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#51

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by Admiral Yi - December 31, 2025, 10:45:49 AM

Sounds like all of academia.  We're taught  what we already collectively know, which was acquired in the past.  Libraries are full of books that were written in the past.

#52

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Josquius - December 31, 2025, 10:43:44 AM

Interesting graph showing what cut through in the news over the course of the year for the UK.


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#53

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by crazy canuck - December 31, 2025, 10:42:02 AM

Yeah I struggle to disagree with it. The entire economy of the internet is based on those companies selling that data so the idea that it's private strikes me as odd. This is tracked by search engines, by the sites you then visit, it is sold when you visit a website with advertising and broadcast often to thousands of adtech companies to do an auction.

We're not talking about decrypting messages from one person to another on an app or something like that.

To me the issue isn't that the police can access this via a warrant but that Google (or other search engines) are storing and monetising it in the first place.

Yes, exactly so

#54

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Admiral Yi - December 31, 2025, 10:41:28 AM

To me the issue isn't that they can search browsing histories, it's that they can search everyone's history without probable cause.  If some other random dude had looked up the victim's address he would now be part of the investigation.

#55

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by crazy canuck - December 31, 2025, 10:40:45 AM

Yes, that is one of the main drawbacks, to the extent it works at all, it is just regurgitating the past.

But I would add, really only the recent past.

#56

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Sheilbh - December 31, 2025, 10:29:38 AM

Yeah I struggle to disagree with it. The entire economy of the internet is based on those companies selling that data so the idea that it's private strikes me as odd. This is tracked by search engines, by the sites you then visit, it is sold when you visit a website with advertising and broadcast often to thousands of adtech companies to do an auction.

We're not talking about decrypting messages from one person to another on an app or something like that.

To me the issue isn't that the police can access this via a warrant but that Google (or other search engines) are storing and monetising it in the first place.

#57

Off the Record / Re: Are we in the opening scen...

Last post by The Brain - December 31, 2025, 09:13:20 AM

Wasn't it Erich Kästner who wrote at new year's 31/32 (from memory, so cut me some slack)

Wird's besser? Wird's schlimmer?
Fragt man alljährlich
Seien wir ehrlich
Leben ist immer lebensgefärlich

#58

Off the Record / Re: Are we in the opening scen...

Last post by PJL - December 31, 2025, 09:04:25 AM

I wouldn't rule it out personally. The 2nd verse of Abba's Happy New Year certainly feels more relevant than ever given the current world situation.

#59

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by The Brain - December 31, 2025, 08:41:29 AM

You mean where you give your DNA to a company to find out if you are 0.06% Native American/Laplander/Swede/Irish/etc, but now the police can subpoena the company to find out if you are a match for the Zodiac killer?

That, and stuff where they identify relatives to you (and therefore you) even if you yourself have never submitted DNA.

#60

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by crazy canuck - December 31, 2025, 08:25:50 AM

Jesus Christ man.

I mean fuck that rapist guy but that is some pretty blood chilling shit.

We are all going to have to choose to live in the dark ages just to avoid constant control and monitoring aren't we?

Granted even if the government couldn't do that without a warrant, everybody else can already do it so maybe it doesn't really make that much of a difference. It is always just depressing to be reminded of it.

I wouldn't call the time before search engines the dark ages.  I think it was preferable in many ways.