OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics • Hacker News Board

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#141

Post by fps » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:01 PM UTC

amelius wrote: post #64

rightos wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're running Windows 10, even "top of the line desktop PCs" engage in data collection these days - I have to turn off pages of settings and set group policies to disable it all properly and even then there are still some things which can't be disabled, like the Bing hit every time you type in the search box even with internet search disabled, so I have to use hosts file blocking. https://arstechnica.com/informat…

Yeah, but I can buy a motherboard, cpu, disk and whatnot, assemble them, run Windows or Linux on it. Of course, with phones it is more difficult to assemble stuff (everything is much smaller), but the whole concept of a standardized open platform is not there. Somebody should define the "PC Phone", and declare it an open standard.

Intel and AMD both embed monitoring processors with unaudited binary OSes in their CPUs: https://boingboing.net/2016/06/15/intel-x86-processors-ship-... Intel calls their spy cpu "Management Engine", AMD calls it "Platform Security Processor." Both run code that sits between the OS you're running and the CPU, for the supposed purpose of remotely managing PCs in an organization.

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#142

Post by Outrageous » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:05 PM UTC

There is a setting under settings/advanced called 'join user experience program' which is on by default. Does this have anything to do with this data collection?

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#143

Post by GoodAdmiral » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:13 PM UTC

Shame, I really like my phone, but this level of data collection is completely unacceptable.

However, this post does need third party verification.

In the meantime, let's up vote it to the top and keep it there.

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#144

Post by ProAm » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:16 PM UTC

princekolt wrote: post #59

SimplyUnknown wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The sales page is nice and all, but this is the page that matters: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ . TL;DR: we collect the shit out of you and share it with third parties as we see fit. If you disagree you will get a crippled experience

Yes, but be careful: > Personal information will only be shared by Apple to provide or improve our products, services and advertising; it will not be shared with third parties for their marketing purposes. This goes in contrast with most tech companies such as Amazon and Google. However, Apple does have the horrible clause: > in the event of a reorganization, merger, or sale we may transfer any and all personal infor…

Does Apple define what 'Personal Information' is or encompasses?

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#145

Post by drdaeman » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:31 PM UTC

482794793792894 wrote: post #132

ohgodmorecow wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can easily turn off this feature. But it's forced on Oxygen.

That doesn't really make a difference. Opt-out is essentially the same as just forcing it. The vast majority of users will never even know that they could be opting out.

I believe it's not opt-out.

IIRC, you're properly asked, the first time you try to do something, whenever you want to enable relevant tracking - e.g. share location history (e.g. when trying to set up "show my location"), or save voice data on Google servers (e.g. when setting up voice unlocking), etc etc.

I'm not exactly sure about app history and in-app search, though - just honestly don't remember about it. But it could be that user is actually asked at account setup time.

Point is, for many things Google actually properly asks for permission. Guess, it works for them, because timing's relevant. (They probably have ton of invisible tracking as well.)

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#146

Post by subway » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:38 PM UTC

kllrnohj wrote: post #100

amelius wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This makes me wonder: why can we have a top of the line desktop PC which is totally libre, but not a smartphone? What has gone wrong?

You can have a similarly libre smartphone. All the phones Google sells have unlockable bootloaders and you can build Android from source yourself including the kernel. There are many 3rd party open-source ROMs built on this. But since you end up with essentially the same OS with essentially the same userspace doing essentially the same thing it raises questions of why go through the effort and hassle. You're complete…

What's really scary is that most Android SoCs now have the baseband sitting in the same package as your CPU, with similar levels of access to system memory. The baseband firmware is usually unmaintained, but often in theory can be altered OTA by your carrier.

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#147

Post by bdcravens » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:50 PM UTC

holtalanm wrote: post #71

brazzledazzle wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not trying to justify it by any means, but I sometimes wonder if the cost of devices are sometimes subsidized by data collection.

I think this hit the nail on the head. Most devices are actually sold at barely over cost.

Indeed. I helped a relatively un-technical friend get a smartphone at MetroPCS and was blown away at the hardware you can get for $99 or less. Obviously I assumed it's very subsidized, but I found the $99 phones were only about $179 full cost, and we're talking phones not too far off spec from an iPhone 7 Plus or a Galaxy S8.

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#148

Post by taobility » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 7:59 PM UTC

why no Tesla users complain against with them? https://www.quora.com/Does-Tesla-collect-data-from-the-cars-...

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#149

Post by zeratax » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 8:44 PM UTC

Klathmon wrote: post #42

AndrewCHM wrote: post #35

Google's is similarly excessive https://i.imgur.com/fWvV7R4.png Though I get the feeling google's approach of trying to desensitize me (emailing me about how great I am for traveling to mcdonalds like a slob, and gamifying my use of google maps, for example) instead of shamefully hiding it, is a fair bit worse

Wait so google's approach of explicitly showing you the information they gather is worse than hiding the information they gather?

I don't feel like they explicitly tell you. Seems to be more the tip of the ice berg to me.

Re: OnePlus OxygenOS built-in analytics

#150

Post by zeratax » Tue, Oct 10, 2017, 8:52 PM UTC

pkrefta wrote: post #8

Holy moly O_o. Those kind of stories are keeping me back from buying any Android devices in nearest future. Somebody might say that I can flash it with clean Android ROM but that's great for people who have too much time :-)

While I agree that noone should need to flash their device just to have basic sane privacy, I think saying "for people who have too much time" is pretty insulting for us that do care about our privacy and invested that time.

Again it shouldn't be necessary to do this and I won't expect anyone to do this, but I don't see why you have to insinuate that only people with too much time would do this...