I am aware of a number of efforts to replace not just the web, but most of the services on the internet, with private intranets to serve specific subgroups. The goal is to increase security, privacy, and to regain the useful things that the internet is increasingly unable to support well.
I suspect that sort of thing will become increasing common.
I can't, because none of them have a public point of presence on the internet. That's rather part of the point of doing it -- to keep the internet at arm's length. They're all, effectively, invite-only since they serve groups of people who are already known to each other.
Some do this on a small scale, like operating a VPN and a series of services accessible over the VPN. Others on a larger scale, like running what amounts to a small ISP and communal servers.
If you're into the idea, it isn't be that hard to get things going on the technical side, if you use the internet itself as your "dumb pipe communications channel". You just need some friends who are interested in joining you.
I am doing something like this myself. SSH as the access method. Invite only. Quality not quantity. Member get member, so to speak. I can’t sit back and complain and then not do anything.
Not to these subgroups, no. They don't provide the benefits of security/privacy, are walled gardens, are considered by many to be problems, not solutions, and are services on the public internet. The whole point of these efforts is to avoid being on the public internet.
This is so true and sad. More about the enshitification of everything, but calling it "heat death" makes me think how the whole thing is steadily unraveling and so many things are not exactly getting better, but worse and yes... practically everything is selling us ads or spying on us now. I also laughed at the mattress part as I recently bought a mattress and started receiving an endless amount of ads despite not needing one for another decade.
> calling it "heat death" makes me think how the whole thing is steadily unraveling
"Heat death" seems especially appropriate when talking about google results being pages of nothing but scraped results of SEO rated pages of scraped results, ... Or youtube showing ads for ads for ads...
And how long before our AI results are built primarily on previous generations of AI results. Turtles all the way down to ... mindless nothing :(
They mention the ad blocker eventually asking for money or some other issue with it. Honestly though...you shouldn't have to do that just for the Internet to be usable.
Here’s what you can do:
- Delete all social media. All of it. Now. (Hacker news is ok)
- Install Adblockers
- Install librewolf of mullvad browsers
- Pay for proton mail, proton pass, proton vpn
- Cancel all streaming services and Spotify
- Delete all food ordering apps
- Stop drinking alcohol
- Own your own car and stop taking Ubers
- Don’t discuss politics
- Don’t read the news
- Only give time to family
- Figure out who your friends are, this will become very easy once you delete social media.
- Live within your means.
- Be charitable
- Enjoy the simple things
Given that you went straight to "own your car" instead of "Use public transport, bike around and use regular taxis when needed", I will assign you a 98.85% chance of living in an North American suburb or exurb.
I’m about as far away from America as they come. I’m all for public transport, and use it regularly, and I also bike.
I use PT to get to and from work (can’t bike), and bike everywhere else. For any further trips I use the car to transport my partner and my dog. You can’t take dogs on public transport in my country
That’s fair enough. I believe in being more independent from companies and doing your own thing. If you’re fortunate to be in a progressive city with good walkable areas, cycling areas, and public transport options then definitely lean into it
