In this episode of Privacy Files, we break down the truth about the subscription model.
What started as “convenience” has morphed into a system of surveillance pipelines and kill switches. Subscriptions don’t just bill you—they track you, profile you, and, in many cases, give corporations the power to shut off features you already paid for.
We’ll cover:
How the shift from ownership to “access” created a perfect cover for constant monitoring
Why subscription data is the lifeblood of modern AI surveillance models
The rise of kill switch capitalism — Tesla, Adobe, and even medical devices you don’t truly own
Why the right to opt out is disappearing—and what that means for your privacy
Who actually benefits: corporations, data brokers, and governments
And how you can start resisting the trap with smarter choices
Resources & Alternatives
🔹 Office & Productivity
LibreOffice (MS Office alternative): https://www.libreoffice.org
OnlyOffice: https://www.onlyoffice.com
🔹 Creative Tools
GIMP (Photoshop alternative): https://www.gimp.org
Krita (Illustration & digital painting): https://krita.org
Inkscape (Vector graphics/Illustrator alternative): https://inkscape.org
Blender (3D creation suite, Autodesk alternative): https://www.blender.org
🔹 Media & Streaming
Jellyfin (Netflix/Plex alternative): https://jellyfin.org
Kodi (Media center): https://kodi.tv
🔹 Cloud & Storage
Nextcloud (Google Drive/Dropbox alternative): https://nextcloud.com
Proton Drive (privacy-focused cloud): https://proton.me/drive
🔹 General Open Source Resources
AlternativeTo (directory for open source & privacy-respecting apps): https://alternativeto.net
Partners & Support
✅ Protect yourself with Aura — all-in-one identity & privacy protection (63% discount for listeners): Get Aura
🔎 Explore Clarity → myclarity.us
🛒 50% Off Digital Privacy Tools → beyondthefirewall.gumroad.com
📬 Become a Firewall Insider → beyondthefirewall.substack.com/subscriber
☕ Support the show → buymeacoffee.com/beyondthefirewall
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