The Technology Screw is being Tightened while you're on Holiday.

    Who cares about the "technical" details of the Internet? Maybe you should! 

    50 years ago the Internet was invented by scientists for scientists to exchange ideas and documents. The protocols were consequently extraordinarily lax and friendly. No gateways or obstruction to communication. No nothing. Plain and simple. 

   Corporations and governments around the world have spent the following 50 years correcting what they see as a fatal defect: Freedom! 

   Initially, the system was in the hands of geeks who pushed back successfully. But the alliance of corporate greed and government dictatorial tendencies is slowly eroding the system and unfortunately the retreat is accelerating. 

   The worst case is probably Microsoft which went from an innovative product: Windows 3.1 which really opened the desktop world to non technical people to Windows 11 which is a fully on-line, controlled, for pay environment. No option left. So much so that Linux is finally taking off in 2026. 

   But Microsoft is not alone. Apple, Google and the rest are on its heels to protect their advertising and corporate profits and as discussed below slowly restructuring the infrastructure to fit their needs while destroying privacy and ease of use. 

   The worst will of course be AI since AI will be able to very precisely adjust to you and if they are controlled by big corporations (the alternative is difficult to envision at this stage) will coerce you to conform to their will. Zero escape possible. 

   We're not there yet but the pace is accelerating and once in place, it will be impossible to reverse.         

Only Approved Phones Can Pass Google’s New reCAPTCHA, Locking Out Privacy-Focused Alternatives

August 15th, 2026

I just encountered one of these for the first time. I’m not doing it.

Via: Cybernews:

Verify you’re human – by owning an approved Android or an iPhone. Google’s new reCAPTCHA system forces users to scan a QR code with a “compatible mobile device” and locks out anyone using a privacy-focused OS and device, warns GrapheneOS, a security-hardened OS alternative.

GrapheneOS warns that people without an iOS or Android device might soon be banned from accessing online services, even when browsing on desktop computers or laptops.

A recent change left arbitrary devices and operating systems, such as deGoogled Android smartphones, unable to complete Google’s reCAPTCHA verification, which prompts users to scan a QR code with a mobile device.

Firefox Is Now the Last Major Browser that Still Supports uBlock Origin

August 15th, 2026

Via: PC World:

Firefox says it will keep supporting uBlock Origin even as Microsoft Edge and other Chromium browsers phase it out under Manifest V3.

Firefox recently announced via Bluesky post: “Our support for uBlock Origin isn’t going anywhere.” The moment comes in response to news that Microsoft Edge is soon going to lock out uBlock Origin and other ad-blocking extensions that run on Manifest V2 architecture.

Once Microsoft Edge moves to Manifest V3, ad-blocking extensions won’t have access to the functions needed to properly identify and block ads that occur while browsing websites and watching videos.

Microsoft’s move isn’t surprising, as Edge is based on Chromium, the open-source browser engine that powers most web browsers today, including Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, and Samsung Browser. Google initiated the migration from Manifest V2 to V3 in Chrome/Chromium, and Microsoft Edge is now following Google’s lead.