“So, students, does anyone have an argument against intelligent design? Yes, Billy?”

“Yeah, the balls are on the outside.”

The grift that keeps on grifting.

Which ai did you use?

I have a friend trying to find one where she can input her own photos to create new AI works based on them. Like “based on [image I supplied], create ____ using the car/tree/cat/etc in the original image.”

I definitely get the concern, but I just don’t think it’s going to be as dire as some are predicting.

For me, I’ve built up an OK following on Masto with people I already like to talk to. So if Threads comes along, federates, and then pulls the plug later on, I’ll just be back to where I am now. Even if Meta adds to ActivityPub that doesn’t necessarily mean things that currently work are removed so apps should still be able to function as they do now. At least to my understanding.

And I’m no Meta apologist. I deleted Facebook at least five or six years ago because it increasingly felt terrible to use. And I’ve never had an Instagram account. But, personally, I’m OK to wait and see how this plays out instead of writing it off entirely from the start.

I’m going to trust Eugen’s take on the subject far more than some doom and gloom post. At least for now.

https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2023/07/what-to-know-about-threads/

I’m eager to see when it opens up for federation.

There’s been a lot of hand wringing on Mastodon about it, but I feel like if I can follow a friend who uses Threads from my Mastodon account then great. I don’t have to use their app AND I can follow/interact with my friends.

In the privacy section of the App Store it shows Threads basically collecting all data on your phone. So I guess standard Meta practice.