This will also push away a not-insignificant portion of their user base. Probably not enough to make a difference, but a noticeable portion

I agree that engagement algorithms carry much of the blame. It’s why I tend to avoid spaces that use them

Nobody’s perfect. But if you really don’t like Starmer, I’ll trade you Trump for him

Why do people connect their home security, thermostats, or refrigerators to the internet? Because they’re designed, first and foremost, as data collectors. Users discover after the fact that they don’t actually own anything, and the company hides behind software licenses to maintain their control.

And France yawned

Moving on….

TBF, it isn’t unlike parents pimping (ahem) “managing” their kids in music, film, and TV

You’ve obviously not paid attention to McConnell and Trump weaponizing US courts

You’re describing quasi-public, not public, spaces under US law. Different countries, different laws <shrug>

I’m in the US. Guess I just haven’t tried to access them on mobile Safari in a while since this was new to me.

I generally find NPR the most bearable of US news outlets. I also used to run a member station newsroom and reported for the network a few times during those years.

BBC lost credibility several years ago for hosts talking more than guests and putting words into the guests’ mouth. Their paywall was just a curious additional insult.

Why does Reuters, or the BBC for that matter, think I’ll pay a subscription when ads outweigh the story?

There were a few sites that would run scripts for you during Rexxit. The one I used would poison your data at random times over a few days to be sure of infecting backups. The last round was a deliberate violation of the TOS and offensive enough to force them to remove it immediately. Worked like a charm, as I recall.

Had an account there – briefly – 10? years ago. Deleted it as soon as I noticed my employer’s personnel office activity and posting non-existent “jobs.” Realized that LinkedIn is only useful as a data harvester and HR honeypot.

Europe has an age-gated social media ban? Is this where Australia got the idea?

Not sure what you’re saying about US vetos

Good idea

Hopefully not

I can see good arguments on both sides. On one hand, the current mechanic hands every member state a veto on everything. On the other, if too many members get dragged into domestically unpopular adventures by a foreign majority, other countries will withdraw, either formally or by simply refusing to participate in Brussels.

Then again, given that one of the Heritage Foundation’s (ahem) “Trump Administration’s” stated goals is to dismantle the EU, perhaps Merz’s government are simply useful idiots

Mandela Effect on a global scale. I don’t like this timeline. I want to get back to the real one ASAP. ;)

And they’re providing cover for authoritarian urges in Europe and the US, being nominally part of the “West”

In my defense, it was before dawn here. I’ll do better next time :D

FWIW, I generally agree with you about “Why bother?” With regard to Americans. We seem to have become a population dominated by zealots of one ilk or another in all the federally overrepresented states. It’s exhausting.

Most days, I think the US would be better off if Cornwallis hadn’t surrendered.