All Security Wants In Return Is To Bring Dev Into Compliance

The internet privacy battle in a nutshell. That sad little cookie complaining "no one accepts me anymore" is basically every tracking cookie since GDPR and privacy regulations kicked in. Meanwhile, we're all that naive adventurer saying "I accept you" without realizing we're being lured into a trap. Next thing you know, you've got fifty marketing emails, personalized ads for things you whispered about near your phone, and somehow Facebook knows you're pregnant before you do. Pro tip: That "Accept All" button might as well say "Please sell my soul to the data mining overlords." Just hit reject and move on with your life – unless you genuinely enjoy those eerily specific ads for things you Googled once three years ago.

Nothing says "I'm a real software engineer" quite like random people asking you to hack Instagram accounts. The true initiation ritual isn't getting your degree or landing that first job—it's when your aunt's neighbor's cousin's dog walker thinks you're basically Anonymous because you can fix the Wi-Fi. Welcome to the club. Your complimentary caffeine addiction and existential dread are in the mail.

The tech industry's relationship with the word "open" is like that ex who said they wanted an "open relationship" but actually meant "I want to see other people while you stay committed." On the left, we've got "Open" VPNs with fine print that would make a lawyer blush: "free" (after you pay), "unlimited" (for exactly two people), and source code you can view from such a distance you'll need the James Webb telescope. And then there's "Open" AI on the right—about as open as Fort Knox during a security drill. "Open research" (coming never), "open models" (just trust us, bro), and an "open culture" where sharing is strictly forbidden. After 15 years in tech, I've learned that "open" is corporate-speak for "we'll keep it open until we've captured enough market share to slam the door shut." Classic bait-and-switch, now with 100% more paywalls!

Open a terminal in public and suddenly you're the digital equivalent of a witch in Salem. Just trying to check disk space but the crowd's already gathering kindling. Non-tech folks see those colorful command lines and immediately assume you're either hacking the Pentagon or summoning digital demons. The number of times I've had to explain that "sudo apt update" isn't actually breaching national security is frankly exhausting.

Ah, the classic illusion of software stability. Up top, you've got users blissfully sipping cocktails on what they think is a perfectly secure balcony, completely oblivious to what's happening below. Meanwhile, there's literally one exhausted developer in a hard hat frantically patching the crumbling foundation that's barely holding everything together. The entire app is one bad commit away from collapsing into the sea, but sure, Karen, go ahead and process that critical financial transaction. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Ah yes, the classic "we broke something essential so now you need our premium feature" strategy. Vercel basically saying "Hey, our static generation doesn't work with security? Have you tried... not using static generation and paying us instead?" 🤔 For the uninitiated: CSP (Content Security Policy) is a crucial security feature that helps prevent attacks like XSS. But apparently making it work with static generation was too much trouble, so the solution is "just use our dynamic rendering instead!" Which, coincidentally, costs more money. What a shocking coincidence! It's the tech equivalent of a mechanic breaking your brakes then suggesting you buy a parachute.