Kobo readers are really neat, I’ve been using them for over a decade and I don’t remember ever using a Rakuten account or even going online with them for anything but software updates or connecting to my local library system (which Kindle can’t do). I use Calibre on the desktop to manage, convert and load my reader and that’s it.

12+ years user, I nuked all my accounts when the 3rd party apps died. I still follow a few subs that have no replacement yet.

Those events right before summer reddit ensure its a smoldering pile of rotting compost.

I still use The Old Reader online. Don’t need more.