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Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

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Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#51

Post by Karunamon »

cdurth wrote: post #43
matt_wulfeck wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They fought hard to create a platform where this type of thing doesn't/can't happen.

IMO, it is very ignorant to think they are not getting the data from apple. They just have the ability to openly do it on their own with android.

What makes you think they're getting the data from Apple? The entire OS is sandboxed and siloed out the proverbial wazoo, and Apple is demonstrably a very pro-privacy company that doesn't allow most forms of carrier fuckery.

Apple has the power here. Verizon needs the iPhone on their network more than Apple needs to support Verizon as a carrier.

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#52

Post by Paul-ish »

danepowell wrote: post #28

Can anyone speculate what will happen if I'm using an unlocked Google device (Nexus 5X) on Verizon? Will the new app be force-installed somehow? And can it be removed?

Someone else said elsewhere*

>Surely they are going to be loading it using Carrier Configuration tied to the sim card... As soon as you put a verizon sim card into your unlocked non verizon phone it installed a bunch of helper apps.

>https://source.android.com/devices/tech/config/carrier.html

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14004304

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#53

Post by philipov »

teaneedz wrote: post #46
ziszis wrote: post #7

Verizon's plan when buying AOL [0] wasn't to become a media company, but to become a leader in ad tech. The way to lead in ad tech is to control data. Technology alone is not a moat. Verizon has made several attempts at unlocking the carrier data including the short-lived header injection [1]. Phone data is the holy grail of data (location, voice conversations, web browsing, apps, address, and potentially purchase hi…

Yep. The reason why we are in this mess and attack on Internet privacy is because of Ad Tech. We need to get developers to stop supporting ad tech. The stigma of working in ad tech needs to result in enough stink on one's employment history that it's not worth the hassle.

Stigmatizing one's employment history only impacts people who are trying to switch from advertising to a different industry. This means it has the effect of locking employees into staying in advertising.

I understand that the logic goes that people will avoid going into advertising in the first place if it limits their employment choices, but that assumes there isn't enough work to stay in advertising. If advertising is already a profitable career path, switching industries later is not a significant consideration now, and your proposal actually makes it easier for advertisers to hold onto talent.

We should be encouraging people to get out of advertising, not stigmatizing it.

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#54

Post by Taek »

Between the Google play store, Android's general insecurity, and now cell carriers actively pushing spyware, what alternatives exist?

And please don't say iOS. It's closed source, which means we really don't know what's going on under the hood. We may trust it today, but one secret court order + an overnight update is all we need to lose everything with iOS. Apple execs may not even be made aware of such an update if the order was delivered to the engineers directly.

What are my options such that I'll actually feel comfortable when I sleep at night? My phone knows everything. All my emails (which can typically be used to get into everything else), all my contacts, all my calendar events, where I go every day, and I'm even paranoid that it records all of my conversations. This isn't schizophrenia, we know that devices record people's conversations without their knowledge. A phone doing the same is just one step away.

So what can I do? How can I get some sanity and security around my mobile life?

Would be a great step to have a phone that:

+ Fully open source. (Sorry Android you don't count) + Hardware switch for mic + Hardware switch for location services

Or at least a phone that is beginning to move in that direction? Should I just stop using my phone?

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#55

Post by chrisper »

jaredandrews wrote: post #35
colanderman wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried a Verizon MVNO? There's a list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_v... The biggest name I know from that list is Credo. This is what my wife & I did for a while (but with AT&T, since we wanted GSM). Although now we're both happy Republic Wireless customers.

Never looked into it. Thanks for the link!

Just know that MVNOs usually have some drawbacks. E.g. slightly higher pings, lower priority etc.

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#56

Post by chrisper »

kylehotchkiss wrote: post #17

Not trying to be an Apple fanboy here, but at least apple can generate revenue without resorting to something this low. Guess they gotta make sure Mr. McAdam can earn his $18,000,000 check.

This has nothing to do with Apple vs. Google. It has more to do with Android being Open Source. So they modify Android + put the Google stuff on it (which Verizon is paying a fee for).

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#57

Post by chrisper »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #36
cdurth wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does apple have to do with this?

Presumably that since Apple directly controls it's software updates, that this sort of thing doesn't occur on their platform.

Well, if you buy an unlocked phone, then it won't happen to you either. That's why I bought the Pixel from the Google Store and not through a carrier.

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#58

Post by chrisper »

bichiliad wrote: post #50
noxToken wrote: post #48

Is this truly just an app or is it functionality tied to base OS configuration? If its the former, I should be able to uninstall via root like all the other bloatware crap, correct?

If it is the former, don't forget that having a rooted phone likely puts you in the minority. Most people don't have the patience or confidence in their technical abilities to root their phones.

There is also the fact that the Verizon version of the Pixel is not rootable as they locked down the bootloader.

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#59

Post by tgb »

jaredandrews wrote: post #35
colanderman wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried a Verizon MVNO? There's a list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_v... The biggest name I know from that list is Credo. This is what my wife & I did for a while (but with AT&T, since we wanted GSM). Although now we're both happy Republic Wireless customers.

Never looked into it. Thanks for the link!

I use page plus cellular on a Moto G4. Uses the Verizon network and I have no Verizon bloat at all. I never had to root the phone either. The Motorola/Lenovo bloat is quite minimal. I pay under 30 dollars a month, but don't need much data.

Re: Verizon announces plans to install a download-tracking app on its Android phones

#60

Post by ISL »

Disclaimer: I own Tucows shares.

Ting, a MVNO and ISP, views customer privacy as an important value.

While Ting may not be able to prevent their upstream mobile providers from bundling such an app, everything I've seen from the company would lead me to believe that Ting would fight it as best it can on principle.

https://ting.com/blog/congress-votes-repeal-broadband-privac...

Also, Ting voice and SMS roam on the Verizon network. Less expensive, too.

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