Off-topic, but I do agree in general that Edge is a solid browser. I use it when I'm at work and really love the vertical tabs and tab groups. I use firefox for personal use and am patiently waiting for the vertical tabs on the stable release (and not just in about:config).

Is it me or do those comments feel very shill-like?

A similar argument I hear is "If they want me, they will find and arrest me no matter my precautions".

Kinda yes... But why are you talking about threat models that include someone deliberately hunting you down? We are not high-ranking dissidents or criminals that they would put effort and money into finding. Our concern is passive surveillance - maybe the collected info doing us a disservice (like being leaked for scammers or sold to an evil ex), maybe even something mundane getting flagged and us being arrested just to serve as an example.

I do fall into that way of thinking sometimes and in discussions and such, but even then, i still take steps to maintain a level of privacy. It's for stupid reasons, I'm admittedly not knowledgeable whatsoever on data privacy. (As in, why is it necessary since we already carry a lot of data collection devices with us as we go around that I know most people dont even think about.) But it makes me just feel better, I guess.

Most of my friends have actually moved away from Firefox to more tailored browsers like opera, which i think is much worse in terms of data protection. (again, uninformed. It's just something I've seen thrown around, feel free to correct me if that's wrong.) At times, it really is quite easy to start thinking like the people highlighted in the post. I'm 22, and have a degree in computer science. There was a module on data security, but it was mostly focussed on data leaks and encryption methods rather than the 'philosophy' on why data protection is important. Even in the final year of uni, people were being quite flippant with it.

It's probably just a cultural shift, as more and more companies collect mass amounts of user data, people gradually get more comfortable with the idea I guess. Especially with gen alpha, who are born into a world where it's just a fact that all companies are actively farming your data. To them, it's not something to be concerned about whatsoever. There was never a time in which they had privacy, especially since they are introduced to technology before they can even speak, write, or remember.

What I've put above is mostly just waffle honestly, but I hope it provides something to someone LMAO.

Edit to add stuff: I guess to make the point more obvious, for younger generations it's because privacy just isn't real for them.

When they realized they DO actually have something to hide, they moved the goalposts to now say nothing is private online anyway.

Elon Musk popularised this cope argument a few years ago. It sounds intelligent to people who are incapable of any level of critical thinking or nuance and believe everything in the world is either 100% A or 100% B with no in-between. Sadly, this is a large percentage of the population.

Gen Alpha doesn't care about privacy online. They need to be guided by their parents to care, e.g. when they buy a laptop, they install some Linux distribution on it before they give it to the child.

The mindset about privacy is just all wrong. It's not an all or nothing game. Any privacy gain is a net positive to no privacy at all.

To many people conflate privacy with anonymity or try "accomplish" privacy without understanding what they want to be private from and why.

trash at loading html

Copium

my guess is its just another flavour of cope.

imo likely because recent history has began to undermine the delusions which were propping up the former flavour.

Privacy also doesn't exist when you have the entire website being indexed

full discussion on spezit

I'm also a firm believer in you don't need to freely give up your data

laughs with my GraphineOS pixel and librewolf and Alpine on my librebooted Thinkpad

(Obviously you don't need to start where I'm at but everyone's goal should be to eventually become as secure as reasonably possible)

Wouldn’t it be better to at least put a modicum of effort in to have some privacy, than to put zero effort in and have none at all?

The one saying they use copilot for math problems is the worst part. It demonstrates their complete lack of critical thinking.

Trust in privacy, fight against GAMAM!

Why? It's because they never arrived at their current behavior by a systematic progression of logical steps. Most of the behaviors we exhibit aren't that way. We just offer a post-hoc explanation/justification. They use edge, so they defend their action with any argument assertion they can think of.

It's also (sort of) because they want to tip the proverbial scale towards their current use. Change takes effort and can be irritating. They have their list of positives about edge (faster, easier, etc.), and they downplay the negatives such as privacy.

"No, they would never track us. But if they were, it would be a good thing."

My "progressive" friends are this way - "everyone already has everything, whatever who cares"

Reddit be like.

Is that the same as the misnomer or fallacy that privacy is dead?

Ultimately, the sentiment isn't completely wrong. Using a different browser isn't going to save you from being tracked. Using one or multiple browser extensions isn't going to save you from being tracked. Using a VPN isn't even going to save you from being tracked.

Accounts are pretty much required to use most sites, and many also require connecting a phone number or other personal details. Privacy is actively discouraged, and attempting to pursue it leaves you with many hardships -- by design I would argue. You buy a product on one site, with no prior search history about it, and suddenly you start getting emails from unrelated sites about similar products. In capitalism, any information about your habits and interests also becomes a commodity. Why shouldn't people dismiss privacy in favor of convenience, in such a system? It seems futile to even try.

And if your government is determined to figure out who you are online, then it will. Don't make the mistake of thinking they don't know what you've been up to, here or otherwise.