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2071 points K0nserv | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.218s | source
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Nursie ◴[] No.45088504[source]
I want my less tech savvy family members to be able to buy locked-to-the-company-store hardware, that they can’t run other things on, as it protects them from one avenue of scams and hacks. This protection can and will be worked around if it can be easily disabled.

Fully open phone systems consistently fail to sell enough to make a difference, which is a bit of a shame, but honestly at this point the market has spoken.

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zigzag312 ◴[] No.45091833[source]
You provided an alterative solution yourself. Make protection harder to disable, so non-tech savvy users can't disable it easily, always inform them of the consequences of disabling it and make it that it's only needed in exceptional cases (there a lot of room for improvement here).

If they want to climb over the protection fence, they should be able to do it as they clearly WANT to do it. Why should you have control what they can or cannot do? (Unless they are your kids.) Should experts in other fields also be able to control over what their layman family members are allowed to do?

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Nursie ◴[] No.45092246[source]
> always inform them of the consequences

This would be about as useful as telling the cat why he can’t go out right now. The words would not be understood, as they won’t be by probably 90% of humanity.

> If they want to…

They don’t. Categorically. The only reason they would try is because they are being scammed with offers of getting something or cajolement entreating them to allow it.

> Why should you have control what they can or cannot do?

Me? I’m not asking for control. I’m saying that most people aren’t equipped to understand the threats they face, even in the face of explanation or warning, and their use-cases are comprehensively covered without it. My parents are old. My brother ends up with any PC he owns full of malware and viruses. The current status quo serves them and many millions of other people very well, and we need to be very cautious when arguing to rip this away in the name of our freedom - to them it only represents freedom to be exploited.

> Should experts in other fields also be able to control over what their layman family member…

Experts in other fields determine the extent of what all laypeople may do legally all the time. Or do you live somewhere that there are zero restrictions on (for example) gas plumbing or work on electrical systems?

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daurentius523 ◴[] No.45093373[source]
>They don’t. Categorically.

They do. Categorically.

> The only reason they would try is because they are being scammed with offers of getting something or cajolement entreating them to allow it.

F-Droid installed German university made QR app. Messaging app that government does not like because it disallows spying on citizens.

> The current status quo serves them and many millions of other people very well

Said you.

So well that only time I had to deal with malware and scam in one was when my parent installed QR App from Google Play and got AD served to them to confirm mobile payment.

REALLY * WELL.

> to them

To you.

> it only represents freedom to be exploited.

There is no reason that verification cannot happen in SSL style - and no layperson will create CA certificate, believe me.

> be very cautious when

Because of that Google decided that it will first introduce it in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand... wait a moment I think I seen that list somewhere...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Brazil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Thailand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Singapore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Indonesia

This was created so governments can censor any application that allow people to communicate. To limit freedom of expression. You are made into useful idiot.

The fact alone that the 'test subjects' are people living in censorship-like countries should tell you enough.

> Experts in other fields determine the extent

There is exception here - no one determines who can speak - but now Google can do so by revoking application certificate.

> rip that away

You are ripping that away - all of current democratic infrastructure now requires computer communication.

You are removing user's ability to install software, You are giving governments way to censor and spy on citizen on massive scale. You want change. You should be careful not us.

> all the time.

Not all the time - only when there is reasonable ground. You do not provide one - if you think your 'reason' is good then we should ban all communications because someone may send malware in one of links in them.

If you want apple go apple.

> Me? I’m not asking for control.

Yes you do - you asking for control to be given to governments in long run, saying otherwise is disingenuous.

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1. Nursie ◴[] No.45101937[source]
> They do. Categorically.

I’m amused by the idea you might know my family better than me, but fun as that is, you don’t.

> If you want apple go apple.

This is the whole point - I do want Apple. I want Apple for my far less capable family members. People in this thread are asking for Apple to be forcibly changed, without understanding that most people are well served by the Apple model.

If you want open, buy open. Make it a viable market. Don’t take away the rails that ordinary people don’t even know are there.