Running any software is inherently unsafe. It’s basically the computer equivalent of eating something given to by a stranger, and you just have to trust them that it’s good for you.
But we do it anyway, simply because we have to - not all of us are software devs with unlimited time on our hands.
It basically comes down to whether you trust the origin or not, as well as check the reviews/comments to gauge the reception of other users. If something fishy is going on, word spreads relatively fast.
Tip: While no means foolproof, if the software in question has a github repo, it adds a layer of trust, because that means anyone can review the source.
They’ve been overstepping enough on a regular basis for the last fifty years—the real problem is that they’ve subverted the “reform” process so that reforms that seem adequate to the general public get neutralized or twisted to work in their favor.
That’s why you have more-experienced reform advocates eventually pushing things like “defund the police”—they may be shooting themselves in the foot in terms of popular perception, but it comes from a long history of frustration with lesser reform efforts.
First console I downloaded dlc on (Skies of Arcadia) First game I uploaded my own content for (Jet Grind Radio) First console I emulated games on (Genesis and NES) First console I downloaded and burnt discs of full games (too many)
And, in the 21st century, nothing on your computer is safe and private, least of all, browser extensions.
Even if an extension is safe today, with a tiny handful of notable exceptions, it will be”monetized”, or bought and sold to someone that will use it to install adware on your system, train their AI model, or steal your personal information.
There is no feasible defense to this for a layperson, other than absolute transparency in FOSS, and even that is under attack via flaws in the software supply chain.
The best a layperson can hope for is that major vendors care more about exclusivity and locking others out of their ecosystem, such that they are the only ones who have full control of your data (Apple, Google, Microsoft).
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