9 chapters across the catalog
The episode concludes with a musical mix featuring themes of Adobe Flash's expiration, "Maccabee" references, and a satirical song about Barack Obama's drone program. The final sign-off includes the show's "Value for Value" URL and the "Over! Enjoy!" catchphrase.
The official end-of-life for Adobe Flash has caused functionality issues for legacy web content, highlighting the control software companies exert over user hardware. Concurrently, the No Agenda Social platform is seeing increased traffic as users migrate from mainstream social media. Administrators are considering data retention policies to manage the terabytes of archive data generated by the federated network.
Opt-In vs. Opt-Out and Software Installation Scams
The hosts argue that "opt-in" privacy settings are often a red herring because companies use "dark patterns" to trick users. They cite the example of Adobe Flash updates bundling McAfee software and reference the South Park "HUMANCENTiPAD" episode as a commentary on unread user agreements.
Ad Blockers, Network Monetization Challenges
The hosts propose a "Blockr" product that would scramble GPS tracking data to protect user privacy. They discuss Adobe's findings that 28% of website traffic is non-human, driven by the Internet of Things and automated microservices. The conversation concludes that monetizing the network through advertising is becoming increasingly difficult as bot traffic rises and users resist tracking.
Dish Network Turner Dispute and HBO Streaming
Dish Network drops Turner Broadcasting channels, including CNN, due to a carriage dispute, replacing them with MSNBC. The hosts discuss Michael Wolff's thesis that television is disrupting the internet through new streaming services from HBO and CBS. They also criticize Adobe for its "spy-like" reporting features embedded in the Flash player used for online video distribution.
Adobe announces a data breach affecting 2.9 million customers, including credit card information. The hosts discuss Adobe's deep integration with government tracking, specifically through Acrobat forms and persistent background update services on Mac and Windows.
Producer Donations, Adobe Deconstruction Feedback
Executive Producer Lee Canyon contributes $521, citing a recent deconstruction of Adobe's business model as the motivation. The segment acknowledges the frustration users feel toward bloated software like Flash and Acrobat. Other donors, including Sir 19 Inch Rack and Daniel McInnes, are recognized for their support.
The discussion focuses on Adobe's role in the surveillance ecosystem. They reference Steve Jobs' 2010 "Thoughts on Flash" letter, which cited security and reliability as reasons for excluding Flash from iOS. The hosts suggest Flash is a "black box" used for persistent tracking and spying.
Flame Malware, Cyber Warfare, Adobe Flash Vulnerabilities
A sophisticated 20-megabyte malware known as "Flame" has been discovered targeting computers in the Middle East, particularly in Iran. Security experts note that while the bundle is large, it uses spying techniques that have existed for over a decade, such as activating microphones and logging keystrokes. The hosts speculate that the malware may be linked to vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash or distributed via Google services.
