Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You • Hacker News Board

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#51

Post by charlesray » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 12:41 PM UTC

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #48

charlesray wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I THINK, and I could be totally wrong, but I THINK that on at least some platforms, when an app requires access to information stored locally on your phone, it's an all-or-nothing thing. So if Spotify needs permissions to local media files (which it obviously does) then there's no way to grant that without also giving it access to your local photos, for example. Could be totally wrong, I don't know, but I remember he…

That would make sense.

Awhile ago there was some major app, I think Facebook, that updated its Android version, and everyone freaked out because the new version required a seemingly-outrageous level of access. Some kind soul went down the whole list and explained by everything it requested was critical to the functionality of the app, and I seem to recall one of those explanations involving access to local files.

Also, people need to take a step back and look at these privacy notices for what they really are: legal liability waivers. When Spotify says they are allowed to give your data to third parties, they are not saying "we are selling your data to third party marketers as we speak." They're saying, "if this data ends up in the hands of someone other than Spotify, you cannot sue us." That's it.

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#52

Post by imglorp » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 12:54 PM UTC

jalfresi wrote: post #3

Is this for real? I pay £10 a month to avoid this crap and now I'm lumped in as well? Screw this, I'm off to Apple Music.

Or, use the money to buy albums (the old fashioned way) and put them on your device or dropbox or whatever. Then you don't spray your private information around the galaxy.

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#53

Post by ibbb » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 1:14 PM UTC

axx wrote: post #31

I'm wondering how this would work with Apples privacy features ? Before any App can access your location, contacts, picture and so on, you need to give it permission.

Exactly, it specifically states: With your permission, we may...

Much about nothing...

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#54

Post by mosselman » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 1:32 PM UTC

charlesray wrote: post #42

jalfresi wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am under no illusions that Apple keeps this information. I've opted out of iAds so I know that my data is not being used against me, and Apple do not sell my data to third-parties. To be clear, Spotify using my habits and data to improve their service I have no problem with; it makes a better service for me! Same with Apple. Maybe I should have explained clearer in my original comment (though I thought it was obvio…

"It's a plain cash grab at my expense." It is absolutely not.

Explain please how it is ABSOLUTELY not. It must be at least a bit, because you can tick off a few from the list of the definitions:

Noun

cash grab ‎(plural cash grabs)

    1. (derogatory) product designed without love or care, with the sole intent of generating profits 
    2. (politics) Legislation that serves primarily the purpose of generating revenue. 
    3. An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.
    4. The money generated by a cash grab. 
    5. A game in which players attempt to grab as much money as possible.

Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cash_grab

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#55

Post by cholantesh » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 1:55 PM UTC

jamesblonde wrote: post #16

benihana wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah you already said that elsewhere, also without any kind of proof or even a hint that it might be true.

Dude, that's how the real world works. Hacks do not read updates to privacy policies. They get a tip-off and summary of what to write. I don't need proof. That's how it works.

It being tinfoil?

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#56

Post by cholantesh » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 1:59 PM UTC

caractacus wrote: post #49

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #45

I don't use spotify and I usually don't like social anything (except HN, of course). However... Surely there are reasonable explanations. Let's break this down. GPS and motion sensors. Why could they want this? Maybe they will switch up your play list when you go for that run. Seems plausible. Contacts. Ok, everything is social, so maybe they want to send your current track to other spotify users in your contacts. Se…

> GPS and motion sensors. Why could they want this? Maybe they will switch up your play list when you go for that run. Seems plausible. They introduced a running feature a few months ago that does, indeed, attempt to match the bpm of a playlist to your running cadence. > Contacts. Ok, everything is social, so maybe they want to send your current track to other spotify users in your contacts. Seems plausible. Share a…

The photo one stumped me as well, but I figured it was something innocuous. I remember similarly misguided outrage over the Facebook app's 'new' permissions just a few months (I think) ago.

Side note: these features make me think I should probably switch from Rdio, though I guess some of those use cases are satisfied by Songza...

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#57

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 1:59 PM UTC

caractacus wrote: post #49

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #45

I don't use spotify and I usually don't like social anything (except HN, of course). However... Surely there are reasonable explanations. Let's break this down. GPS and motion sensors. Why could they want this? Maybe they will switch up your play list when you go for that run. Seems plausible. Contacts. Ok, everything is social, so maybe they want to send your current track to other spotify users in your contacts. Se…

> GPS and motion sensors. Why could they want this? Maybe they will switch up your play list when you go for that run. Seems plausible. They introduced a running feature a few months ago that does, indeed, attempt to match the bpm of a playlist to your running cadence. > Contacts. Ok, everything is social, so maybe they want to send your current track to other spotify users in your contacts. Seems plausible. Share a…

[deleted]

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#58

Post by joopxiv » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 2:50 PM UTC

cholantesh wrote: post #55

jamesblonde wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dude, that's how the real world works. Hacks do not read updates to privacy policies. They get a tip-off and summary of what to write. I don't need proof. That's how it works.

It being tinfoil?

If you really think this is such a ridiculous idea, I suggest you read Ryan Holiday's "Trust Me, I'm Lying".

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#59

Post by cholantesh » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 5:00 PM UTC

joopxiv wrote: post #58

cholantesh wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It being tinfoil?

If you really think this is such a ridiculous idea, I suggest you read Ryan Holiday's "Trust Me, I'm Lying".

Amazon summary looks interesting; I've ordered it. I just feel that it's more often a case of incompetence than deliberate manipulation of the truth.

Re: Spotify Just Got Real Creepy with the Data It Collects on You

#60

Post by charlesray » Thu, Aug 20, 2015, 6:38 PM UTC

mosselman wrote: post #54

charlesray wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"It's a plain cash grab at my expense." It is absolutely not.

Explain please how it is ABSOLUTELY not. It must be at least a bit, because you can tick off a few from the list of the definitions: Noun cash grab ‎(plural cash grabs) 1. (derogatory) product designed without love or care, with the sole intent of generating profits 2. (politics) Legislation that serves primarily the purpose of generating revenue. 3. An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.…

You're doing exactly what Forbes wants you to do: fear mongering. Privacy policies are legal liability waivers. They are not statements of intent. There is absolutely no indication whatsoever that Spotify is harvesting your data and selling it to third parties to make some money on the side. That is a ridiculous assumption, and you need to provide damn good evidence if you expect me to even begin to consider that.

What any REASONABLE person would assume is that Spotify is simply doing what everyone else does, which is track your usage of their product in order to better target ads.