Lantsu

Wow, ouch, ew. Sorry to hear that, but probably good riddance.

I absolutely agree with you on that! I used them, years ago… It’s just a game. People are no longer real human beings with feelings and all, it’s just points in the app. “Ghost that one, there will always be someone better.”

I think it will be difficult for everyone, me included. But it’s a decision still. Majority will comply without batting an eye. Only a few can truly unplug AND keep it unplugged, not just try it. I’m not sure I can manage it either. For example, some cities in my country have 100% mobile app based public transport, meaning that there is no way of buying or showing a ticket unless it’s the app. Not even website, the real app. (And if the app don’t work for some reason, boohoo, pay a fine for 80-100€.) The world is build on these phones and apps.

Even more weirdly, since I somewhat practice unplugging already, many people have straight on nasty reactions when I say that sorry, can’t scan that QR code or that I can’t check their Insta-whatever post on social media. So it’s not just the infrastructure but social norms too…

Yup, it sounds dystopian. I am preparing for this to hit my country too eventually and I’ll unplug then. No more internet, go to the library to get WIFI for online banking on the phone that is used only for that. It’s a decision to comply. DVDs, books, games I already own and have downloaded…

In Finland too!

I loathe AI for multiple, personal reasons;

1. When I need to contact customer support of some sort, there is an AI bot that is no use and there are no real humans, because the AI is cheaper. I won’t get the help I need or it’s too difficult to reach.

2. My mother language is a bit more difficult one and many stores (especially online) are starting to translate everything with AI and that makes the text absolutely incomprehensible. Hard or even impossible to understand even the basic descriptions or the manuals.

3. Browsers have those forced AI-summaries when you try to look for something and those are often both wrong and impossible to turn off. (Or if it’s possible to turn off, they keep turning back on.)

4. People I know are literally believing everything from those summaries and such and are very confidently wrong/misunderstanding whatever basic thing. It’s very annoying. (“Let’s ask STSÄTKEEPEETEE!”)

5. Being parasocial online is becoming frustrating as I have been accused of being an AI bot on multiple occasions just because of the way I write in English. Knowing even basic grammar makes you a bot these days.