100%, this has been my soap box for years.

A very easy, effective, multi-layer setup:

1. Browser adblocker

2. Pi hole running locally

3. Pi hole at your home network router level

And 4, not as easy but effective, a firewall like Little Snitch

Edit: the other good news is your old data loses value quickly, so starting today is still very effective: you haven’t missed the boat yet!

This doesn't cover in-app adds on phones over mobile data, which is probably the main vector for the tracking discussed in the article. For that:

1. Adblocking via private DNS (e.g. https://mullvad.net/en/help/dns-over-https-and-dns-over-tls)

2. Prefer websites over native apps wherever possible

3. Browser adblocker

Hosts file adblocking is also possible on a phone where you have root.

This is what I do... I use Mullvad VPN with NextDNS.io for DNS.

Don't use apps with ads. I can't think of a single necessary one.

What are you having good luck with on Apple Silicon? Or is this more of a statement for when local AI becomes “good enough?”

(FWIW I am with you; I haven’t found a local model that works well enough to be a daily driver)

qwen models are basically <opus and >sonnet. 397b runs at Q8 on m3 ultra. for mbp m5 max I'd use the +120b qwen model.

Lyft was briefly number one ahead of Uber, too

Why is that weird? If we do that for UFC and other sports

Exactly, inference cost is a very good reason to fine tune with something like Qwen

What do you use for messaging?

Obviously carrier pigeons carrying messages encrypted with post-quantum ciphers where keys have been sent ahead of time using USPS because no one would be so rude as to read someone elses mail.

I have been using simpleX for some time now.

Are you aware of the creator's political beliefs and the E2EE leak baked into the app?

Matrix.

They do have a light that’s on when recording

I block a ton of ads in the name of privacy, and it seems to work out

I don’t know why he’s even bothering, this will all be forgotten in weeks, a month tops.

Out of the way, it’s a busy day! I’ve got things on my mind.