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Not much difference than the way all modern society works with technology today. Big tech firms often scan our stuff without our knowledge ([1] for example) and
by vouaobrasil 2y ago
Not much difference than the way all modern society works with technology today. Big tech firms often scan our stuff without our knowledge ([1] for example) and manipulate people with advanced algorithms to simply hand stuff over. The only difference is that we have the illusion that we are making a choice.
But now, ask yourself: if you need to work a regular job and do regular stuff (i.e. you're not super rich), how easy is it to go through life without a smartphone? Banks often require one for two-factor authentication. Many businesses communicate through Whatsapp around the world. My condominium's condo fees are only viewable through an app. Etc. If a person HATES smartphones, and NEVER wants to use one, it would be difficult, no question. So, that person is FORCED to use one.
Some people like them, but others hate them and have to use them anyway. Whether you like it or not, we are forced to carry these surveillance devices around because many components of modern infrastructure are starting to require smartphoines.
The only difference between Serbia and here is that Serbian police do it, whereas in the West, all of society collaborates in a downward spiral to do it, which is also heralded and encouraged by law enforcement here too.
References
1. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/apple-agrees-to-pay-95m-delete-private-conversations-siri-recorded/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/apple-agrees-to-...
- paxcoder 2y agoWhile the situation with tracking in the West is awful, there's a huge difference between having a choice, however impractical, and being spied on in secret.
- vouaobrasil 2y agoMy entire point was that we don't really have a choice -- for example, most people do not have a choice to own a phone any more. It's a practically mandatory sort of technology. So, we don't really have a choice here either, only the illusion of one.
- ANewFormation 2y agoIt's also not just your phone. People seem to have forgotten about things like PRISM [1] because it's no longer in the news, but it's still very much around and likely only more extensive. The surveillance state extends far beyond just phones. Yet these articles, from well known organisations, extensively investigating (even featuring 0 day revelations) the decline of civil society in lieu of ever more pervasive surveillance and manipulation of opinion, only seem to ever focus on geopolitical adversaries of the US. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM
- vouaobrasil 2y agoYep, I agree with that. It's much worse than just phones.
- johngladtj 2y agoThere is no choice. It is literally illegal for me to buy a decent laptop with cash in Portugal for example.
- vouaobrasil 2y agoWhy is that? Can you provide a source? (Not distrusting you, but it would be great to have a source because I'm a writer and interested in writing about these things.)
- pmontra 2y agoMaybe because of this https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu/en/shopping-internet/cash-payment-limitations.html#:~:text=Portugal https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu/en/shopping-internet/cas...
- cfn 2y agoIt's the law. You can't pay in cash for anything above three thousand euros. If you're a company the limit is even lower at 1000 Euros. Interesting though that a foreigner, such as a tourist, can pay up to 10 thousand euros in cash as long it's not a business transaction.
- surgical_fire 2y agoThis is a lie. Not much else to say about it, it just is not true. I know people living in Portugal, first hand, with pretty beefy and expensive laptops.
- arlort 2y agoHe means buying it in cash. Anti money laundering / tax evasion laws in some places prohibit using cash above a certain limit
- surgical_fire 2y agoIt is still a lie. I think the limit in Portugal for cash transactions is around €3k. You can buy a pretty great laptop with that
- 43yt3yteg 2y agoIn Sweden, it's illegal to buy prepaid mobile phones with cash since august 1, 2022.
- medo-bear 2y agoIn contrast, in Serbia you can buy simcards without ID at any kiosk
- bell-cot 2y agoUnless you're living in a cabin in rural Alaska or something, you are being spied on in secret (do we still use that word, post-Snowden?) in the West. "No smart phone" merely removes some of the fine detail from the GB's of data that the 3-letters have about you.
- casey2 2y agoWhat jobs don't give out a work phone these days?
- reaperman 2y agoIn the USA, a very small percentage of people get a second phone from their employer. To answer your question: The vast, vast majority of jobs.
- buildsjets 2y agoMine.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]