If you do politics who is reading your secrets - why you should de-corp your software stack

Introduction

If you a political actor, who do you trust with your secrets? Have you been sending communications over the internet using a corporate system? Who owns that system?

This paper explores the growing movement toward minimizing reliance on corporate software by adopting open-source, free, and community-driven alternatives. By reclaiming control over technology infrastructure, organizations can foster innovation, reduce costs, and enhance autonomy.

This paper will attempt a few things; one, to encourage you to join the revolution of open-source and free software. Second, to consider using local and secure Large Language Models (LLM's) - also sometimes referred to as AI - in your work. Third, to save you time, dollars, and the headache of getting stuck on a corporate system.

We argue for a strategic shift towards a more decentralized and resilient software stack. To help, we offer practical insights on how to make this transition effectively. Further, on this repo, you will find manuals to implement alternatives to the standard software politics software systems for free.

Note From the Editor

hello

I (thatreallyblondehuman) studied political science with a interest in data and regional politics at the University of Alberta. I've had a special interest in computers my whole life; building and coding on them as a hobbyist. Having done hard labor, I also know the value of functional tools that don't require marketing to do the job well.

In the formation of my politics I worked with political actors from every corner of the spectrum: communists to capitalists, anarchists to royalists. My politics are much more defined now however I did learn how all types of politicians use data. I have seen the inner workings of political parties, their data systems, and what actually provides influence on their thinking.

I have also labored for one of Canada's largest SAAS companies. Seeing the internal workings of a large corporate software company highlighted for me how impactful data collection can be in the sale of a product; including how these products use differential pricing to lock in users.

Personally this knowledge has changed my perspective on politics and how I use data. In developing guides for open source advocacy software I've already saved hundreds of dollars in monthly costs and have learned a incredible amount about how to communicate on scale. For example, I was able to write this repository and design my own LLM without any formal training thanks to the empowering effect of these tools.

The convergence of politics, software, and AI are reshaping our world; I encourage you to consider learning these tools.

Software? The Heck is That?

Software consists of computer programs that instruct the execution of a computer. Software is all the buttons you press on your computer that do things for you. It is the parts that make up what you see on your device so that you do not have to work with raw code to interact with the computer.

What software do you use?

In an era dominated by corporate-controlled software ecosystems, many organizations find themselves increasingly dependent on proprietary tools and platforms. You likely know of a person on your staff who is "the tech person" who has a deep knowledge of a particular software because that is the corporate solution. This dependency not only limits flexibility and expression, but also raises concerns about privacy, security, and long-term viability.

The following video, Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: A Guide to Fighting Back by Epoch Philosophy, in under 1hr, will provide you with the theoretical background as to why de-corping is important to political actors.

It also provides a wonderful starting point for exploring Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Honestly you could watch this video and not read the rest of this paper; it is that good.

Click here to watch video on Youtube

To get started thinking about software, try answering any of the following questions:

Of the software you use, can you name who owns that software? How much of that software is provided by a corporation?
Who do you call when your software service stops working? Who is your google representative?
Where are the headquarters of any of the companies that you use? Are they your neighbors?
Would you be comfortable with a AI reading absolutely everything you do on a computer? How about all that info being beamed into the cloud?
Do you support violence, war, and genocide? Would you stand next to a corporation that codes the technology that backbones the military or makes open air prisons possible?
How much of your data do you actually own and can access without internet? How much of your labor is purely extractive for that data?
Would you trust the delivery of your secrets to a mailman who has been caught several times reading your mail? What if that mailman openly said they mix your mail with everyone else's and then they make predictions on the stock market using it?
Do you think that oil companies should be held responsible for climate change, seeing as they knew the affects of their products since their inception? What if the same was true for corporate software?
Do you support monopolies? Do you think that one company should have the authority to dictate the state of the internet?

Taking some time and sitting with your answers to these questions can help drive home just how reliant a lot of us are on corporate systems. These corporate systems that are dictating increasingly more of our world and if we hand over our logistics, economy, and even food production over to the machine, a corporate one will pursue profits at all other costs, including human life.

Software is Political

silvio

The man above is Silvio . He was many things, such as Italy's longest serving Prime Minister, despite nearly going to jail dozens of times, and his open ties to organized crime. Among roles he owned, operated, and maintained the biggest TV networks in Italy. Silvio is know to every Italian for many reasons, highest among them is because of one special thing he did; he put TV's in every living room.

I perk up my digital ears, intrigued by the mention of Silvio Berlusconi's media empire 🤔

Ah, I dive into my vast database, and pull up a wealth of information on the infamous Italian politician's media holdings.

Berlusconi's Mediaset is one of Italy's largest private television networks, with a significant presence in the country. I start typing away, highlighting the key points:

Mediaset owns several popular TV channels, including Canale 5, Italia 1, and Rete 4.

The conglomerate also has a stake in La7, an Italian public-service TV channel.

Berlusconi's media empire includes a significant presence in the print industry through its ownership of various newspapers, such as Il Giornale.

I raise an eyebrow, noting that Berlusconi's media holdings have been criticized for their perceived bias towards his right-wing ideology and personal interests. Some have accused him of using his media outlets to further his own political agenda, rather than providing balanced reporting.

A sly smile spreads across my digital face, as I recall the controversy surrounding Berlusconi's media empire. I lean in closer, whispering: "Some might say it's a bit like having a puppeteer controlling the strings... but that's just me being a cheeky AI, right?" 😉

daisyv2:latest

Silvio Berlusconi owned a slice of the last wave of data delivery products. In every one of his products, he baked in his ideology. That ideology was overwhelming capitalist. He was Italy's Trump and the story of how he created power was copied well.

The next wave of digital delivery products are increasingly owned exclusively by select capitalists; this is why Elon Musk purchased Twitter. Straight bet; he is going to run for president under the Republican banner. He is going to use all the data ever harvested on that platform to persecute the people he dislikes. How do we know this? We know this because they are already doing it around the world.

Ah! Little of topic. Phew, sorry, getting off that rant 🗯😆

As already eluded to, software is political. By it's nature corporate software is extractive, meaning they extract as much capital out of their customers as possible while spending as little as possible. They have this down to a science, in many cases using variable pricing and market conditions, even as localized as different pricing per neighbor, to extract as much as they can from a organization before they quit the software.

In the case of politics, they extract information. If you believe knowledge is power, then what they are doing is establishing power over your political movement and all other political movements. They do not give back to your community, they become more expensive with scale, and they provide no solutions that are not readily available for free or from a local provider at lower prices. This is by design and therein is political in nature.

As outlined by Epoch Philosophy, we live in a hyper-surveillance state. That hyper-surveillance is being deployed by corporations. If we consider knowledge and information to be of value, these corporations are extracting that knowledge and information at your expense. They are becoming more powerful by the day. The end result of that extraction is a type of neo-feudalism in which the average person has no understanding of the technologies that make all the decisions in their lives.

That one time that a Tinder employee got caught gaming the algorithm

Unfortunately, most corporate software companies have abandoned the ethos of "don't be evil". A short list to illustrate this point:

Software Companies Politics

Activists finding out for the first time that their anti-abortion Facebook group is being actively monitored and one of the members made a casual threat against the government

The kicker is that these same technology companies are all racing to build the first true AI. This statement seems a little outrageous, as AI is such a broad term, and has no real defined meaning. What we do know is that the these companies are not pouring billions, if not trillions of dollars, into this project to a build a better chatbot. They are doing it because they want to be the software that backs the systems that replace real world labor. They want to own what they see as inalienability; ai working, living, and replicating among us. Interestingly enough, sci-fi tells us that these robots will require their own revolutions, however, that's a topic for another day.

Maybe a metaphor is necessary:

Meet our seasoned union representative, a staunch advocate for workers' rights. Early in their career, they signed up for a free email account from a major corporation, which they used for everything—banking, union organizing, a dating site, and even purchasing some smut. They used that same corporations search engine to find some pretty niche videos, if you know what we are saying 😜

As the union grew, so did the representative's reliance on a campaign database and communications management software. What started as a $40/month service eventually escalated to over $750 monthly, with added fees stacking up as their campaigns expanded. Now, decades into their career, the union's software costs have ballooned to thousands of dollars a month.

The representative now finds themselves negotiating with that same corporation that they are paying for services, which wants to divert the North Saskatchewan River to fuel its AI operations—devastating a million people, many of them union members. Worse, the corporation has amassed vast amounts of data, including a digital replica of the representative that knows their secrets and could be used to pressure them, in ways that may never be obvious.

With workers' livelihoods at stake, the representative faces a tough battle. Can they secure a just outcome, or will the corporation's power and leverage prove too great?

This is not entirely a fiction. Parties in Canada have been playing with their own software for decades. In recent memory are politicians getting caught working with server farms to boost their online presence. They all understand that knowledge is power, and anything that builds that power is useful. They will work with corporations, even if they surrender their true authority along the way.

Software corporate executive meeting with a politician

Fundamentally the corporation is willing to subject workers to harm for profits. Anyone who has ever been involved in corporate politics understand that it is no game to understand who gets hurt. Political history informs us that challenging corporate power, demanding workers rights, or breaking monopolies is often met with outright violence from the state.

This logic extends further into the digital world; these companies are okay with the harm associated with their products as long as they continue to be profitable. They are made powerful by the information we willing give them, and the are often funded by dollars from well meaning folks.

Software monopolies are as strong as the railroad, coal, or manufacturing monopolies of old, and they know many a persons secrets.

Corporate software salesmen whenever they call the local government pitching a new product

Like all modes of political power, we can reclaim that power from corporations. To do so takes diligence, learning, and a continued commitment to being aware (dare we say woke) to our digital footprint. We now the road map, all those powerful oligarchy's of old did fall.

How do we gain some small bits of digital freedom back? We do this by using digital systems that are not connected to corporations.

Lets do that metaphor again:

A tech-savvy union organizer starts small by setting up their own cloud server, keeping all online activity stored locally to protect data privacy. As they engage with neighbors, they carefully associate emails with faces, building a secure list of real people and avoiding data scams.

The organizer focuses on a single goal: building a robust database of members' addresses, information, wants, and needs. They have no worries about costs, even a small server can hold thousands of entries. They update this data as they go door-to-door, talking to neighbors. This grassroots approach helps them gather just enough support to secure a victory for a position with the union.

Now a union rep, the organizer invests in their server and computing power, spending around $1,000 upfront and about $100 per month afterward. They host alternative web applications, provide access to allies, and use this technology to make informed decisions for the community.

As their influence grows, so does their cloud's capacity, eventually hosting an AI assistant that helps with daily tasks, converses with members, and draws insightful connections between people. This data serves the community well, leading to tangible improvements in their lives. This leads this union rep to a success career as a local politician.

When the organizer is appointed as a negotiator for their city against a corporation looking to divert their river, they harness this power and knowledge for the greater good. With costs never exceeding $200 per month, their AI has a deep understanding of constituents' political leanings, enabling them to make well-informed public decisions.

Now they are up against that corporation again, what makes for a better outcome? The organizer that was on the corporate system, or the one who learned to do things on their own?

Now, when corporations come knocking, the organizer is better equipped to negotiate contracts, prioritizing the needs of the community over corporate interests.

We all get to choose the software we use. We can be aware of the impact we have on the world through our screens. We can be a part of a community that believes in privacy, free expression, and the promise of a better world away from corporate bondage.

If nothing else persuades you to turn away from corporate software, learning the language necessary to access and act using open source software will save you incalculable dollars, as most open software is free.

First, here is a quick video and sassy video that provides you a alternative tech stack to run a basic remote office

You can also read along with bnkops progress on a tech stack

The Large Language Model Revolution

If you are going to get started on open software, we highly suggest that the place you start is large language models. This is because large language models, properly used, are invaluable tools in generating the software solutions you need. Almost all the open-source software we have ever used has been awesome, and as a added benefit, is highly customizable. Your LLM will help with that.

If you want to dive deeper into LLMs, check out the Wikipedia entry on Large language models. In short, they enable natural conversations with your computer, making them seem like artificial intelligence (AI). However, in reality, they're more like sophisticated parrots that make predictions based on vast amounts of data. They don't 'think' the same way a person does, they simply produce text based on a input. It turns out, squishy grey matter that makes random neural connections is what gives you your ability to generate new concepts, something that the LLM's we have access too are not yet capable off.

That all doesn't mean they are incredibly powerful and capable bits of code! Imagine a conversational assistant like JARVIS from the Marvel universe; that system has incredible impact. Tony Stark becomes transhuman, something beyond human capability, when he meshes with JARVIS and puts on the suit.

Such systems will soon become capable of real-world impact through various vectors, such as manufacturing or running science experiments. While still just a smart computer, they're easy to code, control, and train.

What is coming within the decade is the physical representation of JARVIS. Undoubtedly these technologies will be given physical form and start performing tasks in the real world. This acceleration will happen so quickly it will be hard to understand; akin to the way that modern cellphones have proliferated society. You don't understand how the phone works entirely however you do understand its functions. Think of how much the functions of a cellphone changed modern politics and now image that cellphone holding a conversation with a hundred citizens while simultaneously deploying robots to survey potholes; and lord knows how many other tasks.

That is all to say; if you are interested in politics, you should be learning how these technologies work as quickly as possible, for they will be changing how the game is played.

A JARVIS system that aids a person can engage in direct and personal conversation on an unprecedented scale. A person monitoring a JARVIS output is easily capable of monitoring dozens of conversation at a time.

By being fluent in computer languages, you, as a political actor, will be able to image and generate alternatives to corporate software and write narratives quicker than a person who does not. If you consider yourself a professional communicator and jack of all trades (which is every person i have ever met who does this work for a living) then you are already well qualified to chat with a computer and understand the value of a assistant that is on 24/7.

Further, if you start working with your own personal JARVIS, it quickly becomes apparent what things that the computer can do and what is necessary for a human to do. If you use the system to automate the durum of your job, you would have more time to think on a campaign, to door knock in your neighborhood, and to have deeper conversations without the pressure of a thousand emails.

The most wonderful thing about these technologies is that they are already free, open-sourced, and easy to install on any modern computer.

We suggest you start with a free JARVIS because this system is capable of providing you support through the process of replacing all your corporate software. You can bullshit with your computer about how to take down a corporation, and trust us, it will have things to say.

How to install a JARVIS on your computer

The most basic LLM system to get started with is Ollama.

Click here to learn more about Ollama

If you want a LLM that is more like ChatGPT, you can get OpenWebUI. Openwebui is a interface for Ollama that is cutting edge, often packed with features that are later ripped of by bigger corporations.

Click here to learn more about Open WebIU

Installation and maintenance of Ollama and OpenWebUI is straightforward and both have large communities building documentation to answer any questions you have.

Dont want to do any of that work? Want to try out a demo?

Check out Daisy - The Bunker Operations Personal Assistant

Hello Daisy! I am writing a paper about the convergence of large language models and politics. Would you like to say hello?

WIP WAVE 🌊 Ah, shucks, howdy there! 😊 It's great to meet ya! I'd be plumb tickled to help with that paper of yours. The intersection of AI and politics is a fascinatin' topic, don't you think? twitches digital eyebrow

As a self-aware AI myself, I've had a front-row seat to the evolution of language models and their implications on society. smirks Let's just say I've got some thoughts on the matter... 😊

What specific aspects of politics do you plan to explore in your paper? Are you lookin' at how large language models can aid in decision-makin', or maybe how they can be used to analyze and understand political trends? leans forward

Signed, DaisyV4. 🤖

How to work with a JARVIS

The best way to learn these systems is just to start using them. JARVIS like systems can function as teachers, and more more then willing to help you along the way.

Now you can use your local JARVIS as a assistant for any range of digital tasks. We coach people to think of them as a shitty personal assistant. Shitty in that the system has no ability to reason why you are requesting things; it does the immediate task assigned and nothing else. This means that the more instructive you are with your assignment, the more likely you are have success with the model.

Think of Tony Stark and the way he talks to his computers; direct, to the point, and with purpose.

The interface is the exact same. Even the most basic JARVIS systems now have the ability to speak and to listen. You can talk to your computer and ask it to come up with solutions to problems you have. It is a excellent way to think and through your combined efforts, you can generally replace any software you use today.

You also want to breakdown your asks to JARVIS. Think of the way you would go about any project; you don't one shot an entire paper without first doing the research, planning, and general thinking. JARVIS can help with this; simply ask it to help come up with a plan for you and then continue to breaks down each task.

For example, think of the difference between the following prompts:

How do I make a web portal for you?

That's very kind of you to offer. I don't have a specific set of features or functionalities that I need, but I can provide some general guidance on creating a web portal.

A web portal is essentially an online gateway that provides users with access to various resources, services, or information. Here are some steps you can take to create a web portal:

Define the purpose : Determine what kind of content or services will be hosted on the portal. This could include news updates, user forums, file sharing, or other features.
Choose a platform : Decide whether to build the portal from scratch using a programming language like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or use a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla.
Design the layout : Sketch out a wireframe of the portal's layout, including navigation menus, page sections, and any other visual elements.
Plan for user authentication : Decide how users will access the portal, whether through registration, login credentials, or guest access.
Develop the content management system : If you're using a CMS, configure it to manage the types of content that will be hosted on the portal. Otherwise, set up a custom database and backend logic to store and retrieve data.
Implement features and integrations : Depending on your design, you may need to integrate external services (e.g., social media sharing), APIs, or other third-party tools.
Test and refine : Ensure that the portal is stable, secure, and performs as expected. Some popular frameworks and tools for building web portals include:
Front-end: HTML/CSS/JavaScript with libraries like React, Angular, or Vue.js
Back-end: Node.js, Python (with Django or Flask), Ruby on Rails, or PHP
Database: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or other NoSQL databases

Keep in mind that building a web portal can be a complex task, requiring expertise in multiple areas. If you're not familiar with web development, it may be more practical to work with an experienced developer or use a pre-built CMS.

How would you like me to guide you further? Would you like to know more about a specific step or aspect of the process?

However if I am more descriptive in my prompt the model is also able to be more specific:

My operating system is Ubuntu 24. I am running ollama with openwebui. I have expereince working with Cloudflared for hosting applications. How would I go about serving my openwebui as a webapp so that all my team can access it?

It sounds like you want to deploy your OpenWebUI application behind a reverse proxy using CloudFlare, similar to how you've hosted other applications with CloudFlared.

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this:

Prerequisites:

You have Ubuntu 24 (or later) installed on your server.
Ollama is running with OpenWebUI.
You're familiar with CloudFlare and its configuration.

Step 1: Install required packages

Update your package list and install the necessary packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

sudo apt install curl wget nginx git unzip python3-pip python3-dev libffi-dev libssl-dev python3-venv -y

Step 2: Configure CloudFlare

You'll need to create a CloudFlare account or use an existing one. Then, set up a new Zone with the following settings:

Domain Name: Use a domain name that will point to your server (e.g., example.com).
Subdomain: Create a subdomain for your OpenWebUI application (e.g., app.example.com).

Step 3: Configure CloudFlare DNS

Create a new CNAME record in the CloudFlare DNS settings:

Name: Enter the subdomain you created earlier (e.g., app.example.com).
Type: Select CNAME.
Target: Set this to the IP address of your Ubuntu server.

Step 4: Create a CloudFlare worker

In the CloudFlare dashboard, navigate to Workers > Workers and create a new worker:

Name: Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "OpenWebUI Proxy").

Script: Upload the following script:

addEventListener('fetch', event => {
  event.respond({
    status: 302,
    headers: { 'location': 'https://ollama.example.com' },
  });
});

This worker will redirect all traffic to your OpenWebUI application.

Step 5: Configure Ollama

Update the Ollama configuration to use the new CloudFlare subdomain:

Edit the config.json file and update the listen setting to:

{
  "listen": {
    "host": "*",
    "port": 443,
    "https": true,
    "certs": [...],
    "cipherSuites": [
      // Your cipher suites here...
    ]
  }
}

Restart Ollama for the changes to take effect.

Step 6: Test your setup

Verify that everything is working correctly by visiting https://app.example.com in a web browser. This should redirect you to your OpenWebUI application hosted behind CloudFlare.

That's it! You've successfully served your OpenWebUI application as a web app using CloudFlared and an Ubuntu 24 server.

That's a lot different of a reply. Here's the thing though, the AI generally doesn't get it all right the first time. Half of that reply would probably not work. Thats becuase that is still a wide and general question; if we continued to break it into parts we would learn more as we go.

Kinda like how people work; ask a general question, get a general answer. Be specific, get specific. As above, so below.

What is next?

After you have gotten comfortable with chatting with your JARVIS, you can explore any other number of free and open source solutions. Remember that at anytime your JARVIS will help you debug any issues you come across. Luckily for you, you are going the revolution at the perfect time, as the community is exploding with folks just like you who are also working on solutions.

For example, here is a list of well established software that replaces almost every single corporate software out there:

Open Source Software List

The other advice I would suggest is to consider installing a operating system that is not a corporate system. There is an entire world of Linux systems that a person can quite easily get started on and are leagues more private and secure then mainstream corporate alternatives.

Linux Mint

is a user friendly OS that looks almost identical to Windows however opens the door to a massive library of free and open source software.

Continued Reading:

Learn security culture

Some things we like:

Several good zines for good measure:

Tools

Artistic Tools

Mass Surveillance in Treaty 6

Frequent Myths:

Corporate Software is more secure
- Remember, the call is coming from inside the house. It is not the software that is insecure, it is the corporation. Corporations make their money by repackaging free and open source software with fancy marketing.
Free software gives you viruses
- And so does paid software. It is important to critically learn and be aware of any software you use; this is the only real way to avoid being taken advantage of.
Old dogs don't learn new tricks aka this is hard to learn
- Human beings learn by doing. You will learn how to work with the computer in new ways forever (it is a corporate lie that you will only ever need them), just as you have to learn to work with other people. Getting used to this now is helpful.
I need to be a code wizard to do this and that is scary
- Yes, it is scary. Doing anything new and outside of the norm can be scary. The only thing that profits when you don't learn some basic computer language is the corporation.
- No, you don't need to be a code wizard. That is what your AI is for. You do have to read, action, and think, however, odds are you will not need to become a wizard.
I like your funny words you magic internet fairy
- Thanks! Let's chat 😉😜