Yesterday, I uninstalled AccuWeather. This morning, I happily connected a game to Facebook to play with friends. Then I read this article. I'm such a hypocrite.
Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
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Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#12If as a user, these types of things anger you, please just stop using the product. These practices will continue to get worse as long as users put up with it.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. The vast majority contain SDKs which tattle your whereabouts, contacts and other interesting tidbits to advertising networks.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it.
...Is probably the right answer.
Unfortunately, if you want a phone that actually works these days, you're basically stuck with iOS or Android devices, and all the junk that implies.
If I could buy a modern dumbphone that just works as a phone, with decent components so it has good reception and reliability, and ignore the whole smartphone fiasco altogether, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#13Although, I like their service - just uninstalled. Peace. Didn't even realize this was happening until this article. But seriously, we should consider enacting laws against this. For advertising purposes they shouldn't need anything more than a city location. Even then, there should be an option to turn it off.
EU GDPR: "Valid consent must be explicit for data collected and the purposes data is used for."
But the GDPR doesn't come into effect until May next year.
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. The vast majority contain SDKs which tattle your whereabouts, contacts and other interesting tidbits to advertising networks.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. ...Is probably the right answer. Unfortunately, if you want a phone that actually works these days, you're basically stuck with iOS or Android devices, and all the junk that implies. If I could buy a modern dumbphone that just works as a phone, with decent components so it has good reception and reliability, and ignore the whole smartphon…
You can buy a phone like that, they are usually advertised for rural use
edit: or you can make one http://zerophone.org/ which also has plans to crowdfund some pre-built phones
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. ...Is probably the right answer. Unfortunately, if you want a phone that actually works these days, you're basically stuck with iOS or Android devices, and all the junk that implies. If I could buy a modern dumbphone that just works as a phone, with decent components so it has good reception and reliability, and ignore the whole smartphon…
You can buy a phone like that, they are usually advertised for rural use edit: or you can make one http://zerophone.org/ which also has plans to crowdfund some pre-built phones
I'd love to, but as someone who has spent a lot of time looking recently, it's certainly not easy to find anything suitable here in the UK. You can get dumbphones, but getting a good dumbphone, with reliable reception and decent battery life, is a different question altogether.
If you want anything at all beyond basic features, like say a dual SIM option for use when travelling, you're straight into high-end smartphone territory, even if you actually have no interest in the so-called smart parts of the device.
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. The vast majority contain SDKs which tattle your whereabouts, contacts and other interesting tidbits to advertising networks.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. ...Is probably the right answer. Unfortunately, if you want a phone that actually works these days, you're basically stuck with iOS or Android devices, and all the junk that implies. If I could buy a modern dumbphone that just works as a phone, with decent components so it has good reception and reliability, and ignore the whole smartphon…
I could put you in my will and leave my Nokia to you, I'm fairly sure it will still work by that time :)
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#17Well, yeah. This is the company that lobbied hard to restrict release of public research (ie NOAA mapping data). Of course they are scum.
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#18If as a user, these types of things anger you, please just stop using the product. These practices will continue to get worse as long as users put up with it.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. The vast majority contain SDKs which tattle your whereabouts, contacts and other interesting tidbits to advertising networks.
Would love a source for the "vast majority" part. I doubt hardly any of the apps I use on a regular basis do this, assuming I even give them those permissions.
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
Then you might as well stop using your smartphone and all 3rd party apps on it. The vast majority contain SDKs which tattle your whereabouts, contacts and other interesting tidbits to advertising networks.
Or, you might as well start paying for the apps you use (like more than $1) :) The vast majority of FREE 3rd party apps have tracking SDK, that is an important distinction. I mean really, what did you expect, the developers of those apps giving them for free in exchange for nothing? (the fact that they hide this is another discussion)
Serious question... Is there any data on usage of tracking for paid vs free apps?
There are plenty of cookie onboarding vendors who will pay a monthly recurring CPM rate for mobile logins that they can match against and they do not require you to show ads.
So if the majority of users are not privacy aware and would just accept whatever permissions are requested, what is the disincentive for a paid app to include these trackers and add a recurring revenue stream?
Re: Despite privacy outrage, AccuWeather still shares location data with ad firms
#20Yesterday, I uninstalled AccuWeather. This morning, I happily connected a game to Facebook to play with friends. Then I read this article. I'm such a hypocrite.
Being a hypocrite dosent make you wrong, or your actions meaningless. After all everyone is responsible in at least a tiny way for most of societies systematic ills, but that dosent mean that speaking out, and acting out against them is stupid, pointless or self defeating.