web browsing

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The 'Wayforward Machine' Raises Awareness by Simulating Internet Threats

Andrew Orr ·

The Internet Archive has created the Wayforward Machine. It transports you to 2046 to simulate potential threats to internet freedom we could face.

And then it becomes clear: the whole purpose of the satirical Wayforward Machine is to raise awareness about the ongoing threats to the Internet and to libraries like the Wayback Machine, which plays a prominent role in preserving historic content and the truth, as it appeared in the past.

It’s a fun, important project. I typed in The Mac Observer and one of the messages says the website has been temporarily suspended pending the outcome of legal proceedings. Likely because we published something that Emperor Zuckerberg II, Glorious Commander of the United States of Facebook, didn’t like.

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This Safari Extension Can Clean Links With Trackers

Andrew Orr ·

A Safari extension called Clean Links can automatically remove tracking parameters from URLs. Blocked trackers include UTM by Google Analytics, FBCLID by Facebook, and others. It is a random app from GitHub outside of the App Store. I uploaded it to VirusTotal and it didn’t show anything weird. But the creator also makes the source code available.

To install Clean Links you can either download the latest prebuild extension from the releases tab, or you can clone the repository and build it yourself.

I also use a shortcut that can accomplish the same thing on iOS and iPadOS.

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DuckDuckGo Smarter Encryption will Serve You HTTPS Sites

Andrew Orr ·

The DuckDuckGo Smarter Encryption feature will automatically give you the encrypted HTTPS version of websites as they are available.

It’s available on DuckDuckGo’s mobile browser for Android and iOS, and through the company’s desktop browser extension for Firefox and Chrome. DuckDuckGo is also open sourcing the code behind the feature so other sites and platforms can adopt it as well. First up? Pinterest.

I especially like how they’re open-sourcing it for others to use.

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App Store Today Stories Now on the Web

Andrew Orr ·

App Store Today editorials from Apple are now available on the web, with full imagery, app lists, and text.

To find a link for an App Store story, open the App Store on your iOS device or Mac. Open a story article in the Today view and scroll to the bottom. There will be a ‘Share Story’ button which lets you copy the URL or send it on using the share sheet.

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American Law Institute Votes on Rollback of Consumer Privacy

Andrew Orr ·

The American Law Institute (ALI) will vote tomorrow on a proposal that would make it easier for companies to bind you to contracts, even without visiting the website.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably clicked “I agree” on many online contracts without ever reading them. Soon you may be deemed to have agreed to a company’s terms without even knowing it. A vote is occurring Tuesday that would make it easier for online businesses to dispense with that click and allow websites that you merely browse — anything from Amazon and AT&T to Yahoo and Zillow — to bind you to contract terms without your agreement or awareness.