference between a link to some content and the content itself.
Since they make movies, they may have got this from the MPAA, which has been deliberately misunderstanding the difference for years - if so, well now it's come round to bite them...
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @05:06PM
Once again the only actual americans are Rand Paul and Ron Wyden. Death to the rest of you seditious pigs.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by maxwell demon on Sunday March 25 2018, @07:48PM (1 child)
This incident demonstrates that Google actually analyzes the data you put there. Not that I would have expected differently, but it is nice to have direct evidence.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @09:13AM
Actually, some of the googlies just noticed that there was zero lag when downloading some porn.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @07:49PM (1 child)
I feel better now I said that. Sorry :)
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday March 26 2018, @03:32AM
But that would require figuring out how to expose them to the internet where clients could get files from them... too hard.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by shortscreen on Sunday March 25 2018, @08:08PM (2 children)
This story and the last one should serve as reminders that when you upload your files to any of these free cloud thingies you will be subject to arbitrary restrictions and outages without notice. (And anybody trying to download your file likely has to wade through a cesspool of JavaShit before getting the actual file.)
Unfortunately ISPs were allowed to redefine internet access as web browsing. Now nobody without a pile of money hosts their own files.
You can always pay for third-party hosting, but some of their TOS are looking pretty onerous these days as well.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday March 26 2018, @03:37AM (1 child)
I host my own git server via my home ISP, and about 3 other people access it a few times a month. I don't care enough to do dyndns or anything like that, my public IP hasn't changed in years. I could as easily serve porn files via sftp or whatever, but that's not my thing.
However, I still pay a separate service to host my domain name tied web pages... it's convenient to have them deal with backups and whitelists and blacklists and all the other BS that goes with hosting web pages, not to mention high availability, scaling for load, etc.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @07:38AM
I host my own web server on my home DSL. Oh sure, it gets about as many hits as your git server (if you don't count the myriad of bots). Backup is done by tar'ing up the few configuration files onto my desktop PC. The web content is mirrored onto my server from my PC anyway, so that's not included. Creating the tar file takes about a second, and is automated as part of backing up my PC.
I don't have the bandwidth for a high volume site, and living in an apartment, having a bigger line installed would probably be something my landlord needs to approve, but other than that, I don't see how hosting something myself would be a problem.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @08:09PM
Let's wish Google every success in its effort to educate the populace.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @08:52PM (2 children)
They get to make the rules, and you abide, or find another service.
Pretty simple to understand.
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @11:54PM (1 child)
Aside the 'dont be evil' thing.
Guess that only meant 'bash on MS' not actually DONT BE EVIL.
Google is becoming socialist. Sorry folks but this is *what* *they* *do*. For their system to work they must control what you do and say and think. Look to facebook. They tried to control the narrative and did not do a good job at it. They are now being publicly shamed about how bad a job they did at it. When the 'left' realizes the DNC has no care for you other than the power you give them to work against your interests they will be better off. Remember this is the party that started the KKK to make sure people voted democrat. They attacked blacks not because they disliked blacks but because most blacks of the time voted republican. Then turned around and blamed the Republicans for what they do. Their current jihad is to remove your rights. If they manage to get rid of the 2nd (good luck) *ALL* of them are fair game. Next up will be a full frontal attack on 1st. They are planning it and attempting to execute on it.. Look to Great Britain and Germany for what they want to do to us. Think I sound paranoid? I have 0 use for a gun and do not think I need one. But I am not going to talk about taking rights away. Nor am I going to go deleting porn stars work from their drives. It is their stuff. It seems Live and let live is 100% diametrically opposed to a socialist society and the world Google wants us to live in.
Pity Google used to be a cool place to work at.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @08:47AM
I'm pretty sure that Google still pays employees depending on how well they work, and still feels free to fire them if they don't perform. I'm also pretty sure that Google has no intentions to pass ownership of the company to its employees.
Yes, that's how they make money. You seem to falsely equate control with socialism. You couldn't be more wrong. People in power have been control freaks at all times, in any system, to the extend they were able and could get away with. And it didn't even matter whether it was political power, economic power, or criminal power. Power and the desire to control are two sides of the same coin.
That's why it is always bad to give anyone too much power. Americans have somewhat internalized that for the government, but still have to learn it for corporations; I fear you'll have to learn it the hard way.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @01:51AM
Mention who this "Stone" is before writing "Stone says..."
Functional literacy shouldn't be too much to ask for.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @04:22AM (1 child)
What's the solution? Can USENET fill in somehow? Will I2P help? We need a way to stop the pigs. Let's work on that instead of bitching about Google.
(Score: 2) by urza9814 on Monday March 26 2018, @11:06PM
The solution is for people to stop expecting another company to manage all of their critical business infrastructure for them at no fee. They don't need I2P and crypto, they don't need to hide -- at least not yet. They aren't criminals and shouldn't act like it. They just need to hire a proper developer / sysadmin if they aren't capable of doing that work themselves.
If you visit your friend, and he tells you to help yourself to the fridge, do you think it's fine to then go and open a restaurant out of his house, cooking his food? Because that's basically what these people have been doing with Google...
And that is as it should be. Stop letting Google take over the entire damn Internet. Thank God they place some limits, because the more they allow, the more content they will monopolize, and the more screwed the rest of us will be. Hell, just last week I got a letter from the US Federal Government claiming they will arrest me if I do not respond to their pre-census survey. And the only option given so far for taking that survey is to use their website. And the survey won't even load unless you allow the site to send your data to Google and Akami. So they essentially are claiming that I am required, by law, to use Google services and let them profit from my data. And they can get away with it because so many people have no clue how the Internet works and act like for-profit companies like Google are a goddamn public institution.
...but I am NOT unblocking Google, so those Census fucks can just pretend I'm one of those people without Internet access and give me some other option...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @07:44AM
I wonder how they will fare in Europe doing this. Latest news is that the EU "anti-monopoly" commissioner is looking to split Google into smaller companies.
Considering that here in Denmark (part of the EU), out politicians are talking about taking steps against Apple for removing nudes from the App Store. The f**king App Store... The App Store being a public facade of Apple, where as Google Drive is supposed to be peoples private documents.