Resistance Update #5

What's going on, what I've done and what you can do!

With actual wars going on, it’s hard to find headspace for the war against digital coercion. I get it. But remember, it’s even more important to stay vigilant in times of crisis. Just think of all the ways our way of life ‘temporarily’ changed during the pandemic, and how so many of these have stuck with us. Some were good, some were bad, but the point is that trends can quickly achieve unstoppable momentum when we’re too distracted to give them the attention they are due. So let’s keep our eyes open!

News to get us thinking…

• As far as I can tell, it’s now actually impossible to open any kind of Google account without a smartphone (see the screenshot above). So much for the democratising internet we were sold — now we must buy two devices instead of one¹ in order to have an email address? I know there’s a bigger debate to be had around this, and I plan to write about the tricky subject of two-factor authentication soon. In the meantime, what do you think?

• I’ve been chatting away with some fellow Substackers. Here’s a comment from Eddie Lakin who is a restaurant owner in Chicago and whose content around consumer trends interests me. It’s quite revealing about how cash can end up disappearing from a society:

  

  The takeaway for me is that consumer behaviour drove the death of cash at this establishment. On the flip side, of course, consumer behavour can drive the survival of cash! So next time you thoughtlessly reach for plastic or your phone, maybe start planning your next trip to an ATM.

Things I’ve done

• After several years of filling out my Austrian tax return online, the Finanzamt is now forcing taxpayers to log in with the ID Austria or similar 2FA smartphone app. I could do this, and it would be easier, but that’s not the point. The point is to send a message that some people cannot or will not do the smartphone app thing. That analogue alternatives are cherished. That’s why I will be dropping off my tax declaration by hand this month. More on the details coming up in a stand-alone article!

  

• I’ve started a first Offline Rights account for reviews. Because direct feedback from consumers is key to driving change - it’s no use boycotting or supporting something in silence, right? I’ve posted a handful - had a crack at my UK bank in the example above! In theory, I plan to add a couple more platforms and continue posting. But time is limited and reviewing needs lots of it. If you like moaning and complaining online, this is your perfect chance to step up and do so with a purpose - either through your own accounts, or by helping me out with this one, or both!

• Given that dependency on the likes of Google, etc, is a big driver for digital coercion, I am slowly trying to extricate my personal connection to Big Tech². I’ve signed up for a Proton account and plan to get rid of my Google Mail in the near future. I am currently using my Android phone without being logged into a Google account. There will be more to come on this complex topic, but let me reveal a quick and easy win here: using LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office. It does all the same basic stuff but it’s open-source and free. I’m several weeks in and have not yet found a reason to go back.
  

• In case you missed it, I wrote some stuff: about social media bans for teenagers and also about why cash is so critical in the fight against digital coercion.

Things this community has done

I’m sure you guys have done loads of cool protest stuff (right?)! That includes tiny things like signing a petition, complaining to a manager, deleting an app or walking out of a cards-only establishment. But your wonderful actions have not been brought to my attention, which means I can’t share them with other people who need inspiration. I look forward to hearing from you…

What can YOU do?

• You can do the same things I am doing, or local variants thereof! I’m referring to the “Things I’ve done” section above. These are not meant to be diary entries. They’re meant to be concrete, real-world action ideas you can flagrantly copy.

• Give me some likes! Even if you have time for nothing else, could you get in the habit of hitting the heart symbol on mails like this one? I’m not certain, but I think you can do it directly in the mail without an account. It won’t hurt to try, anyway (let me know what happens!). It might move an algorithm or two in my favour, which would help this campaign grow.

• If you haven’t already subscribed, please do so here. Subscribing doesn’t mean money (you can skip the stuff about pledging), or signing up for an account. It just means you get my articles by email

• Send me ideas for The Boycott List and The Good Guys list - especially now that we can review them too! Look outside your window, or scan your inbox, and you’ll probably get one or two ideas right away. Snap a picture if you can. Sending me a message can take mere seconds.

• Go to the library! If you still have an actual library with books in your area, count yourself lucky. As with bookshops, however, we have no right to lament their disappearance if we’re not using them.

• Be the kind of parent head teachers loathe! I don’t have kids, but if I did, I would imagine their school would be getting on my nerves with some form of digital coercion. Like, I don’t know, making parents be in a WhatsApp group or insisting on Google Classroom…the possibilities are endless. The rise of 2FA means a laptop and internet isn’t enough - you’ll need a smartphone too. Schools are a key battleground but, by the same token, a powerful place to take a stand. Tell them you are a smartphone-free family and complain to an ombudsman about digital discrimination in your child’s education! Tell them you can’t afford a laptop. Tell them whatever you need to - and get other parents on board!

• Join the subscriber chat! I’m still looking for the sweet spot in terms of ‘engagement’ on this platform. Could it be the subscribers-only chat? It’s free but I think you’ll need a Substack account to use it (via the Substack app or web browser). If this is your thing, jump on there and say hello!

• Send me constructive feedback about this campaign. What can I do better to inspire more real action from this community?

• Write something. Offline Rights is open for guest posts! Sadly they can only be voluntary…unless you’re bringing me a rich patron of course!
  

• Check out my previous updates for more ideas of things you can do beyond mere reading! It’s all on the home page!

1. As one of these crazy dinosaurs who still works on a computer rather than a tiny screen and microscopic keyboard, I don’t know what the deal is if you do the whole signup process on your smartphone. How does 2FA work - do you need a second smartphone? If you know, tell me!

2. I know, I just revealed a new Google account for posting reviews - that’s when I discovered you cannot do so without a smartphone, in fact! But this is for campaign purposes and it’s separate from my personal accounts. Given how many eyeballs Google reviews get, I figure the benefits justify the action - it’s a means to an end.