[pasbesoin]

Yeah, the state of the camera currently makes this a non-starter for me. (I'm no social media diva, but I do like photography and the ability to get good images out of "the camera at hand", i.e. my phone.)

Nonetheless, I'd like to know more about your point 2). I remain nervous about anything where the management of the platform is essentially coming out of China.

[Silhouette]

I remain nervous about anything where the management of the platform is essentially coming out of China.

As do I. I'm just not sure having the management of the platform anywhere else is any better. I wouldn't trust either big businesses or governments as far as I could throw them when it comes to security and privacy any more, unless there's some sort of positive evidence that a reasonable approach is being taken.

[pasbesoin]

Yep. It's a sad state of affairs.

I guess I still feel marginally better off with Google and Apple (and Verizon Wireless, to the extent they use their network as a wedge onto my otherwise clean device).

Though when company X denies me insurance, company Y a loan...? (I helped a felon get back on track, last year; my social network score has probably taken a hit. And who knows what kind of surveillance this has opened me up for?)

I suppose I sound paranoid. But I ran into how arbitrarily exclusionary insurance companies can be, back some decades ago in my 20's. One routine appointment in isolation, in the medical history they requested. One circa $100 charge for same, with no adverse diagnosis. Nonetheless, application denied.

The Chinese might want to survey me for the access I have. Might want personal information for leverage or for some future purge, if and when the U.S. really does go down the crapper and gets taken over (behind the scenes, if not overtly; look at ongoing ownership bids).

The U.S. wants to survey me to maximize profit extraction, and to make sure I don't risk same.