R. S. Doiel, Software Engineer/Analyst — Robert's ramblings
Hacker News
February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The web and internet are currently dominated by large corporations and governments, positioning individuals as tenants and products within a surveillance-driven economy. R.S. Doiel questions this status quo, exploring the potential for shifting ownership to individual people and cooperatives as a means to create a more equitable digital landscape. Drawing parallels to labor movements, he suggests that collective ownership of hardware and software could exert significant influence over the web's future, much like unions did in industries of the past.
Doiel highlights how Big Tech has convinced users that only large corporations can provide user-friendly platforms, discouraging exploration of alternatives. He argues that this narrative is flawed, pointing to the decay of dominant systems within a decade and the lack of genuine innovation from these companies. Instead of fostering progress, they rely on hype cycles to sustain growth, often at the expense of users' privacy and autonomy.
The author emphasizes the potential of simpler, decentralized systems to challenge Big Tech's dominance. Tools like Markdown have democratized web creation, enabling individuals to publish without technical expertise. While past efforts to decentralize systems have faced challenges, successful examples demonstrate the feasibility of breaking free from centralized control. Doiel concludes that empowering individuals and cooperatives through ownership could lead to a more innovative, user-centric internet.
This perspective is particularly relevant today, as tech enthusiasts seek alternatives to corporate-driven platforms. By advocating for individual and cooperative ownership, Doiel envisions a future where the web serves users' interests rather than corporate agendas, fostering greater innovation and reducing exploitation.
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Originally published on Hacker News on 2/23/2026