this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2025
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I have become convinced by Cory Doctorow's (tech writer and inventor of the term "enshittification") argument that the fact that we're even discussing this in terms of "sideloading" is a massive win for tech companies. We used to just call that "installing software" but now for some reason because it's on a phone it's something completely weird and different that needs a different term. It's completely absurd to me that we as a society have become so accustomed to not being able to control our own devices, to the point of even debating whether or not we should be allowed to install our own software on our own computers "for safety." It should be blatantly obvious that this is all just corporate greed and yet the general public can't or refuses to see it.
There are groups to support:
And in the UK:
Some political groups are better than others, but most politicians are clueless.
The key is to get muggles to understand we are living in Technofeudalism and why being digital serfs is bad. The problem is ineffective competition law and that monopolies are bad. That monopolies and standards are not the same thing. I have no idea how. Most people are just naturally compliant and unquestioning of something seemingly so abstract.
In the 80's (I'm that old), many home computers came with the programming manual, and the impetus was to learn to code and run your programs on your own device. Even with Android it's not especially hard (with LLM's even less so than it used to be) to download Android Studio, throw some shit onto the screen, hit build, and run your own helper app or whatever ~~sideloaded~~ installed via usb cable (or wirelessly) on your own device.
In certain cases (cars, health related hw etc.) I get why it's probably for the best if the user is not supposed to mod their device outside preinstalled sw's preferences/settings. But when it comes to computers (i.e. smartphones, laptops, tablets, tv boxes etc.) I fully agree with Cory here. Such a shame everything must go to shit.
TBH I was confused when I came across the term "sideloading" for the first few times because I thought it was something new. Part of the plan I guess. Damn.
Most of the general public buries their head in the sand. They are convinced being politically involved is either a waste of time or makes you crazy.
Tbf both are true.
Source: I have gone mad and everything has only become worse.