#user-choice — Public Fediverse posts

“Choice. The solution is choice.”*

You should download Firefox 148 (released today!) and explicitly set the new "AI Controls" to your preferred choice.
* https://www.firefox.com/

Disclosure: I work for Mozilla, but this post, like all on this site, represents my personal thoughts and opinions.

More and more software includes various "AI" features. The “quotes” are deliberate because there is an increasingly fuzzy popular understanding of what is or is not “AI” that continues to diverge from any specific technical meaning.

Many folks have expressed strong opinions against "AI" features (for lots of reasons which are worth a separate blog post), in particular in web browsers, and a desire for a simple way to disable such features.

Tentatively called an “AI kill switch”, the Firefox team developed both an overall switch to turn off or block various "AI" features by default (including any future features), and the ability to selectively enable specific features. Or vice versa (turn on by default, and selectively disable specific features).

See the official blog post for screenshots and lots more details:
* https://blog.mozilla.org/en/firefox/how-to-use-ai-controls/

I have set my own "Block AI enhancements" setting to "blocked", with the exception of enabling "Translations". Translations are a feature I use often, a feature that requires per-page activation (another degree of user-control), and runs completely locally on my browser. Nothing automatic, nothing that requires submitting what I’m reading to a random server.

For me this was an easy choice because it fits within my prior larger personal preference of using a restricted browser by default, with leaner settings, for greater security, privacy, and performance reasons. I do keep various other browser variants (and profiles) for testing purposes, experiments, or seeing what a new user may be experiencing.

The rest of this post is not about AI.

My Top Two Browser Extensions

As part a more restricted personal browser approach, for a long time I have run with two add-ons that block A LOT more by default:
* NOSCRIPT: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript/
* EFF Privacy Badger: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/privacy-badger17/

I do not use a separate ad blocker. With NOSCRIPT, in general I don’t have to.

I prefer to explicitly grant permission to a site (domain) for its scripts to load. Some sites I use often enough that I've granted persistent permissions for their scripts. Others, third parties in particular, that I know function purely for analytics or tracking I explicitly persistently block, because they seem totally disconnected from any user benefit.

Yes it’s extra work, however, I find it worth seeing just how much each site depends on scripts, third party scripts, and how many.

It’s especially worth it when I'm on slow or intermittent wifi, where every script blocked makes a big difference in how fast a site loads. Yes this is still a problem.

The network is not the computer. The network is the weakest link.

Even now, in 2026, contrary to popular (especially developer) beliefs that fast internet access is ubiquitous, frequently it is not.

If you’re on a train, plane, or at an event with thousands of people like a concert or many conferences, your wifi or even mobile connection will be intermittent or slow at best.

Just this past Saturday at the F1 Exhibition in the San Francisco Marina, the cell networks were overwhelmed due to the crowds, with even “simple” text or chat messages failing to send. Last year at the Portola Festival their wifi was so bad that even if you managed to connect to it, simple HTML pages barely loaded, while native applications dependent on network access failed completely.

JS;DR

Many times if a site fails to display content without JavaScript, I simply close the tab.

I already have so many open tabs to read (process) that I no longer feel any need to read any particular new website that fails to show content without JavaScript. If their web developers can’t be bothered to take the time to implement progressive enhancement, why should I bother to take the time to read their content? More on this:
* https://tantek.com/2025/069/t1/ten-years-jsdr-javascript-required-didnt-read
* https://indieweb.org/js;dr

A subtler form of JavaScript failure is when a site’s content is displayed, however its buttons or even simple hyperlinks fail to function due to scripts not loading:
* https://tantek.com/2012/073/t4/js-ajax-only-tired-waiting-bloated-scripts-sxsw-wifi

Progressive Permissions

On sites that I do allow scripts, I still limit their access to cookies using the Privacy Badger add-on, and only selectively enable them if I’m logging in or otherwise customizing my experience on that site.

When websites immediately request use of a cookie disconnected from any user action that would justify a need for a cookie, it seems both presumptuous, and frankly, a bit pushy or rude. It also seems like rushed or lazy coding.

User requests are what computers are for.

A user-centric approach to any kind of permission or capability, whether cookies or personal information like location, would only request such as part of directly handling an explicit user action that requires the capability.

The simple act of viewing a website should never require cookies, location information, or any other capabilities that require special permissions. E.g.
* If I successfully log into a website, a cookie helps me stayed logged in.
* If I click a "show me my present location" button on a map site, it makes sense to request my location to fullfil that user request.

This probably could have been several blog posts.

Yet the common theme across all of these is user choice.

Whether new features, use of scripts, or privacy impacting features such as cookies or personal location, users should always have the choice and agency to say no, and customize their web browsing experience accordingly.

#Firefox #AIcontrol #AIkillswitch #JSDR #UserChoice

*Top of post quote paraphrased from Neo in The Matrix Reloaded who said: “Choice. The problem is choice.”

Here’s how ChatGPT went from a useful tool to a time-wasting habit – Android Authority

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General technology

Before I knew it, ChatGPT went from a useful tool to time-wasting a habit

AI became my new endless doom-scroll without me noticing.

By Andrew Grush, December 21, 2025•

There are plenty of mixed opinions on AI’s potential benefits and harms, but I’ll admit I’ve been somewhat hooked on it from day one. I tend to dive deep into subjects with AI for short bursts that might last hours or on-and-off for a few days, and then drift away for weeks or more when life gets busy with things that are obviously more important. Slowly but surely, though, I realized I was doing less and less when it came to other personal interests. While my AI use never disrupted my real-life obligations or relationships, it was starting to cannibalize my hobbies.

Recently, I started scrolling through my massive ChatGPT log entries. Some were simple entertainment, and others were deep thoughts that frankly got a bit heavy. There were more interactions than I’d ever care to count. That’s when the thought hit me: “Has this become my new doom scroll?” I started wondering how I got to that point, how much time I was wasting, and why it felt so addictive. Eventually, I took a deeper look at my AI usage patterns and then took a step back.

Do you think you’re dependent on or addicted to AI chatbots like ChatGPT?

144 votes

How I got here and why it proved so addictive for me

According to ChatGPT, about 75% of users ask for practical guidance, seek information, or get help with writing and work tasks. This overlaps heavily with what people traditionally use search engines for. As I already mentioned, I love diving deeply into random subjects, so I fall squarely in this camp. That said, I also use AI as a sounding board for my thoughts.

Typically, I put it in a mode like Professional or Efficient and add a few custom instructions so it isn’t overly sycophantic and will push back on my weaker ideas. This can involve history questions, alternate-history scenarios, or philosophical musings. Yes, I know how to party.

AI is fast and doesn’t judge. That’s quite the dopamine hit.

To be clear, I don’t rely on AI for anything truly important. I mostly use it for personal creative work or low-stakes questions I can verify elsewhere. As someone with ADHD who loves to daydream, I also often use it to explore hypothetical rabbit holes where accuracy isn’t the priority.

So how did this turn into an addiction? AI hits several brain-level incentives for me:

• It’s fast: I don’t have to wait for a human reply or dig across multiple sites for basic answers. Yes, fact-checking is still necessary, but it’s hard to deny the convenience.
• No judgment or boredom: My wife, mom, and friends will sometimes let me info-dump about space, philosophy, or whatever else I’m fixated on, but I quickly wear out my welcome. AI doesn’t get bored.
• It’s easy, low effort: My life has been extremely hectic lately. When I finally get a moment to unwind, I want something easy and slow-paced. In the past, that meant TV or books. Lately, it’s meant long conversations with a chatbot.

For me, this feels very similar to the dopamine loop people get from YouTube, TikTok, or doomscrolling social media. A rabbit hole here and there is harmless, whether web-based or AI-based. The problem is when an occasional time-sink becomes a regular habit that eats into everything else.

I kept noticing it was suddenly midnight or later and thinking, “Oh, I meant to play a board game with the kids,” or “watch that show with my wife,” but yet again, time had slipped away. I’m far from alone, either.

Government organizations have already warned that AI companions could represent a new frontier of digital addiction, and many teens are turning to AI chatbots as emotional outlets, offering a kind of pseudo-friendship traditionally reserved for human relationships. While I’ve never lost sight of the fact that the AI talking to me is a non-human algorithm designed to placate me, many people have also had their realities turned upside down by getting too cozy with the AI to the point they feel like it’s their closest friend. The term has been dubbed “AI psychosis” and is very real for those impacted by it.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Here’s how ChatGPT went from a useful tool to a time-wasting habit

Oh, look! Another riveting existential crisis for #OpenBSD users! 🌟 Why that ancient relic? Because... you can! 🎉 It's like choosing a horse-drawn carriage in the age of Teslas.🚗💨
https://www.tumfatig.net/2025/why-are-you-still-using-openbsd/ #ExistentialCrisis #VintageTech #UserChoice #HackerNews #ngated

https://winbuzzer.com/2025/11/13/firefox-wants-to-challenge-ai-browsers-with-privacy-first-ai-window-xcxwbn

Firefox Wants to Challenge AI Browsers With Privacy-First ‘AI Window’

#AI #Firefox #BrowserWars #Mozilla #Privacy #WebBrowser #UserChoice #ResponsibleAI

The #UK’s #CMA has designated #Apple and #Google as having “strategic market status” (#SMS), requiring stricter regulatory oversight. The CMA aims to address concerns about the companies’ substantial #marketpower and potential #bottlenecks, potentially including changes to #appstore practises and #userchoice. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/22/apple-google-face-enforced-changes-uk-mobile-phone-dominance-uk-competition-watchdog-stricter-oversight?eicker.news #tech #media #news

No I don't want to turn on Windows Backup with One Drive

https://idiallo.com/byte-size/say-no-to-onedrive-backup

#HackerNews #NoMoreOneDrive #WindowsBackup #TechNews #UserChoice #DataPrivacy

NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

https://www.bitsoffreedom.nl/2025/10/02/judge-in-the-bits-of-freedom-vs-meta-lawsuit-meta-must-respect-users-choice/

#HackerNews #NLJudge #MetaRecommendation #UserChoice #Freedom #Lawsuit

Talking About Bluesky And Putting Power & Choice Back Into Users’ Hands At SXSW

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.techdirt.com/2025/03/14/talking-about-bluesky-and-putting-power-choice-back-into-users-hands-at-sxsw/

#Yahoo Mail instituted both a ad-block detector notice on their mail service AND a new Arbitration Clause into their Terms.

Don't forget to take a look at Terms when items like time-limited Arbitration Opt-Outs are added! This is why folks should read those pesky ToS and Privacy Policies!

Section 14.2.b.ix contains their opt-out process.

https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html

#privacymatters #userchoice

Oh, look! Another 𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 blog post dissecting Mozilla's policy changes. 🧐 Apparently, the world needed a deep dive into the pressing issue of browser tab arrangement. 🌐🥱 #Waterfox is here, bravely battling the relentless forces of user choice, one snooze-inducing paragraph at a time. 🚀💤
https://www.waterfox.net/blog/a-comment-on-mozilla-changes/ #MozillaPolicyChanges #BrowserTabs #UserChoice #TechHumor #HackerNews #ngated

Desktop Grayjay is here! 🎉
A year ago, I heard about the Grayjay project from Louis Rossmann and loved the idea of a third-party platform that centralizes subscriptions around the creator being followed, rather than the platform itself.

I didn’t try it before because I’m not using Android for media consumption, and for the past year, it was only available on Android.

While Grayjay may not be fully open-source, it’s crucial to support projects that prioritize user privacy and provide a seamless experience.

I’m excited to see how this project evolves and hope it inspires more ethical software development in the future. I can’t wait to test it out myself! It’s refreshing to see a project that prioritizes user choice and accessibility.

Any thoughts on Grayjay? Do you use it already, or is it something new to you?

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/EnZrv37u66c Grayjay Desktop or #degoogle https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=EnZrv37u66c

Explore more at: grayjay.app/desktop

#Grayjay #FUTO #UserPrivacy #EthicalTech #OpenSource #TechForGood #DigitalFreedom #ContentCreators #Linux #UserChoice #PrivacyMatters #Decentralization #TechInnovation

#Design #Mindsets
Choice is not the enemy · “Let’s ditch the ‘don’t make me think’ mindset.” https://ilo.im/160f2s

_____
#UserChoice #UserBehavior #Psychology #Usability #ProductDesign #UxDesign #UiDesign #WebDesign

Google will not phase out tracking cookies in Chrome after all

https://stackdiary.com/google-will-not-phase-out-tracking-cookies-in-chrome-after-all/

#Privacy #AdTracking #GoogleChrome #ThirdPartyCookies #OnlinePrivacy #DataCollection #UserControl #PrivacySettings #AdTech #BrowserPrivacy #DigitalPrivacy #UserConsent #PrivacySandbox #TrackingCookies #AdTargeting #PrivacyTools #DataProtection #UserChoice #BrowserSettings #PrivacyExtensions #UserData #OnlineSecurity #AdTransparency #UserRights #PrivacyControls #DataPrivacy #BrowserTracking

@DiogoConstantino @tugatech Tornou-se quase um padrão "dessa" industria o anúncio de actualizações de segurança que não fazem mais do que retirar funcionalidades que permitiriam um maior controlo das aplicações pelos seus utilizadores.

Para uma discussão mais aprofundada, leiam este último texto do @pluralistic : https://mamot.fr/@pluralistic/111811512166014949

#enshitification #UX #UserChoice #UserDomestication #BadUxPatterns

🔓💬 Tired of being locked into one messaging platform? 🌐 Discover how to champion interoperability and ensure user choice in the digital era. Check out our latest blog post!
https://www.eliza-ng.me/post/interoperabilit/
#interoperability #userchoice #digitalrevolution

The folks over @beuc have commissioned a study examining the design of choice screens in te #DMA; and it is impressive to see how minuscule changes in #ChoiceScreen design impact people's ability to actually make a choice.

Their recommendations:

1️⃣ Incorporate positive friction
2️⃣ Show Google "below the fold"
3️⃣ Use buttons that contextualise the expected user action
4️⃣ Keep branding and logos of options

https://www.beuc.eu/sites/default/files/publications/BEUC-X-2023-132_Examining_the_Design_of_Choice_Screens_in_the_Context_of_the_Digital_Markets_Act.pdf

#DigitalMarketsAct #UserChoice #digitalrights

Not a fan of the default Mastodon UI? Did you know #vmstio has multiple client options available?

We offer Elephant (aka Bird UI) as a theme directly at https://vmst.io. You can find instructions on how to enable Elephant at https://docs.vmst.io/flings/elephant

We offer Elk at https://elk.vmst.io, with a similar look and feel but additional features and functionality.

Finally we have Semaphore at https://semaphore.vmst.io as a dedicated client focused on accessibility.

#UserChoice

🦣 🐘 🫎 🚩

Starting soon! #DMA #participatoryimplementation #tweetingwave
---
RT @VRobCompLaw
Looking forward to introducing the issue of #UserChoice in app stores next Monday at @EU_Competition's #DMA workshop. My panel: Vanessa Turner (@beuc), @_Kaari_N (@DevsAllianceEU), @MarianneTordeux (@FRdigitale) and Gene Burrus (@Spotify).
To register: https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/dma/dma-workshops/app-stores-workshop_en https://twitter.com/ru…
https://twitter.com/VRobCompLaw/status/1630872337640824833

@mike every screen manufacturer has decided all screens need to be narrow 16:9 aspect ratios and UI refresh has decided that taking more vertical space is necessary. Between the OS and applications it seems more 30%+ of the vertical space is chrome, feels like the late 90s/early 2000s IE with 20 toolbars and three lines of content visible!

You're right, having the control on Linux and using tiling (Pop!_OS) with dash to panel let's me maximize vertical space #userchoice

/rant over