#storage problem in gmail

[techalertr]

Google One, gmail full, storage problem in gmail Full video on: https://youtu.be/zfldIl9mPwk #techalert #technical #howto #instagram #reels #gmail #googleone #googledrive #viral #trending

[apocalypticdemon]

i love it when i get possessed by the urge to do something and i feel like i must do it right away Or Else

[ms-demeanor]

Maybe I should wait for the PDF, but I’ve been thinking about password managers lately and might forget to check for that. My problem is that if there’s one thing I want to never ever put on the cloud to potentially get compromised, it’s my password information. But if there’s one thing I don’t want to lose access to, it’s also my password information. This seems to rule out both local options like KeePassXC and remote ones like Bitwarden.

I've started to become somewhat annoyed by the "there is no cloud, there is only someone else's computer" thing (this is a general thing, not specifically directed at you but you reminded me of it).

The risks of putting things on the cloud are that the internet or the provider will go down and you'll lose access to your data OR that the data will be compromised because the information is essentially public because it's on someone else's device.

Losing access because the provider crashes and burns or because there is a global internet outage is a distinct possibility, however with most password managers it is very very easy to download a copy of your data, which you can then store as an encrypted file on your desktop.

With companies like Bitwarden and Proton, which have open source encrypted cloud storage, your risk of compromise from being on someone else's computer is essentially zero. It IS important to make sure that you're finding a provider who is actually encrypting your shit and is not holding onto your password, which is why Bitwarden and Proton are the providers I keep recommending (privacyguides.org has recommendations here; bitwarden, protonpass, and keepassxc are all on the list, all of these are extremely safe options).

And that's where I have the problem with the "other people's computer" thing. I would have zero problems with storing a properly encrypted file in the comments of a facebook page. If a document had good encryption I would post it on livejournal and not worry about people getting into it. If you are working with good encryption, there is zero risk of compromise when keeping your shit on someone else's computer.

So I actually think the solution for either side of this conundrum is the same: If you're worried about losing access to your password manager because a service shuts down or the internet blows up, download a copy of your data to your desktop and store it in an encrypted folder on your computer. If you're worried about losing access to your password manager if your physical hardware is damaged in a disaster, export a copy of your data, save it as an encrypted file, and upload your encrypted file to gmail for all it matters - they will straight up not be able to get into it.

But that's also all kind of beside the point because a major feather in Bitwarden's cap is that you can self-host. It doesn't need to go on someone else's cloud, you can put it on your own server and never worry that someone else is going to tinker with your password manager.

Either way, you are sort of worrying beyond your means because if you're not using a password manager right now you are almost certainly at greater risk of credential stuffing attacks than anything else and need to put out that fire.

Anyway if you're at Harvey Mudd have you tried Dr. Grubbs across from where Rhino used to be? Everything on the menu is great but there is this jalapeño garlic sauce they've got to go with their mains that is so good that I want like two gallons of it.

[gravedangerahead]

Google is trying to blackmail me into buying more storage space by holding my Gmail hostage so I'm deleting a bunch of photos

The problem is that all the nearly identical pictures of my pets are each adorable in a slightly different way

[transmutationisms]

Not to be a snooper but what has ur experience w Proton/Proton Mail been like? Looking to move to more privacy focused software services

i've used proton since it was in beta and my only complaint would be that the free accounts don't have much storage, so you either need to pay or be somehwat strict about deleting emails. i do the latter so i don't remember how much it costs. there are other features that are limited/unavailable on the free accounts but i guess im a pretty basic user of email because i don't remember the last time i had a problem with any of those. also proton's spam filters generally work a billion times better for me than gmail or outlook ever did

[gay-milton-quotes]

I'm Unpeeling Myself from Big Tech!

"Unpeeling" being any act you take that limits the amount of data a large tech corporation can gather from you, decreases your reliance on products of those corporations, or increases autonomy over your technology. I'm ripping the term from a line in this review by Joanna Nelius, where she writes, "People are looking for ways to peel their eyes from their smartphones like a layer of Elmer’s glue from their hand — to remove a part of themselves that really isn’t a part of themselves." It's different than "unplugging" because the goal isn't to go off the grid, or even to limit one's technology usage. The goal, instead, is to extract from the invasive, addictive, destructive capitalist vision a set of tools that are useful to YOU.

It started when I realized I don't need a smartphone. I've deleted most social media from my phone, and the stuff I still have I prefer to check on my laptop. Not all "dumb phones" (I hate this term) offer the same features, though, so I began to think on a granular level about what I need from a cell phone. Eg, not all "dumb phones" provide MMS, but my family lives 3k miles away. I wanna still talk in the groupchat.

On the more complex end, I write on my phone. I've been using Google Docs to move seamlessly from scribbled writing drafts on my phone to formatted, finished works on my computer since I was fourteen.

Except, Google Docs is useless now. I've been unable to use it since they lowered the storage capacity. The only other cloud storage writing thingy with similar functionality is Office 365, which sucks.

Could a dumb phone with a basic "notes" feature work? Maybe, but I'd have to re-type everything to get it into a formatted document. Ideally, I'd have like, a mini-laptop just for writing - something I could fit in my pocket or in a small bag, so I could bring it to work without looking like a dick - and then, in addition, a basic phone for calls/texts/GPS stuff. But does a device this specific to my use case even exist?

Yes. Yes it does.

This is a GPD Micro PC. GPD mainly sells handheld gaming machines, though this product is designed for mobile IT professionals. It's probably too chonky for a pocket, but mark my words, I will figure out how to make it work for me.

It's stupid, but this gave me a rush. I've been struggling along, tied to the bloated corpses of three gmail accounts, for years, because I needed Google Docs for my writing workflow. But now I don't. I have the power to actually tailor my tech for my life.

By this point, I was like, alright, I don't need Google Docs anymore, I don't need a smartphone, what else? Do I need Windows? No, probably not, right? I can use Linux Mint on this new guy, especially since he'll mostly be a basic writing machine. LibreOffice is less intrusive and bloated than MS Word - a better experience for free than I'd have from the paid program. If I go all the way and install Linux, I also won't have to deal with ads in my start menu, or pre-installed spyware screenshotting my activities.

In fact, if I back everything up on an external drive, I can delete my old Google Drives and switch my main computer to Linux, too! So, I finally bit the bullet and invested in an external hard drive.

This is the problem with "product ecosystems," by the way. When one part of that ecosystem - Google Docs - fails, the whole thing collapses. All the bloat and corruption you dealt with just stops being worth it, and it's easier to make a radical change to a new system. I witnessed something similar happen with comedy tech youtuber Dankpods earlier this year, except with Apple's ecosystem: he was a lifetime Apple guy - seemingly not in a worship way, but he liked their products, and was certainly in Apple's ecosystem. Then a couple things went sour for him, and now he runs Linux.

I'm doing this for personal and ideological reasons. I'm personally sick of Clippy - I mean, Copilot - peeping in to tell me how to write what I'm writing on Office 365. I abhor the idea of paying Google for a service they offered for free until recently, knowing they can flip the script at any point. And while we're talking ideology, I'm a communist, and even though this is far from a shift everyone can make, I believe that taking any available steps towards shutting Big Tech out of our lives is a net good. If all you can do is delete Instagram, or use a screentime tracker, or switch to Firefox, do it. I'm finally in a position to make this more drastic change, and I'm excited.

Get in the weeds about how you use technology. Do you need everything at your fingertips, all the time? If not, what, specifically, do you need? Is there a way that you, now or in the future, can trim out the parts you dislike? And what can you change now?

[heidi891]

My Digital Minimalism Journey

Doomscrolling. Smartphone addiction. Google this, Google that. Sounds familiar? I've begun a journey to untangle myslef from American megacorps and declutter my digital life.

I consider Google the worst big corporation, because while Microsoft and Apple sell products (hardware, software), Google's basically an advertising company. We are Google's products—that's why Google can give us so much for free and still make so much money. "But I have nothing to hide." Me too. I don't commit crimes, I don't watch pornography, I don't do anything classified. If everyone suddenly could see everything I do online, I'd just be slightly embarrased, that's all. But monopolies are illegal and dangerous for a reason. They erode freedom, shape our reality, leave us no alternative, influence our beliefs. I know I'm not immune to this, even though it's easy to believe otherwise.

Another factor I take into account is using local products to support my country's (Poland's) and Europe's economy and security.

Google Search

I noticed long time ago that Google Search became far from ideal, full of ads and focused on shopping. For example, when I looked for information about a medicine, I saw a long list of online pharmacies. I started using Bing, because it gave me information I was looking for—the medicine's description and side effects. (My husband is happy with Google, but his searches involve more shopping, like buying things for his hobbies and renovations.) Recently I've started using Qwant—a French search engine that uses their own index to some extent and Bing. Some people like German Ecosia that uses Google search results AFAIK.

Browser

The problem with browsers is that most of them are based on Chromium (not to be confused with Google Chrome). Chromium, Safari's Webkit and Mozilla's Gecko are like engines beneath the hoods that are browsers. Browsers may have different functions like adblocks, tab management or favourites, but those three are what allows browsers to read and display websites. While Chromium is open source, it's controlled and developed by Google.

I decided to use Mozilla Firefox with turned off telemetry and Qwant and uBlock Origin extensions. Mozilla, though American, is open source and non profit.

E-mail

Almost twenty years ago, as a teenager, I set up my mailbox on Onet—a Polish news portal. When I got married and changed my last name, I changed my mailbox too, to Gmail. Recently I've started using my old mailbox again when I discovered that I could create an alias for my current last name. In my Gmail I set up my mail to be forwarded to my current mailbox and deleted from Gmail. It isn't perfect, because the mail still reaches Google servers, but I changed most logins and I hardly get any mail there.

If you're from Poland, you can check out wp.pl and O2, they have mailboxes too. Otherwise, Swiss Proton and German Tuta are popular, especially amongst those who care much about privacy. Swiss Infomaniak offers a mailbox in Western Europe. There may be some good mailbox providers in your country, you can look it up.

Contacts

I deleted my contacts from Google and store them locally on the phone. I have backups saved on a pedrive and in a cloud.

Calendar

I've started using a paid Polish app called Domownik (dom means home, so the name means it's an app for home, for household matters). I keep my private calendar there and tasks, and recipes, and weekly menu, and a shopping list that I share with my husband, and some notes that I used to keep in Google Keep and Microsoft OneNote. It's Polish and family oriented, so it isn't a good choice for everyone. Some mailbox providers offer calendars too. You may also think about a paper calendar.

Google Drive, OneDrive

I still use them to some extent. We pay for a family plan on OneDrive. Unfortunately, when I checked European providers like Filen, Proton, Koofr, Cryptee, kDrive, Jottacloud, Hetzner... (if you just want a few GB of storage for free, check them out), it turned out OneDrive is cheaper. My husband loves photo remainders there too. I want to use Swiss pCloud where you can pay once for a lifetime. They also offer nice photo gallery and playlists made from your files. I hope I manage to change it this year.

Google Maps

I checked out a few navigation apps like HERE WeGo, Magic Earth and Organic Maps, but eventually decided to use mapy.com (former mapy.cz). You can download one country's map for free and they have great hiking trails map. I know it works best for Czech Republic and its neighbours (which I happen to be), so I'm not sure if it's as good in other countries.

There's an option to share location, but currently I'm the only one in my family who use it, so I haven't had a chance to try it out. Location sharing is the only reason why I'm still keeping Google Maps on my phone. Next time we're visiting my parents I'll try location sharing in WhatsApp and if it works, I could get rid of Google Maps.

For public transport I use Polish app jakdojade.pl.

Google Docs, Microsoft Office

I've used LibreOffice for years (and OpenOffice before that), so I don't need to change much on my PC. However, I used Google Docs and Sheets on my phone. I had a Google Sheets file for recording my weight. I decided I'm going to keep a digital version of that as ODS (LibreOffice file) on my PC (with a backup in a cloud) and I'll start noting my weight and pressure in a notebook, so if I ever have to show it to a doctor, I can just bring it with me. I used to write fanfiction in Google Docs, so I'm either coming back to writing on my PC in LibreOffice or I'll try French Cryptpad.

Google Translate

I've started using German DeepL instead.

Social Media

I have a blog and used to have fanpages on Facebook and Instagram. I don't offer any services or sell any products; it's a project born out of passion. Running a fanpage was so time consuming and hardly anyone was interested in my work, so I decided to stop doing it. I still have my blog; I started running a small blog on wordpress.com with updates and interesting links, so that anyone who's interested can subscribe to it via newsletter or RSS app. I write an update only once in a while when I change something on my main website or if I find something interesting. I deleted Instagram and Facebook (I changed there some settings though, to get some most important notifications to my mailbox), and Tumblr too (too much mindless scrolling).

I downloaded an RSS app instead (I chose Bulgarian Inoreader, but there're others). I follow news sites and blogs I like. It's a feed, but it's my feed, in a chronological order, without ads, sponsored content, algorithms and stupid or hateful comments. Just news and blog posts in a chronological order. I noticed I started to actually read articles! On social media apps it was so easy to read a title and go to the comment section immediately.

Podcasts and Music

I follow my favourite YouTube channels in the RSS app and I got rid of YouTube. I listen to my favourite podcasts in Swedish Spotify. We used to have a family plan in Spotify, but we use American Tidal for music now, because it's a little cheaper, there aren't so many YouTube-like podcasts that my son watched (and I don't want him to), and Tidal pays artists three times more than Spotify. Personally, I'd love to come back to having my mp3 files and playing my own music (I only listen to my own playlists anyway), but my family isn't on board. I'll try to buy my favourite songs to support artists a little and find a way to convert my CDs to digital files (I did it years ago, but I got rid of them...).

Films and TV shows

We had Netflix, Disney+, HBO and Prime at one point. Currently we only keep Netflix (where we have lots to watch) and Prime (my husband says it's cheap enough to keep; I'd just get rid of it if it were up to me). We may pay for i.e. HBO for a month when there's something we want to watch.

I love watching TV shows, so I don't want to give up streaming altogether.

Phone

I use an old iPhone. Android is controlled by Google and iPhone is the only Apple thing I use. Degoogled Android like Graphene OS or Dumbphones are too much for me (just like self-hosted cloud).

What Is Difficult To Get Rid Of

I keep Google Family Link and Microsoft Family Safety to have parental control over my children's computers and phones. My children keep using Microsoft Edge browser too because of that. It's less about time limits and mostly about blocking some websites (I want them only to use websites and download apps that I allow them to). I haven't find a better way yet.

[sagethegaywitch]

when will the next dimensions come out

Hi, thanks for asking. I'm actually having some storage problems with my Gmail account, so it's not letting me write anything on the Google Docs where I write my drafts. I'll hopefully have this problem fixed by the beginning of next week, so the new Dimensions should come out by the end of next week or early next next week. I'm so glad you're enjoying them though.

[fromdevcom]

Google Drive is popular online storage software introduced by none other than Google itself to help you sync and store your files online for safe keeping. It is essential at times when your laptop, computer or phone decides to leave your side and takes all your work down with it. But, there is so much more to Google Drive that people miss out on. So, take a look at the following most helpful tips and tricks to help you get the best of what Drive has to offer: Use It For Collaboration Google Drive is like a collaborative tool. If you are working with a large group of people, you can upload a document and up to 50 people can simultaneously edit it without any hassle. The maximum amount of people that a document can be shared with is equal to 200, although only the first 50 will be able to edit it. Save To Google Drive Save to Google Drive is actually an extension for your Chrome browser. Once you have installed this feature, you will see a new option when you use the right click. With this add-on, you can add images or links straight to your drive which can be downloaded or viewed later as per your need. Drive And My Documents In case you want to turn the My Documents folder of your computer into your Google Drive folder, you will find that all your files are saved to your Drive by default. You can do this by changing the settings available in the properties tab. In case you are dissatisfied, you can switch to the original settings whenever you want. Edit Documents With Drive Notepad Drive Notepad is useful for editing documents online, and you do not need any other software or app to download stuff on to your PC for editing when you have this handy app. Drive notepad also has support for multiple popular programming languages and not just commonly spoken English. Transfer Your Files To Mobile This is the best trick if you rely on Drive for media files. The first step is downloading the Google Drive app on your smart phone. Then, all you have to do is a find a music file and you can download it on to your cell phone using Drive to listen to it later on. This is one of the reasons why Google drive is must have app for college students. Access The Deleted Files You accidentally deleted a file and you feel like your world is falling apart; not a problem anymore. Google Drive has this feature that it stores previous versions of a file for the past 30 days. So in case you lose a file, you can easily check file history and catch up from where you left off. You can also turn the auto delete after 30 days feature off. Avail The Offline Accessibility There may be a point in life where you don't have internet connection and you need to access your files one way or the other. This again will require you to have Chrome installed and with just a few adjustments, you can change the settings of Drive so that it allows you to view your files even without the internet. Online Editing Of Images Attaching Pixlr Editor for your Chrome browser gives you the advantage to edit your photos online instead of from your computer. This software has similar tools as Photoshop software but it is not as complicated and difficult as you think, and it can be used for simple editing; nothing too fancy but useful for everyday users. Attaching Drive Files To Gmail Google Drive is basically an extension for your Gmail. Once you have uploaded something to your Drive, you can send it using a Gmail account without the need to upload it all over again from scratch. In case of Google Drive, the file size doesnot matter when compared to Gmail as a link is sent to the recipients. Sharing Photos Becomes Easy Since almost all Google apps are linked, Google+ is also connected to your Drive. All the photos and images pre-existing in your Drive can be effortlessly added to your Google+ account which is in some ways similar to Facebook so that you can share all those cherished memories with your loved ones. Listening To Music You already have permission to download music files

from your Google Drive as mentioned above, but installing Drive Music lets you listen to the song first so that you know what you’re in for before you download it to your phone. Drive Music has similar features as a commonly used media player. Installing Google Drive Apps Google Drive has a vast library of apps along with all the apps and add-ons mentioned above. There is a definite chance that you will find something that spikes your interest and you will be eager to try it out if you browse through it well. There are extensions for Firefox as well if you do not use Chrome. Option For Editing Videos No need to download videos, install software and then edit your videos. It is too time consuming, so another Drive Extension that goes by the name of Pixorial Videos can help you out here. Now you can edit, trim, combine, add titles etc. to the different types of videos right from your Drive. Huge Storage Space Google Drive provides every user 15 GB of storage space free of cost. While this is a lot for many, it is still not enough for a lot of people. Fortunately, Google thinks about everyone and offers additional packages at a reasonable price for the people who want to use more than 15 GB for their work and assignments. Docurated With the increasing number of files uploaded to drive, it takes more time for someone to search for what they actually require. Docurated provides a faster way to search for the information you are looking for without you having to open the file at all. It provides immediate access to anything and everything that you need. Conduct A Survey Its super easy to conduct a survey using Google drive. Create a google form with required information from your audience and send them the web form link. All responses will be conveniently recorded in a google spreadsheet. Auto Reply With Google Forms You can use google scripts to send automated reply on a google form submission. If you are using google forms this is a easiest way to acknowledge to the submitter that you have received the information. Do Awesome Stuff With Google Spreadsheet Google spreadsheet has almost all features supported by Microsoft excel. The best part is, it also supports the formulas. Use the spreadsheet formulas to do thing quickly. Use IFTTT Recipes To Automate Google Drive IFTTT is a powerful free tool to automate a lot of stuff. You have many recipes available at IFTTT to capture data in Google drive from various sources. Instagram To Google Drive Automatically send your Instagram pics to google drive. Dropbox To Google Drive Automatically add your dropbox file to google drive. Gmail To Google Drive Automatically save your receipts in Gmail to google drive. Explore More Google Drive Recipes on IFTTT Google Drive also provides mobile access to its users; the free app is available for both Android and Apple. Everything that you need can be viewed on multiple platforms; one of the reasons why Google deserves the respect it is given by its loyal users. Stevens Stone is an academician at AssignmentGeek.co.uk who provides assignment writing help to students around the globe. Moreover, he shares tech-savvy tips such as with students to help them store, secure and access their important documents easily.

[coffeeallaloneandlord]

why does Gmail keep telling me my storage is almost full and threatening to stop letting me receive emails... I really don't fucking care lol sounds like a you problem

[onlinecompanynews]

Gemini Live, Google’s futuristic AI feature, is now free to use - Information Global Online https://www.merchant-business.com/gemini-live-googles-futuristic-ai-feature-is-now-free-to-use/?feed_id=198474&_unique_id=66e44ed36c8cc ... BLOGGER - #GLOBAL Gemini Live, one of Google Gemini’s more exciting features, will soon be available to Android users for free. The Google Gemini team announced the important news on X. The tool was previously only available through a Gemini Advanced subscription.Gemini Live provides access to a Gemini AI chatbot, allowing you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with the AI using your voice instead of typing. Think of Gemini Live as your new digital best friend on your mobile device. It is capable of answering questions, assisting with homework, helping you plan trips abroad, and much more.Gemini Live was previously only accessible with a Gemini Advanced subscription, which costs$20 monthly after a one-month free trial. This subscription grants access to Google’s latest AI model, Gemini 1.5 Pro, offering significantly more advanced intelligence than Gemini’s free version. This includes access to larger volumes of information, improved reasoning abilities, and higher-quality text, images, and other creative content for user prompts.In addition, a Gemini Advanced subscription provides Gemini support for Google products like Gmail and Docs, offers Python code for developers, and grants priority access to new features.Furthermore, Gemini Advanced unlocks 2TB of advanced storage through Google One. This storage works with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, and it is utilized for device backup, similar to other Google One plans.According to the announcement, the Gemini Live freebie is only available in English and only for Android users using the Gemini app. Apple users, who can only access Gemini Live through the iOS Google app, are not getting the freebie, at least for now.This is massive news for anyone who wants to try Gemini Live, but doesn’t want to pay the admission price. Hopefully, the free option will eventually roll out in a new language and, of course, to all mobile users, not just those using Android. Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile. The Pixel 9’s top camera feature makes me very uncomfortableI don’t think I will ever use Google’s Add Me photo mode in real life. I can say this with a degree of certainty as I have yet to find a situation where I’ve needed or wanted to use Google’s Best Take, the last AI camera feature Google introduced designed for group shots of people.The reasons are both practical and personal. The fact that I’m thinking so deeply about these AI features and my own life makes me uncomfortable — and shows there’s a serious problem with how Google is advertising the Google Pixel 9’s cameras.It’s not the technologyRead more Google’s giving you a very good reason not to buy a Pixel 9If you’re trying hard to decide between buying the Google Pixel 9 or any of the Pixel 9 Pro models, there’s one detail that may push you into making a final decision. You may have heard during the launch event or seen afterwards that Google will give you a free year’s access to its Gemini Advanced AI services, valued at $20 per month, when you buy a new Pixel, but it’s important to know this good value benefit only comes with the Pro models and not if you buy the standard Pixel 9.Google talked a lot about Gemini Advanced and Gemini Live — where you can have conversational chats with Gemini — during the Made by Google launch event, and it may have piqued your interest, particularly when you heard the service was a free gift with some purchases. However, it was easy to miss the fine details about which phones it comes with, especially when you may assume it comes with all the phones as they have the same processor and general ability.Read more These 4 features might make me ditch my Apple Watch for the Google Pixel Watch 3As

a regular Apple Watch wearer, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the Google Pixel Watch 2 last year. The hardware was nice, Fitbit’s health tracking suite was solid, and even the battery life was good. However, it was never enough to keep me away from the Apple Watch — my personal smartwatch of choice — for more than a few weeks.With the new Google Pixel Watch 3, however, there’s a new temptation that I didn’t feel before with its predecessor. I won’t know for sure if it’ll fully replace my Apple Watch until I spend more time with it, but based on what I’ve seen so far, there are a few new features that may ultimately push me over the edge.More thorough running dataRead more http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pexels-photo-771881.jpeg #GLOBAL - BLOGGER Gemini Live, one of Google Gemini’s more exciting features, will soon be available to Android users for free. The Google Gemini team announced the important news on X. The tool was previously only available through a Gemini Advanced subscription. Gemini Live provides access to a Gemini AI chatbot, allowing you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with … Read More

[internetcompanynews]

Gemini Live, Google’s futuristic AI feature, is now free to use - Information Global Online - BLOGGER https://www.merchant-business.com/gemini-live-googles-futuristic-ai-feature-is-now-free-to-use/?feed_id=198473&_unique_id=66e44ed25c9e1 Gemini Live, one of Google Gemini’s more exciting features, will soon be available to Android users for free. The Google Gemini team announced the important news on X. The tool was previously only available through a Gemini Advanced subscription.Gemini Live provides access to a Gemini AI chatbot, allowing you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with the AI using your voice instead of typing. Think of Gemini Live as your new digital best friend on your mobile device. It is capable of answering questions, assisting with homework, helping you plan trips abroad, and much more.Gemini Live was previously only accessible with a Gemini Advanced subscription, which costs$20 monthly after a one-month free trial. This subscription grants access to Google’s latest AI model, Gemini 1.5 Pro, offering significantly more advanced intelligence than Gemini’s free version. This includes access to larger volumes of information, improved reasoning abilities, and higher-quality text, images, and other creative content for user prompts.In addition, a Gemini Advanced subscription provides Gemini support for Google products like Gmail and Docs, offers Python code for developers, and grants priority access to new features.Furthermore, Gemini Advanced unlocks 2TB of advanced storage through Google One. This storage works with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, and it is utilized for device backup, similar to other Google One plans.According to the announcement, the Gemini Live freebie is only available in English and only for Android users using the Gemini app. Apple users, who can only access Gemini Live through the iOS Google app, are not getting the freebie, at least for now.This is massive news for anyone who wants to try Gemini Live, but doesn’t want to pay the admission price. Hopefully, the free option will eventually roll out in a new language and, of course, to all mobile users, not just those using Android. Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile. The Pixel 9’s top camera feature makes me very uncomfortableI don’t think I will ever use Google’s Add Me photo mode in real life. I can say this with a degree of certainty as I have yet to find a situation where I’ve needed or wanted to use Google’s Best Take, the last AI camera feature Google introduced designed for group shots of people.The reasons are both practical and personal. The fact that I’m thinking so deeply about these AI features and my own life makes me uncomfortable — and shows there’s a serious problem with how Google is advertising the Google Pixel 9’s cameras.It’s not the technologyRead more Google’s giving you a very good reason not to buy a Pixel 9If you’re trying hard to decide between buying the Google Pixel 9 or any of the Pixel 9 Pro models, there’s one detail that may push you into making a final decision. You may have heard during the launch event or seen afterwards that Google will give you a free year’s access to its Gemini Advanced AI services, valued at $20 per month, when you buy a new Pixel, but it’s important to know this good value benefit only comes with the Pro models and not if you buy the standard Pixel 9.Google talked a lot about Gemini Advanced and Gemini Live — where you can have conversational chats with Gemini — during the Made by Google launch event, and it may have piqued your interest, particularly when you heard the service was a free gift with some purchases. However, it was easy to miss the fine details about which phones it comes with, especially when you may assume it comes with all the phones as they have the same processor and general ability.Read more These 4 features might make me ditch my Apple Watch for the Google Pixel Watch 3As a regular Apple

Watch wearer, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the Google Pixel Watch 2 last year. The hardware was nice, Fitbit’s health tracking suite was solid, and even the battery life was good. However, it was never enough to keep me away from the Apple Watch — my personal smartwatch of choice — for more than a few weeks.With the new Google Pixel Watch 3, however, there’s a new temptation that I didn’t feel before with its predecessor. I won’t know for sure if it’ll fully replace my Apple Watch until I spend more time with it, but based on what I’ve seen so far, there are a few new features that may ultimately push me over the edge.More thorough running dataRead more http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pexels-photo-771881.jpeg Gemini Live, Google’s futuristic AI feature, is now free to use - Information Global Online - #GLOBAL BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[formidablecompanynews]

Gemini Live, Google’s futuristic AI feature, is now free to use - Information Global Online https://www.merchant-business.com/gemini-live-googles-futuristic-ai-feature-is-now-free-to-use/?feed_id=198472&_unique_id=66e44ed15c3a0 #GLOBAL - BLOGGER BLOGGER Gemini Live, one of Google Gemini’s more exciting features, will soon be available to Android users for free. The Google Gemini team announced the important news on X. The tool was previously only available through a Gemini Advanced subscription.Gemini Live provides access to a Gemini AI chatbot, allowing you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with the AI using your voice instead of typing. Think of Gemini Live as your new digital best friend on your mobile device. It is capable of answering questions, assisting with homework, helping you plan trips abroad, and much more.Gemini Live was previously only accessible with a Gemini Advanced subscription, which costs$20 monthly after a one-month free trial. This subscription grants access to Google’s latest AI model, Gemini 1.5 Pro, offering significantly more advanced intelligence than Gemini’s free version. This includes access to larger volumes of information, improved reasoning abilities, and higher-quality text, images, and other creative content for user prompts.In addition, a Gemini Advanced subscription provides Gemini support for Google products like Gmail and Docs, offers Python code for developers, and grants priority access to new features.Furthermore, Gemini Advanced unlocks 2TB of advanced storage through Google One. This storage works with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, and it is utilized for device backup, similar to other Google One plans.According to the announcement, the Gemini Live freebie is only available in English and only for Android users using the Gemini app. Apple users, who can only access Gemini Live through the iOS Google app, are not getting the freebie, at least for now.This is massive news for anyone who wants to try Gemini Live, but doesn’t want to pay the admission price. Hopefully, the free option will eventually roll out in a new language and, of course, to all mobile users, not just those using Android. Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile. The Pixel 9’s top camera feature makes me very uncomfortableI don’t think I will ever use Google’s Add Me photo mode in real life. I can say this with a degree of certainty as I have yet to find a situation where I’ve needed or wanted to use Google’s Best Take, the last AI camera feature Google introduced designed for group shots of people.The reasons are both practical and personal. The fact that I’m thinking so deeply about these AI features and my own life makes me uncomfortable — and shows there’s a serious problem with how Google is advertising the Google Pixel 9’s cameras.It’s not the technologyRead more Google’s giving you a very good reason not to buy a Pixel 9If you’re trying hard to decide between buying the Google Pixel 9 or any of the Pixel 9 Pro models, there’s one detail that may push you into making a final decision. You may have heard during the launch event or seen afterwards that Google will give you a free year’s access to its Gemini Advanced AI services, valued at $20 per month, when you buy a new Pixel, but it’s important to know this good value benefit only comes with the Pro models and not if you buy the standard Pixel 9.Google talked a lot about Gemini Advanced and Gemini Live — where you can have conversational chats with Gemini — during the Made by Google launch event, and it may have piqued your interest, particularly when you heard the service was a free gift with some purchases. However, it was easy to miss the fine details about which phones it comes with, especially when you may assume it comes with all the phones as they have the same processor and general ability.Read more These 4 features might make me ditch my Apple Watch for the Google Pixel Watch

3As a regular Apple Watch wearer, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the Google Pixel Watch 2 last year. The hardware was nice, Fitbit’s health tracking suite was solid, and even the battery life was good. However, it was never enough to keep me away from the Apple Watch — my personal smartwatch of choice — for more than a few weeks.With the new Google Pixel Watch 3, however, there’s a new temptation that I didn’t feel before with its predecessor. I won’t know for sure if it’ll fully replace my Apple Watch until I spend more time with it, but based on what I’ve seen so far, there are a few new features that may ultimately push me over the edge.More thorough running dataRead more http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pexels-photo-771881.jpeg Gemini Live, one of Google Gemini’s more exciting features, will soon be available to Android users for free. The Google Gemini team announced the important news on X. The tool was previously only available through a Gemini Advanced subscription. Gemini Live provides access to a Gemini AI chatbot, allowing you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with … Read More

[smartcompanynewsweb]

Gemini Live, Google’s futuristic AI feature, is now free to use - Information Global Online - #GLOBAL https://www.merchant-business.com/gemini-live-googles-futuristic-ai-feature-is-now-free-to-use/?feed_id=198471&_unique_id=66e44ed024502 Gemini Live, one of Google Gemini’s more exciting features, will soon be available to Android users for free. The Google Gemini team announced the important news on X. The tool was previously only available through a Gemini Advanced subscription.Gemini Live provides access to a Gemini AI chatbot, allowing you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with the AI using your voice instead of typing. Think of Gemini Live as your new digital best friend on your mobile device. It is capable of answering questions, assisting with homework, helping you plan trips abroad, and much more.Gemini Live was previously only accessible with a Gemini Advanced subscription, which costs$20 monthly after a one-month free trial. This subscription grants access to Google’s latest AI model, Gemini 1.5 Pro, offering significantly more advanced intelligence than Gemini’s free version. This includes access to larger volumes of information, improved reasoning abilities, and higher-quality text, images, and other creative content for user prompts.In addition, a Gemini Advanced subscription provides Gemini support for Google products like Gmail and Docs, offers Python code for developers, and grants priority access to new features.Furthermore, Gemini Advanced unlocks 2TB of advanced storage through Google One. This storage works with Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, and it is utilized for device backup, similar to other Google One plans.According to the announcement, the Gemini Live freebie is only available in English and only for Android users using the Gemini app. Apple users, who can only access Gemini Live through the iOS Google app, are not getting the freebie, at least for now.This is massive news for anyone who wants to try Gemini Live, but doesn’t want to pay the admission price. Hopefully, the free option will eventually roll out in a new language and, of course, to all mobile users, not just those using Android. Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile. The Pixel 9’s top camera feature makes me very uncomfortableI don’t think I will ever use Google’s Add Me photo mode in real life. I can say this with a degree of certainty as I have yet to find a situation where I’ve needed or wanted to use Google’s Best Take, the last AI camera feature Google introduced designed for group shots of people.The reasons are both practical and personal. The fact that I’m thinking so deeply about these AI features and my own life makes me uncomfortable — and shows there’s a serious problem with how Google is advertising the Google Pixel 9’s cameras.It’s not the technologyRead more Google’s giving you a very good reason not to buy a Pixel 9If you’re trying hard to decide between buying the Google Pixel 9 or any of the Pixel 9 Pro models, there’s one detail that may push you into making a final decision. You may have heard during the launch event or seen afterwards that Google will give you a free year’s access to its Gemini Advanced AI services, valued at $20 per month, when you buy a new Pixel, but it’s important to know this good value benefit only comes with the Pro models and not if you buy the standard Pixel 9.Google talked a lot about Gemini Advanced and Gemini Live — where you can have conversational chats with Gemini — during the Made by Google launch event, and it may have piqued your interest, particularly when you heard the service was a free gift with some purchases. However, it was easy to miss the fine details about which phones it comes with, especially when you may assume it comes with all the phones as they have the same processor and general ability.Read more These 4 features might make me ditch my Apple Watch for the Google Pixel Watch 3As a regular

Apple Watch wearer, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the Google Pixel Watch 2 last year. The hardware was nice, Fitbit’s health tracking suite was solid, and even the battery life was good. However, it was never enough to keep me away from the Apple Watch — my personal smartwatch of choice — for more than a few weeks.With the new Google Pixel Watch 3, however, there’s a new temptation that I didn’t feel before with its predecessor. I won’t know for sure if it’ll fully replace my Apple Watch until I spend more time with it, but based on what I’ve seen so far, there are a few new features that may ultimately push me over the edge.More thorough running dataRead more http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pexels-photo-771881.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[erps-kwerpse]

It was the closest thing to a break-up text I’d ever received:

November 6, 2023

Subject: Action Required – Important Changes to your Alumni Google Account

We are reaching out because you currently have some active Gmail or Drive content in our Google Workspace for Alumni, and we need your help to avoid losing your data. Unfortunately, Google has recently introduced significant new costs for licensing storage, and this has forced the university to place limits on Google Workspace storage for the entire community. Your current storage usage is over our newly established limit, and you will need to reduce your data storage to the new 15 GB quota before March 4, 2024.

Fifteen gigabytes. For an account that held the contents of three laptops, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and eighteen generations of Sims 3 gameplay. Anything valuable I had ever made was uploaded to this Drive. Anytime I broke my phone or started a new cover letter, I’d find a smug comfort in the depths of my unlimited storage. And now, this email had come to inform me that not only was my Drive done with me, it was taking all of my data too. In fact, the message implied that my Drive was never really “mine” to begin with. Of course, it had my name on it, and I got to choose who could access certain files. And yes, I had created its contents, but once I put it onto Google’s servers, there was nothing to indicate that I had permanent ownership of the data my Drive contained. This became apparent as the message went on:

If your storage is not under the quota by March 4, your account will be locked, you will be unable to access your data, and you will need to contact the Office of Information Technology to reopen it. Any accounts with more than 15 GB of mail, files, photos, and other data will be purged of all content shortly after the deadline.

So that was it. Either I needed another place to stash my files, or they’d be gone forever. Between November 2023 and February 2024, I received six identical emails to illustrate the fact that my former university was not fucking around. I could keep hoarding data as long as I liked, but I couldn’t do it on their dime.

I don’t tend to be sentimental with my things. I regularly donate the clothes I no longer wear, and I absolutely despise clutter. So it didn’t make sense that I found myself so reluctant to let go of my digital possessions. In conversation with friends, I realized that this was a common problem. My best friend’s home screen is a dizzying mass of screenshots, essays, and audio recordings for future reference. My mother’s internet browser regularly crashes because of the fifty-three tabs she keeps open at all times. My partner never deletes a photo without putting it on one of his three-terabyte hard drives first. The ubiquity of all this data-hoarding made me wonder if there isn’t some explanation for this behavior beyond sentiment. What fuels the desire to keep computer files we will probably never look at again? What do we stand to gain by holding on to every last shred of our personal data?

Perhaps, in an economy where the sale of information has made certain people very rich, you could argue that we collect these scraps hoping to one day turn passion projects into passive income. Of course, for most this is not the priority. Storing old files is nothing more than an innocent way to relive a pleasant memory. For others, though, the value of stored data isn’t based in fond recollections. The Drive is a business expense for them. Business owners pay to store information, materials, or IP that they’ll eventually sell for money, and money allows them to buy whatever they need to continue running the business.

Twenty years ago, in her book A Hacker Manifesto, McKenzie Wark recognized this capacity to sell stored data as emblematic of a greater shift in our political economy. In order to sell information, one first has to own it. Only a select few—whom she calls the vectoralist class—hold the property rights that enable them to store and transfer swathes of information to the highest bidder. It might not be unreasonable, then, to suggest that the prevalence of digital hoarding emerged out of the very same conditions that formed Wark’s hacker class—the class that initially produced the information that vectoralists have now come to own. A widespread ability to produce information, coupled with the scarce capacity to sell this information, led a generation of people to accumulate data to no apparent end.

Perhaps it’s time we extend our interpretation of the hacker class to include not only those who produce information, but also those who hoard it, before shaping it anew. The primary group that comes to mind are ��content creators”—individuals who produce and circulate information, often in exchange for a wage. In recent years, the expansion of hybrid and remote work environments has come to mean that influencers, copywriters, podcasters, and even, regrettably, certain artists can all be lumped into this umbrella term. Because they don’t enjoy the full profits extracted from their data by the ruling class, these creators might attempt to withhold their content from circulation, proposing instead a “democratized” marketplace, where hackers, hoarders, and content creators alike can profit off of their own contributions.

But a Marxist review of class relations tells us that this small-scale system of exchange, built within the larger infrastructure of abstracted labor, can only ever lead to continued exploitation. So long as information exists in the property form, these creators will cling onto their content and fail to allocate their resources efficiently.1

Successful hoarders, though, tend to share one commonality: the information they distribute is collated, with rigor, and often tied to an organized movement for radical action. This methodology separates the “collection” from the endless stream of “content” we see today. It removes all distractions from the hacker class’s chief aim: the production of new knowledge and culture, made freely available, as part of a larger move towards collective transformation.

In the summer of 2021, Black TikTok creators went on strike, and refused to produce any new content for the social media platform until they received recognition for their contributions.2 This came after a series of non-Black creators and influencers gained popularity by recreating viral dances and challenges without giving any credit to the original creators of this content.3 Although “credit” in this sense doesn’t automatically translate into a paycheck, the strikers were well aware that a certain level of engagement on the app could open up access to paid brand partnerships, tips, and most notably, TikTok’s Creator Fund.

After a user surpasses a certain level of engagement, the fund allows them to receive financial compensation based on factors like the quantity and “authenticity” of their viewership.4 The BBC reported that TikTok creator Addison Rae “made nearly $5m (£3.6m) from TikTok in 2020 alone, getting views from videos she made recreating dances from black choreographers.”5 Meanwhile, Jalaiah Harmon, inventor of the “Renegade” dance that Rae performed, estimates that she earned $38,000 on the app that same year. Frustrated at this disparity of earned income, Black TikTok creators chose to withhold their content from the app.

The success of this strike hinged on one thing in particular: the capacity of TikTok users to monetize their content. Notably, the strikers were less concerned with TikTok’s ability to generate a consistent profit, regardless of which users they paid. The focus of this strike was clear: appropriate compensation for a group of undervalued workers. By withholding their content from circulation, the strikers had hoped to reap the financial benefits of their labor, rather than see it handed to their non-Black counterparts. But the payments that TikTok eventually makes to its most popular creators are never equivalent to the actual value of TikTok’s content, so the strike could never achieve fair compensation across the board. One creator’s video, left unseen in their drafts folder, can literally generate millions of dollars as soon as it goes viral—and TikTok repays a fraction of that cost to the original creators. So it might be worth asking what it is that makes this uploaded content worth so much money. The “Renegade” dance itself didn’t change as it went from Jalaiah’s camera roll to TikTok’s servers. How can one corporate platform’s storage generate so much more value than the storage of an individual user?

Hoard Formation

To fully appreciate the difference between corporate and individual hoards, we first need to detach our understanding of hoarding from its empirical associations. In recent years, there have been studies that designate digital hoarding as a subtype of psychological hoarding disorder. Much like physical hoarders, the subjects of these studies found it emotionally distressing to discard stored data, citing a fear of wasted potential for future use.6 While these symptoms may appear to be related to our discussion, here I am more concerned with the role that digital hoarding plays within our political economy.

My focus begins at the overgrown camera roll, and extends to the most valuable data hoards in today’s economy: collections of user-generated information. This is information about an event between a human and a computer, which is then formalized into “data,” organized into categories, fed into predictive algorithms, and sold to the highest bidder.7 For brevity’s sake, I’ve greatly oversimplified this process, but the important thing to note for now is that our current system of exchange does indeed allow corporate hoarders to sell their data for money. The promise of profiting from a data hoard is not unfounded. Many have done it successfully, following these very steps. But a gap in our understanding appears after this sale is complete. From the outside looking in, we might assume that the money received in exchange for hoarded information goes into an ever-increasing pile of profit, and that is how the rich stay rich. The truth, though, is much less evident.

Cloud Data Center. The data protection company Arcserve predicted that the world will have 200 Zettabytes.

Marx described the desire to hoard as “boundless in nature.”8 Any commodity can be exchanged for money, which in turn means that money can be exchanged for anything else of value. So the more of one material good you hold on to, the more of its equivalent value in money you can receive—and this drives the ruling class’s obsession with accumulation. But what good, really, is a pile of money to a capitalist, if it lies dormant and out of circulation?

On its own, the money received from a sale will not feed the capitalist or keep their body warm in the winter. It must be exchanged for material goods that will fulfill these needs. The capitalist needs money, built up in reserves, to pay for all sorts of expenses. Most notably, they need money to cover the cost of their employees’ labor at the end of each period—because no smart entrepreneur pays someone before they’ve made anything to upsell. It’s much safer just to pay for the materials that workers need beforehand, and only pay them once they’ve made a finished product. This ensures the continuity of production. The employee is paid for making a new product, and the new product is then sold for much more than the employee makes.9 Profit is generated, but only after some of it is used to pay the workers’ wages, which allows the cycle to continue. This is Marx’s main contribution to our understanding of hoarding today. Stored money doesn’t just function as a means of exchange; it is also a method of paying for labor power in retrospect.

In the context of TikTok’s owners, if it is data they hoard, and not money (though, of course, they keep that too), it’s useful for us to know how that data is made. As hoards can only exist after a product has been made, surely that must mean that someone, somewhere, is working tirelessly to create all of this data. In part, the Black TikTok strikers were right: the app would be worth “nothing,” and have no value, without the labor of its users.10 But the value in question isn’t actually in the content that circulates on TikTok. This is no ordinary labor, and these are no ordinary workers. These are, in Wark’s eyes, hackers—individuals who produce new information out of their given materials. And information about the behavior of “users,” in particular, is the commodity du jour. But, as we learn from A Hacker Manifesto, the primary thing that sets our current system apart from traditional capitalism is where that information commodity actually comes from. At what point does the exact amount of time I spend on TikTok, or searching for hard drives on Amazon, translate into a “useful” commodity? Whose labor power is consumed in order for these tech giants to even have such a hoard of information to sell? Well, reader, if you haven’t already guessed, the chances are, it’s yours.

Clocking In

Let’s examine, for a moment, the commodity in a different context—not as labor power or data, but as entertainment, consumed by internet users. All commodities come at a cost. The websites and apps that present themselves as complimentary do, in fact, require payment, in the form of user-generated data.11 We consume all their product has to offer, and pay for every click, every second spent on these apps, with our engagement, after the fact.

Here, there are really two commodities at play. There is entertainment, and there is data. But it is not a like-for-like exchange. You can’t directly turn a fifteen-second video into sellable data, unless you employ an active workforce to carry out that change for you. In the 1960s, advertisers began to see the “leisure time” created by the forty-hour work week as an opportunity to exploit the working class even further. “The work which audience members perform for the advertiser is to learn to buy particular ‘brands’ of consumer goods, and to spend their income accordingly.”12 So now, the consumer works for two separate employers, on and off the clock. The workforce that carries out this process of material transformation, from entertainment to data, creates the perceived need for both products.13 At their day jobs, workers create products for their employers to sell. And in their spare time, they create data about other products, through their likes, browsing history, reposts, and internet searches.

As we peruse the internet, any expressed desire for a specific good—be it entertainment, coffee, or external hard drives—is “parsed into a form the machine can understand,” and as such it becomes “data,” a commodity in and of itself.14 Our consumption of information on the internet thereby becomes free labor. We work to create information that we will never own. And this is what makes a viral video profitable; the engagement data produced by every single user belongs to TikTok alone, and it’s theirs alone to sell, without paying a single penny to users for their role in creating this data. If the Black TikTok strikers wanted to truly enjoy the profits of their labor, they didn’t need to hoard their content. They needed to own the data their content generated.

Were it simply a matter of having access to a collection of data, the wealth gap within the information industry—between those who produce it and those who own it—would cease to exist. When Wark proclaimed twenty years ago that “information wants to be free but is everywhere in chains,” she underscored the fact that we already have the infrastructure to make every single piece of information freely available.15

Access is only half the problem. Social media giants profit from their data collection because of: a) the sheer amount of it they have to offer, and b) their ability to sell data exclusively to their advertising audience.16

This exclusivity creates a clear power divide that some users have tried to address by creating their own content platforms. These are sites that promise fairer compensation for the creatives producing their content, but stop short of opening up the profits to the people who produce their data. Tidal, for instance, is a music streaming service that originally made its mark by delivering a paid-only service that promised to return more money to artists than its competitors, even if it meant “less profit for [Tidal’s] bottom line.”17 In the absence of advertisers, Tidal promised its paid users an exclusive collection of content. The platform’s one-time owner Jay-Z went so far as to remove all of his music from Tidal’s competing platforms, underlining the exclusivity of Tidal’s content.18

But Jay-Z was only able to pull such a stunt because he owned the rights to all of his songs.19 Most musicians today aren’t so lucky, because a host of IP and labor laws prevent them from claiming ownership of the commodities they produce. The same could be said for TikTok’s creators, and for all data producers. Even the few users who do manage to “own” their data rarely have the means of reproducing it to even a fraction of the scale that Meta or TikTok can provide. As individuals, hoarding information for our own profit becomes an entirely futile attempt at circumventing the wealth of the ruling class.

Open Sources

We reach the same conclusion today that A Hacker Manifesto alluded to in 2004; in terms of revolutionary action, the most useful hoards of information are those made freely available, unbound by the constraints of property ownership. Digital hoards themselves aren’t necessarily a bad thing. The problem arises when users try to monetize their contents. Individual hoards inevitably fail to redistribute corporate wealth, and corporate hoards are dependent on labor extracted from us in our “free time.” So, perhaps our free time would be better spent in service of alternate hoards, dedicated to the same principles of advancement that Wark laid out twenty years ago. These are digital hoards formed with the intention of developing human society, through the unfettered circulation of information. Two examples come to mind, in equally unexpected locations: the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Minecraft.

In January 2024, the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor opened an online portal, requesting that members of the public submit any evidence they had of crimes that fell within the court’s remit. This included war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression.20 What followed was the uploading of images, tweets, sound bites, statements, and videos to support South Africa’s case against the state of Israel, in which South Africa claimed that “Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”21

The evidence submitted by the public was presented in a live-streamed court hearing on January 11, 2024. This amassing of evidence was a collective effort on behalf of everyday internet users to build up a hoard of information aimed at the cessation of a genocide. Much of the work that made this possible was performed on “leisure time,” but the resultant information was never deemed “property” of South Africa or the ICC. Instead, it was stored, organized, and presented to the world in an open forum that remains available for viewing today.

In a similar vein, four years ago, Reporters Without Borders released the Uncensored Library, a collection of articles that had been banned in parts of the world, made available through a server on Minecraft.22 The organization’s use of a blockchain to establish this server meant that even in the most censored countries, the library would remain impervious to governmental interventions. Each Minecraft user could download the library’s contents, share their findings, add their own books to an offline collection, and recreate a copy of the library on their own machines, rendering it effectively impossible to remove from public record.23

Both of these examples point us to data hoards that are first stored, and then shared, without the constraints of ownership to prevent their distribution. They are narratives that bring us closer to the potentials first stated in A Hacker Manifesto—of a future where we can shape our lives beyond the commodity form. The important thing that these examples have in common is not just that they were freely circulated, or even that they were produced (at least in part) by the hacker class. At their hearts, both the ICC portal and the Uncensored Library were rooted in material efforts to better the world we find ourselves in.

For twenty-first century hackers, the most urgent task is to locate environments like these where their contributions can be freely actualized. The majority of new knowledge today circulates through a handful of social platforms; information jumps out at us from the gluttonous stream of gym selfies, airline ads, obituaries, period tracker apps, sea lion videos, film trailers, and leftist memes. Everyday users trade their engagement for brief snippets of entertainment, and on it goes until the shadow of a screen-time banner casts its judgment upon the user’s machine.

This hellscape is no place for free information to thrive. The digital hoarder must take stock, and set out in search of somewhere independent from such distractions. A simple spreadsheet, maybe, a private are.na channel, a USB drive, or even a Minecraft map. What matters here is not the hoard’s form, but its capacity to be consumed outside the limits of the commodity. Free from the profit-churning debris of their social media feeds, visitors to this hoard might gain a better idea of how they, too, can use the information they find in service of principled, radical action.

Notes

1 McKenzie Wark, A Hacker Manifesto (Harvard University Press, 2004).

2 Sharon Pruitt-Young, “Black TikTok Creators Are On Strike To Protest A Lack Of Credit For Their Work,” NPR, July 1, 2021 →.

3 Cache McClay, “Why Black TikTok Creators Have Gone on Strike,” BBC News, July 15, 2021 →.

4 Jessica Martel, “16 Ways to Make Money on TikTok in 2024,” Time, March 30, 2023 →.

5 McClay, “Why Black TikTok Creators Have Gone on Strike.”

6 Martine J. van Bennekom et al., “A Case of Digital Hoarding,” BMJ Case Reports, vol. 2015 (January 2015) →.

7 Sebastian Sevignani, “Surveillance, Classification, and Social Inequality in Informational Capitalism: The Relevance of Exploitation in the Context of Markets in Information,” Historical Social Research / Historische Sozialforschung 42, no. 1 (2017).

8 Marx, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, vol. 1, 1st ed. (Penguin, 1976).

9 Lapavitsas, 228.

10 McClay, “Why Black TikTok Creators Have Gone on Strike.”

11 Sevignani, “Surveillance, Classification, and Social Inequality.”

12 Dallas W. Smythe, “Communications: Blindspot of Western Marxism,” Canadian Journal of Political and Social Theory 1, no. 3 (December 30, 1977).

13 Smythe, “Communications.”

14 McKenzie Wark, Capital Is Dead: Is This Something Worse? (Verso, 2019) 9.

15 Wark, Hacker Manifesto, thesis 126.

16 Sevignani, “Surveillance, Classification, and Social Inequality.”

17 Stuart Dredge, “Jay Z Aims to Topple Spotify with Music Streaming Service Tidal,” The Guardian, March 31, 2015 →.