The logical conclusion to the war on general purpose computing (as currently perpetrated in the large by Apple, and spun even by people here as a worthwhile tradeoff for "security") is that computers will be replaced with appliances that can only run government-sanctioned, closed-source software. That is the only way these laws could be enforced.
Even if "normal computers" are left free, anti-encryption legislation could be enormously effective at the level of the general population even if it only manages to twist the arm of Apple, Google and force them to remove such software from their appstores.
"Bad guys" could still use encryption of course, but the government would gain the ability to easily surveil most people, which is what they're really after.
Yeah. It started with silly things like copyright enforcement, slowly paving the way to ever greater oppression. As an AMD engineer put it, these days processors essentially come pwned from the factory. Computers are too subversive a technology to allow normals unrestricted access. Encryption is powerful enough to defeat nations.
> computers will be replaced with appliances that can only run government-sanctioned, closed-source software
this is lacking imagination
Most items around us will be smart withing 10 years.
There are coffe machines that stop working without internet, dishwashers and washing machines that have wifi. You cant buy a TV and a Car without internet connectivity. Mac OS won't run an executable withour connecting to an apple server.
All of them phone home.
The government just needs to tap into the datastores assembled by these companies. Datastores in centralised datacenters, which are large regulated installations.
They don't need to do any extra work. The police doesnt need to raid every house.
> as currently perpetrated in the large by Apple, and spun even by people here as a worthwhile tradeoff for "security"
See this misses the more nuanced point. I bet my last cent that everyone who doesn't want Apple's ability to meaningfully control their platform eroded would change their tune immediately if we had a regulatory environment that had any teeth whatsoever when it comes to policing malicious software.
People are currently backed into a corner where the only not incompetent regulatory body for software is Apple right now. I would love for iOS to be completely open but maligned actors who would use that against my interests need to be stopped and Apple being closed doesn't get in the way all that much.
* You must be able to cancel subscriptions in one click with no human interaction and users must be able to choose an immediate cancel for a pro-rated refund even if they paid "yearly."
* You must allow opt-out of all tracking and data collection without providing any disincentive for doing so.
* All free trails must not require a CC and can only be continued after explicitly done so by the user.
* Delete the concept of implied consent. By existing you consent to.. fuck off.
* Establish a legal definition of dark pattern and make them illegal and reportable by users for a cut of the fine.
* You must be allowed to purchase a completely ad free experience.
* You cannot sell OS features like notifications or running in the background.
* All digital goods must be able to be returned within x days of purchase.
> I bet my last cent that everyone who doesn't want Apple's ability to meaningfully control their platform eroded would change their tune immediately if we had a regulatory environment that had any teeth whatsoever when it comes to policing malicious software.
I definitely would change my mind. The complete lack of any effective protections against bad actors is the sole reason I'm willing to tolerate what Apple is doing with the iOS App Store.
