[fsflover]

They put themselves as a middle man for almost the whole Internet, collect huge usage data about everyone and block anybody who doesn't use mainstream tools:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42953508

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13718752

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23897705

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41864632

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42577076

[AnthonyMouse]

You can add another one as a result of this article: The data you need to train AI and the data you need to build a search engine are the same data. So now they're inhibiting every new search engine that wants to compete with Google.

[1oooqooq]

they always had. this post is about turning the false positives "up to 11" with impunity

[1oooqooq]

https://infosec.exchange/@k3ym0/114762301792775770

[fsflover]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudflare#Controversies

[baq]

valid.

...but OTOH it's their customers who want all of that and pay to get that, because the alternative is worse.

rock and a hard place.

[MisterTea]

I want to know if there is a way to design an alternative that isn't controlled by a single entity which allows gatekeeping.

[slenk]

Right - do I want them getting some info from me, or do I want my IP address exposed?

Besides CloudFront, which still costs money, what other option is there for semi-privacy and caching for free?

[aorth]

As the old addage goes: If you're not paying for it, you're the product.

Lots of nuance, but generally: pay for things you use. Servers, engineers, and research and development are not free, so someone has to pay.

[qualeed]

Lots of services don't even let me pay if I wanted to, so I am forced to be the product. (Donating typically does not un-productify myself).

Or I pay and am still the product. Just with less in-my-face ads.

[aorth]

> Or I pay and am still the product. Just with less in-my-face ads.

Yes, this is enshittification. You pay for Amazon something or other, and they STILL show you ads. Horrible.

[slenk]

fwiw, I have been convinced to look at other options

[matt-p]

Cloud front is pretty much free for your first TB. Fastly has a free plan.

Though why should it be for free?

[slenk]

Multiple people have brought that up. I pay for everything else, why not one more.

Although bunny.net won't take ANY of my credit or debit cards

[mattl]

bunny.net has some options

[slenk]

I will have to check them out I guess