Garret Polk (masked)

@garretpolk@mastodon.gamedev.place
89 Followers
146 Following
2.3K Posts

Indie game developer/programmer.
Programmer on BAFTA/GDC award nominated ManifoldGarden .

Former Symantec/Norton.

Made Promeatheus, Costa con Carne (H3VR mods), and the game Wondee.

Twitter@garretpolk
Pronounshe/him
YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@NunSuperior
Home pagehttp://www.garretpolk.com

Maybe not the best font choice for displaying a series of mixed numbers and letters.

#UX #UI

"This is just the latest operation that didn’t go off as planned, amplifying the sense amongst the California Guardsmen that the whole spectacle is idiotic and shameful.

Treating Los Angeles as a foreign country with insurgents to be defeated, military and homeland security intelligence views MacArthur Park as a viper’s nest of illegality."

https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/exclusive-operation-excalibur-in

Exclusive: Operation Excalibur in Los Angeles Was Show of Force

Leaks from military's LA deployment reveal Coca Cola vs. Pepsi rivalry, sweaty guardsmen, and abject failure

Ken Klippenstein

On the awfulness that this way comes.

Later.

After the votes are counted.

⚠️ On July 7, Gemini AI will access your WhatsApp and more. Learn how to disable it on Android. | Tuta

https://tuta.com/blog/how-to-disable-gemini-on-android

#privacy #howto #geminiai

Starting today, Gemini AI will access your WhatsApp and more. Learn how to disable it on Android. | Tuta

Gemini AI needs to be disabled on Android or it will override your privacy settings and gain full access to your texts, calls, and WhatsApp - even if you’ve turned off Gemini Apps Activity. But what does this Android update really mean, and how can you stop it? Let’s take a deep dive!

Tuta

Updated, because... you know. #Covid for doctors, hot new masks, voice amplification while masking, very accurate at-home tests, The #LongCovid Game (Haunted Woods), community connections, what to do if you catch Covid, clean air tools, testing tips, and more:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/huge-free-covid-86871700

Huge, FREE covid safety resource list | Violet Blue

Patreon is empowering a new generation of creators. Support and engage with artists and creators as they live out their passions!

Patreon

Adobe is now processing all your PDFs in the cloud, by default. The setting to “Enable generative AI features in Acrobat” was on, and I didn’t know it until I opened a document and Adobe asked me if I wanted a document summary. It’s annoying to have to click “No,” so I opened settings to disable the prompt.

THE PROBLEM
I sign Non-Disclosure Agreements for many of my clients. Adobe is a potential leak of protected information. I don’t know what Adobe does with this information. I don’t know what they store, or for how long. I don’t know what country (or countries) the data is stored in. I don’t know what LLMs are trained with this data. And I don’t need to know. What I need to know is that they won’t use default opt-in as a legal excuse to wiretap my information.

I recommend that you check your Adobe settings on all devices, for all Adobe accounts.

#CallMeIfYouNeedMe #FIFONetworks

#cybersecurity

It needs to be said
#auspol #tourism #uspol
Happy Explosion Day!
×

Adobe is now processing all your PDFs in the cloud, by default. The setting to “Enable generative AI features in Acrobat” was on, and I didn’t know it until I opened a document and Adobe asked me if I wanted a document summary. It’s annoying to have to click “No,” so I opened settings to disable the prompt.

THE PROBLEM
I sign Non-Disclosure Agreements for many of my clients. Adobe is a potential leak of protected information. I don’t know what Adobe does with this information. I don’t know what they store, or for how long. I don’t know what country (or countries) the data is stored in. I don’t know what LLMs are trained with this data. And I don’t need to know. What I need to know is that they won’t use default opt-in as a legal excuse to wiretap my information.

I recommend that you check your Adobe settings on all devices, for all Adobe accounts.

#CallMeIfYouNeedMe #FIFONetworks

#cybersecurity

@fifonetworks I didn't see the option in Adobe reader because I reverted to the classic UI the day they first introduced the AI assistant. Maybe it's also because I don't sign in to Adobe

@fifonetworks But there is something you now know, that you didn't before...

Adobe is yet another data-felching rat bastard corp.

This is why, as you may recall, I take issue with the lack of clear local-remote boundaries in how IT products are presented. A FOSS app store like F-Droid will make the distinction clear, but that appears to be the exception.

@fifonetworks IIRC, #Adobe was considered the no. 3 adtech platform circa late-2010s, and their magic vehicle for tracking ad exposure was #Acrobat.

AI is a new justification to turbo-charge the process of grabbing users' private information.

@tasket @fifonetworks
Wasn't it Flash on half of the web pages?
@tasket @fifonetworks One approach is to just bring down your Internet connection while working. If that doesn't work, you know that that is not software you should be using.
@martinvermeer @tasket @fifonetworks Abolutely insufficient protection. That only weeds out the poorly coded things that assume synchronous always on connections, not the much more robust and insidious ones that have background asynchronous attempts to make connections, gracfully degrade features when unavailable, and may queue up telemetry or data exfiltration for when the network comes up.

@fifonetworks

It's too bad Adobe is alienating some of their most influential customers like this. What do they gain? A reputation for stupidity (failure to understand customers, customer needs; treating all the same, 'one size fits all" & all that) & evil (do the worst that will offend the most by default). It's not as if there's that much 'customer loyalty' left in the bag... & equivalent or better s/w exists In many cases (hello Affinity!). You have to hope Adobe will get better advice/ advisors at some stage. But don't hold your breath. 😐

> What do they gain?

One possibility is a feeling they have jumped on the right bandwagon, illusory though it may be.

@Su_G @fifonetworks

@fifonetworks I recommend to use other software. Ditch Adobe.
@roman78 @fifonetworks And in addition to simply saying 'ditch Adobe', check out https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lm51xZHZI6g James Lee did a great video on switching to a different work flow! And for a simple and dumb (Windows based) PDF Reader: Sumatra PDF Viewer
How I Broke up with Adobe

YouTube
@electron_wizard @roman78 @fifonetworks or just your your web browser, they all read PDFs by default and most of them can annotate and modify documents now.

@electron_wizard @roman78 @fifonetworks

I forgot about Sumatra. It was my go to in my Windows days. There's even a portable app version. Throw it on a USB drive or a dropbox account and take it wherever.

@MyWoolyMastadon @roman78 @fifonetworks It's used a lot by the professors at the university I work at, since it can open up 1000 page PDFs with ease!

@electron_wizard

Thank you. I just switched out the Adobe PDF Reader for Sumatra, because of your post.

One less big tech program on my computer.

@roman78 @fifonetworks

@Firlefanz @roman78 @fifonetworks Glad to hear. Although forms can't be filled out, it can open up 1000 page PDFs without any issues. It has some simple annotation stuff, although the user experience is a bit rocky in that regards.

@electron_wizard

Truth is, I mostly need something to look at my receipts and stuff when I do bookkeeping. Can't remember the last time I filled in a form.

I'm sure there are other options if I ever have to.

@Firlefanz @electron_wizard Foxit is okay-ish if you need to fill out form or want to use a lot annotations. most browsers can deal with pdf forms, too.

But Sumatra is really really good for reading.

@electron_wizard @roman78 @fifonetworks I´ve been using PDF Xchange editor for 15 years now. The first thing I do with a new PC at work is deinstalling Adobe. I used to hate them for being bloated, than for their pricing (I know their PDF reader is free, I couldn´t break my habit though), now for their AI slob.
@roman78 @fifonetworks I use PDFGear and got rid of all Adobe things.

@fifonetworks

Adobe is a trash company. I'm surprised there's an option to disable the AI feature.

Years ago I wanted Acrobat Reader to stop putting a shortcut on my desktop every time it updated (roughly monthly). AdobeCare told me to install another Adobe software (an administrative policy editor, basically) to make the change as I couldn't do it in Acrobat Reader itself. I couldn't make heads or tails of that program.

I'm on Linux now though, so I should be safe. No Adobe here.

@munroe @fifonetworks gotta say - moving to linux to esape Adobe... that is a whole mood.

I do understand it tho!

@kaasbaas @fifonetworks

Oh, I didn't move to Linux to escape Adobe, it's just a side benefit.

I just jumped off Windows 10 early (mid-2023) when they announced End-of-Life. I had kind of wanted to switch when I bought this PC in 2019 but I wasn't ready to commit at that point. In 2019 I got this PC and it came with Windows 10. I had used WindowsXP before that, long past its End-of-Life. Now I don't remember why it took me so long to commit to the switch to Linux.

@munroe @fifonetworks nice.

for me, I took one whiff of that stupid Win8, and I made the jump.

Been dual booting for a while before that with the Last Good Windows (7).

I feel for folks trapped in windows by some obscure software requirements (or work compliance reasons)

@kaasbaas @fifonetworks

I stuck with XP for so long because I had to use Vista at work for awhile and really did not like it. (I always ran XP in the gray/boxy Win9x desktop mode, as I also think the green/blue XP is garish.)

When Win7 came out, I heard good things, but the turn-over to Win8 was so fast that I was still on XP. When Win10 came out and I heard it was "the last version of Windows" I was like "Well, they're going to a subscription model" so I avoided it for many years.

@kaasbaas @fifonetworks

I wanted to go to Linux rather than Win10, but I did want to use the computer for games and in 2019 I don't know if Linux+Proton was ready yet. So I stayed on Windows.

So with Windows11, when I was finally on Windows10 (which turned out to be relatively OK aside from all the online integration), I couldn't see any benefit to the consumer for the upgrade. All the benefit was to Microsoft with a new money grab and more telemetry.

So I finally got to Linux. Yay!

@kaasbaas @munroe @fifonetworks anyway, you can use the most of free software alternatives also with Windows.

Therefore, gnu/Linux is better option ;P

(Edit! I thought Adobe bought Figma a few years ago, but apparently the merger failed. My bad…)

@fifonetworks They’ve also been training AI on user documents for Figma for almost a year now. It’s opt out! https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/17725942479127-Control-AI-features-and-content-training-settings

Honestly it’s merely a matter of time before they do it with Creative Cloud too. Too few seems to care… :-/

Control AI features and content training settings

Who can use this feature Available on all paid plans  Note: Figma’s AI features are currently free while in beta, but usage limits may apply. When made generally available, Figma AI will be...

Figma Learn - Help Center
@slembcke
Figma is not Adobe.
@Arnstein @slembcke I thought Adobe bought them, but I looked it up and apparently the deal was cancelled. (posting this for other people having the same thought)
@h5e @Arnstein Same. Whoops. My bad.
@fifonetworks Use pdf x-change editor. It's faster and without AI crap.
@Eglaf @fifonetworks Jumping in to second this. If you're using Windows, PDF exchange is a perfect replacement.
@Eglaf @fifonetworks To add, I too have a lot of cybersecurity concerns, including NDAs that I have with my clients. PDF X-change does everything I need without the AI and surveillance BS.
@fifonetworks But this is only happening when you log in?
@K4mpfie @fifonetworks
I don't think so.
NB: logged in to what? My own PC, that is?
Never knew reading a PDF required an account somewhere...
@bertkoor @fifonetworks No 🙈 I meant logged into an Adobe Account. The question really is: Does Adobe use your files to train it's AI even if you just use the PDF Viewer without an Adobe account
Edit: I know it's not required to have an Adobe Account to open Adobe PDF Viewer, but this vulnerability gets way worse if Adobe scan every PDF that you open it in their program
@fifonetworks I stopped using Adobe products many years ago. For Pdfs I use LibreOffice Draw and i am quite satisfied with it. May the Foss be with you.

I don't need advanced PDF editing options so I'm quite happy with using Skim instead of Acrobat Reader.

https://skim-app.sourceforge.io

I switched from Adobe Creative Suite to Affinity (one-time purchase instead of monthly subscription). Occasional Photoshop users could even try this free web app: https://www.photopea.com

Skim | Home

Skim project web page

@fifonetworks Thank you for highlighting this. Have to check those settings!

@fifonetworks

Yikes.

Although all three Generative AI boxes were unchecked (set to off) when I looked in my settings, so apparently not on by default in the case of my account. Whew. But thanks, will look again every so often.

@fifonetworks the solution is to not use any Adobe products at all. I have uninstalled all from Adobe once they moved to rental. And my adobe account was leaked as well (I only used it once when installing Photoshop because there was no other option). Adobe is not trustworthy. Period!
@fifonetworks @inthehands I used Adobe since Illustrator 4.0. Leaved now.
@fifonetworks The unfortunate thing is that you can assume that they will use whatever data they can get and/or infer about you, and then sell it under the guise of anonimization to a company/companies that will later use it in a way that's impossible the predict now, but which for sure will coax you into buying a future product/service that you most likely don't really need 
@fifonetworks PDF was a bad idea since a veryyyy long time. Maybe people can stop using it now?
@KarlHeinzHasliP i don’t think this post has anything to do with PDF being a good or bad product
@fifonetworks and the idea that it's a default setting is outrageous in and of itself. Just think about it: a corporation that only purpose is to make more money to stakeholders, gets access to your data (and everyone else) because they decided that they have the right to it. And it's not only Adobe, but all of them: Google, Meta, Apple and the lot.
@fifonetworks The "your documents will be processed in the cloud" sentence you have that line pointing at says that happens *when you use generative AI features on them*. It doesn't say they'll preemptively process things before you've done so.

Still worth turning off to prevent misclicks, but "every document you view" is a mischaracterization of what's described in that text.

@fifonetworks What will this mean to Adobes business with European customers, which currently seeking a independence and sovereign place for their processing and data?
At least AWS and Microsoft have reacted by announcing a more independent data-center in the EU. Now Adobe is constructing a short cut for (sensible) data? For AI Learning?

WTF Adobe 😡.
We should advise not to use their products anymore!
This kind of hidden feature is just impudence.
Trusting Adobe? 🤪 A joke

@fifonetworks Just a second aspect for everyone.

Have you implemented it (data loss prevention tool) and you using it effectively and company-wide for data loss prevention?
May you have to think again, thanks to the Adobe short circuit.
Ultimately, if you read AI in the product description, you should proceed as you would with medication: Ask your doctor or pharmacist about risks and side effects.
(Security doctor and Professor privacy)😉

AI does not forget!

@Tom_Huth I'm so old that I still remember the Adobe Flash Player. When it comes to "trust", Adobe isn't exactly the first company that springs to my mind. 😆 @fifonetworks
@shred @fifonetworks Exactly, and yes I remember Adobe Flash as well.
@fifonetworks Given such practices from Adobe, there's no expectation that they'll respect the setting, or come up with a new way to undermine the user's choice in the future. The only sensible path forward is to stop using Adobe products altogether. There are plenty of alternatives.

@albertcardona @fifonetworks ...what's a good Adobe alternative for reading and signing PDFs? 🥹

Edit: on windows

@elduvelle @albertcardona @fifonetworks Firefox is pretty good. Probably can't do digital signing but you can draw a signature with it.
@neuralreckoning @elduvelle @albertcardona @fifonetworks I love Xodo for all things pdf. I use it for annotation on ipad and it's supported across mac, windows, linux and android as well.