The more I learn about privacy invasive tech the more I want to throw away everything I own and fully disconnect. But damn it's easier said then done.
It increasingly looks like if I don't want to be constantly tracked and sold to I need to go to things like Linux. I'm not very good with technology or software, I am simply not clever enough to troubleshoot when things go wrong on Windows, let alone fucking Linux. Every time I look into changing my PC's OS I look at reddit or youtube and I don't understand 60% of the terms in the "absolute beginner" tutorials. Then I know some things I use don't work on Linux out of the box, so I'd have to figure that out too.
I currently have a 'dumbphone' to try and avoid that bullshit, but I may need to get a smartphone for work reasons and just plain convenience. How am I supposed to just be okay with Apple spyware or Google spyware again? I don't want either of those!
My TV is a 'smart' roku TV, there is an ad front and center regardless of if its connected to wifi, if I'm watching one of my DVDs a pop-up will show saying 'you could stream this on [x]!' Can I lobotomize my television? Yea probably, but I'm far to dim for that. I don't want to replace a perfectly functional TV over something "stupid" but I can't stand it.
I need to jump through hoops to read something on my 15 year old Kindle that's not sold to me through Amazon. I have to jailbreak it just to use it because Amazon is bricking it in a couple weeks too! It never ends!
Don't get me started on the stuff I can't even begin to control. My dad regularly inputs my face into ChatGPT to generate stupid pics of me and my sister. Its given me so much anxiety that he's enthusiastically given OpenAI very personal information about my life. The flock cameras that track every time I go to the grocery store. All the stores that require I pay with plastic enabling my bank sell my spending habits. The landlord changing the thermostat remotely because I set it 'too high' so he can save a penny.
We should destroy all technology that requires any personal information to function. All 'smart' tech is for is selling product. My friend says I'm a technophobe, but I love technology! Being able to cast my laptop screen onto my sister's TV is awesome and convenient! Live location and GPS navigation is great! Ordering supplies that my local stores don't have right to my door is amazing! Why can't technology be fun? Why does every piece of tech need to squeeze you of everything you're worth? Why am I a weirdo for not being okay with it?