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20 years of Gmail
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this post was submitted on 30 Mar 2024
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There is a reason we don't just use any email. It takes time and energy to change providers and in the case of being locked out not even possible. I have no issue with private email, but I do have a problem with the government expecting to communicate with people and not providing that means of communication.
Until we recognize email and banking as a right we will continue to allow private companies and the government to fuck us over. Private companies are all spying on you do not believe their privacy bullshit for a second.
You may be better off doing business with a private company from a country who actually respects your privacy through codified laws, but that does not really solve the problem.
It’s like… I want to disagree with you, but you’re making me think.
Why are we ok with having required services that are only provided by third party companies?
They’re not specific - No government says you must have a Facebook or Twitter account. But you’re right - you have to have a bank account and you’ll not get far in 2024 without email.
What about a step further? If you want a phone number, you need a landline or mobile. Both of those are only provided by private companies too…
Private vs public is not a new debate by any means. I think the tax preparation business in the US a great example. Decades ago the US government was deciding whether to develop a government web based front end to file US taxes. Predictably the existing big players objected to this and offered a deal.
The gist of the deal was they would let most tax players file for free. Why waste government money and resources when the private sector can do it cheaper. Sounds good right?
Well in the end it did not work out that way. Websites used dark patterns to get tax preparers to pay when they should not. They had many data breaches and you can assure yourself they mined the fuck out of any data you share with them.
I like the idea of a standard government phone. Secured by our best technology and locked up tight from data miners.
Perhaps passing stringent privacy laws and regulating the hell out of these technology companies could be enough to turn the tide and certainly they would prefer this to the prospect of the government taking away their monopolies.
I am firmly on the side of the government providing these services though because of the reality we are facing.
All this and we didn't even get to ISPs yet. It is a fucken doozy over here in a lot of aspects.