Resistance Update #2
News, encouragement, dones and to-dos!
Happy analogue new year!
We all have our moments of thinking the idea of stopping digital coercion is hopeless - I’m no exception! That’s why I am sharing stories of how it’s not all one-way traffic. There ARE pushbacks happening, there ARE waves we can catch and there ARE voices making a noise at high levels. That’s why I’m starting newsletters with encouraging developments in the battle. But we can’t get complacent, which is why I’m following it up with more frightening stuff that motivates in a different manner.
Then it’s over to the action: we all need to get into the habit of spotting small opportunities to show we aren’t standing for this madness. I’ll share some of what I’ve been doing and give you some ideas.
So, let’s roll into the latest update!
Some encouragement
Sweden and Switzerland might just be coming to their senses and rescuing cash!
Australia has not only banned social media for teenagers, but as of this January the country is also forcing a degree of cash acceptance: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/mandating-cash-acceptance
Returning to the UK Digital ID parliamentary debate I mentioned last time, which I know was rather long…I thought I would highlight a couple of my favourite bits - and provide direct links to them below:
1h04m27s to 1h09m00s Highlights the potential for ‘creep’, the importance of any scheme being an explicitly voluntary opt-in…and non-compliance by means of buying a Nokia!
2h03m29s to 2h04m42s Underlines the same view this movement takes: there’s no problem with digital as long as it’s optional!
The sobering news
A different sort of encouragement comes from the unfortunate fact that parts of Berlin went (or are still going) without power for multiple days this January following an arson incident. This follows most of Iberia having a blackout back in April. So you don’t need to be a wacko conspiracy-theorist doomsdayer to be considering the benefits of non-electric, non-internet analogue systems. Situations are already happening - and in supposedly developed countries.
Starting this year, Denmark no longer has a post office service.
Things I’ve done since the last update
The UK petition I mentioned last time is still going through its bureaucratic process. When it is live for public signing, you will be first to know!
Regarding the Volksanwaltschaft in Austria and the issue of Austria ID, it seems they will need chasing. Which I will do after everyone is back at work. In the meantime, I also wrote back to the local government authority and reminded them that they don’t know their own laws (screenshot follows).
Next up, here’s an article I wrote about why cash punishes those who depend on tips. Give it some likes if you can!
What else, I hear you ask? I quit GoDaddy in protest because they require Two-Factor Authentication. As you’ll see below, I have TOLD them this and also told PorkBun why they are now getting my business instead. Okay, I don’t have many followers and it’s a drop in the ocean of social media complaints, but this kind of communication is at the heart of my vision: make the baddies understand they are losing business. If a large number of us get this message across, it might hit home before it’s too late. That’s where everyone on this list comes in...
I posted an ornithological survey from the post office branch in Neusiedl am See, Austria, today. I could have submitted the thing digitally. But it’s about making a point (see below). Lovely friendly lady behind the counter, by the way. Ideally I would have posted something nice about this little action, and made sure the post office saw it. This newsletter has taken up the rest of the day, unfortunately, but I’m not worried: others will pick up the slack in these situations as we build our community! Right? Yes, that’s you…keep reading!
What can YOU do?
What or whom can you quit in protest like I did with GoDaddy? Make sure they know you did it, and why. Make a screenshot, let me know!
Help your country avoid Denmark’s fate by going to post office branches and lining up at the counter. Like most aspects of this resistance, it may take a little longer than some other solution. But we you think in-person service, featuring actual human interaction, is worth saving, you have to make a point of this stuff. If people still turn up to branches, it’ll be a little harder for them to shut them down.
You can sign this ‘offline rights’ petition by this German-based organisation Digital Courage, with which I spoke this week with regard to some collaboration. No need to live in Germany, apparently. https://civi.digitalcourage.de/recht-auf-leben-ohne-digitalzwang
Are you Swiss? Congratulations! Now, here’s a petition about the future of cash - sign and share! https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/9EI0gNuBPtWQjaOMSOB5G
Get an (analogue) penpal via the Luddite Club. This is a US thing founded by young people who want to get the hell off their phones. If you write to them via their website’s contact form you should be able to subscribe to their (paper) newsletter and you can also ask for an old-school penpal. It won’t change the world but it connects a couple more of us like-minded people. And writing letters by hand is a healthy throwback!
As always, share this campaign with others! The hurried Offlinerights.org page still works for signups, but people are now advised to simply subscribe here on Substack. And your grandma who wants to get involved but isn’t online? No problem! We can post things on her behalf - just write to us at offlinerights@substack.com and we will work out an old-school plan.