Yeah, I have a broader view of the phrase, which includes complacency (not actively working at alternatives) as well as just voting, seems most agree with you.

Valid point.

many people believe that “funding” something equals to “controlling” it.

Pretty much the definition of soft power, which an awful lot of politicians believe in.

US funding having been a toxic source of dependency, and it being better in the long run to get money elsewhere.

Yup, pretty much my intent, that and the insecurity it engenders, rather surprised by the reaction.

How could you read it that way ? I’m saying eventually they were going to conflict with the interests of the US (oligarchs and techbros) and lose funding. Shocker, it happened under cheeto.

Not a good thing, just an inevitable one, as they conflict with the interests of the US (oligarchs and techbros).

Oh No ! Leopards Ate My Face.

Better off in the long run.

OP: I knew what I was wishing for…

Bastard.

Seeing as no-one’s answering the question in terms of privacy (although I agree with their sentiment)

Trust. You have to trust that they will respect your privacy. They actually talk a good game, are probably superior in privacy to the average android (but not GrapheneOS or Linux) in so much as they fend off other entities trying to hoover your data, mostly so they have exclusive access (at least to metadata, actual data may currently even be secure but that can change and possession is nine tenths and all that). At the end of the day, they’re a greedy mega-corporation and cannot be trusted if they need to keep that line going up this quarter. I much prefer transparent systems that keep me in control and possession of my data.

I like their hardware, excellent build quality (shame about long term support and e-waste though). Will probably pick up a cheap M1 Air once Asahi linux stabilises.