Women Hifi owners...

[Joe]

Sure, it can work that way too, and China does control its web as does N Korea, But it doesnt take much stretch of imagination to see modern tech improvements being used against us, the people as well. Not saying it currently is, at least on any large and deep scale but i bet its on the agenda of the secret service and govts.
Trouble is, if its done right it may be difficult to know.

The current tussle is between Facebook, which wants to allow end-to-end encryption to protect users' privacy, and governments, who claim that allowing this will enable terrorists and paedophiles to hide their activities. It's not a good vs bad scenario, more a 'which is the lesser evil?' question.

[Marco]

It's a confused mish-mash of quotes from here there and everywhere, with few references to check. Some quotes are just plain wrong.

Or more likely also a case of you simply criticising what you think is wrong, seeing what you want to see, and ignoring the rest.

You make no mention of whether you've Googled what I asked you to either, only that you've read the article I linked to from The Independent. Sorry, Joe, your mind is closed. All I see is someone who just likes arguing for the sake of it, which indeed you've already admitted:

I enjoy arguing the toss, and posting on a variety of forums gives me lots of things to argue about!

Indeed. You enjoy arguing, but you're not so keen on listening or entertaining the existence of anything that isn't rationalised by your belief system

Dennis 'gets' it, as does Adrian and Grant, so I shall take solace from the fact that there is hope yet for not everyone being blind to what's happening because it doesn't suit their prejudices.

Marco.

[struth]

If you look up Mass surveillance in China

You will find info. It's pretty scary stuff and with the speed it's developing... Watch out

[AJSki2fly]

Can you be more specific about the 'people management' thing. What are the nuts and bolts of it and what are they managing the people to do?

Really Martin, I don’t think I should need to answer this, web site control and information management, basically propaganda and restricting free speech.

[jandl100]

I'd suggest that people use internet shopping because it is less bother, and often less expensive, than physically going to a shop to buy the item. In other words there is a genuine gain to be had. I don't agree that the rise of internet shopping is a result of internet advertising. It has become popular because it is cheaper and more convenient.

I agree pretty much 100% with that.
I use internet shopping for its ability to find the product I want at a good price. Shops just can't have all the stock readily to hand like a big warehouse can.

That's a really major advantage of online shopping and is the reason that I use it. And it has bugger all to do with internet advertising.

I can only think of one occasion when I have been influenced by online advertising (Facebook as it happens), a clever sunshade doohickey for a car - so I looked out the best deal on the type of product and bought that on Amazon. And I still use it. It's neat and effective.

In general I have never been keen on arguments that go along the lines of 'This insidious practice does not affect me because I'm smart, but what about all the stupid people? Something must be done!'

The smart people are not as smart as they think they are and the stupid people are not as stupid as the smart people reckon.

Too right.

[jandl100]

If you look up Mass surveillance in China

You will find info. It's pretty scary stuff and with the speed it's developing... Watch out

Yup, the Chinese people appear to be willingly and knowingly heading for a combination of Brave New World and '1984'.
Absolutely crazy and scary as hell.
Total control by the state of the people.

[Marco]

I agree pretty much 100% with that.
I use internet shopping for its ability to find the product I want at a good price. Shops just can't have all the stock readily to hand like a big warehouse can.

But Jerry, Internet shopping is soulless, as it's devoid of any tactile experience or human interaction, providing of course that you're using the right shops. And we all wonder why our high streets are dying...?

Where you live, there's no shortage of picturesque towns, full of quaint little shops, many of which are privately owned and sell some very interesting things, as indeed there are near me. When it comes to gift shopping or buying things for the house, etc, where possible, I'll always choose to frequent those than give my money to the likes of Amazon, otherwise I become part of the problem I'm criticising.

Marco.

[jandl100]

Oh, I use quaint little shops often enough. Charity shops whenever possible!
But there are numerous specific items that I need on a repeat basis. There's a lot of pet food that I can only readily obtain online; large bags of biscuits, specific fish food. You'd hunt high and low without success to find those items offline, but are easy to source on the Internet . We've got half a dozen tropical aquariums now, it can be very difficult to find the items we want, when we want them by going to a bricks and mortar shop. A few keyboard clicks and they are on their way.

[struth]

Not many shops that cater for my needs around here bar food.
I don't mind shopping but it gets silly when you find the shop doesn't carry the stock you want to see, and you have to order online etc. Clothes especially.

[Marco]

Oh, I use quaint little shops often enough. Charity shops whenever possible!
But there are numerous specific items that I need on a repeat basis. There's a lot of pet food that I can only readily obtain online; large bags of biscuits, specific fish food. You'd hunt high and low without success to find those items offline, but are easy to source on the Internet . We've got half a dozen tropical aquariums now, it can be very difficult to find the items we want, when we want them by going to a bricks and mortar shop. A few keyboard clicks and they are on their way.

Ah ok, that's different - using the 'net for buying specific things, not everything. We do the same, but we much prefer going into a town or village (or even a city, as Chester is great for that for us) and making a day of it, having a nice lunch, and giving our money to family-run businesses, rather than huge multi-national or worldwide retail chains, online or on the high street.

For us, physically shopping, rather than simply mouse-clicking is a much more rewarding experience

Marco.