Is Microsoft scarier than Google? Unlike Google, Microsoft tracks and profiles you online via their search engine and through all of the "telemetry" Windows sends back to them. Also, doesn't Microsoft operate their Azure cloud service in China that is run by a Chinese state run company?
Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
121–130 of 360 posts
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#122Your ISP tracking your every move is scarier than all of them after the ISP privacy bill passed. At least Facebook and Google give you something for it and you can route around them if you desire. No routing around ISPs unless you use a VPN but even then they are blocking those. Broadband/cable/telcos capture everything you do and can now sell that information and do[1]. That bill was the pre-cursor to removing net n…
Uh, Google and Mozilla and a handful of organizations are converting all web traffic to HTTPS through subtle manipulation of standards and user interface. They even proxy mobile traffic from their search engine. ISPs can't even see what IP you're visiting because it's all fronted by CloudFlare. Even your DNS is being hidden by an HTTPS tunnel in the browser.
Your ISP soon won't be able to see anything you do online. But Google will see it all.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#123Your ISP tracking your every move is scarier than all of them after the ISP privacy bill passed. At least Facebook and Google give you something for it and you can route around them if you desire. No routing around ISPs unless you use a VPN but even then they are blocking those. Broadband/cable/telcos capture everything you do and can now sell that information and do[1]. That bill was the pre-cursor to removing net n…
Has anybody actually seen an ISP tracking user behavior? I've worked for a few 1998-2005 and never witnessed it.. however I wouldn't be surprised if they had transformed in the years since. Just curious if anyone has ever leaked info about such a program.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#124They are both scary enough to limit both of them. I don't think we should choose one or the other.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#125Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sorry to sidetrack here -- but any good recommendations for paid VPNs?
Why would you trust a VPN provider more than your ISP?
To be honest all a VPN does is add another layer of protection. It's not that secure because they can be subpoenaed or NSL'ed into giving data over, which is why a VPN's log policy is important to pay attention to. So in reality, you are mostly just trying to not reveal traffic to your ISP which the various LEA's can get access to far too easily (read: without a warrant).
For those really serious about privacy that's why I think actually owning a colo space where you own and control the hardware can be a preferable solution. For those who don't like that try setting up your own VPN on a VPS, etc.
One of the key things most people miss is DNS. I personally also suggest running your own DNS server, even if just a local dnsmasq that's outgoing to opendns or internic or something.
One more thing most people don't think about is attackers pivoting from other compromised devices on the internal network. If you think that Amazon/Apple/Microsoft etc device isn't sending checks out on the local network and then reporting back stuff like internal IP topology and MAC addresses you got another thing comin. Check your iptables or nftables (bpf?) and block internal hosts you know don't need access.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#126You can also dump it and not miss a beat. Much harder to do with Google. Facebook is thoroughly non-essential.
Tell that to people with Android phones. Google Play Services is an opaque blob that cannot be uninstalled and is necessary for nearly all Android apps. And it is constantly uploading your location minute-by-minute to Google for use in things like their "Popular Times" card on search results and who knows what else.
When you set up an Android phone you have the option of not using Google Services. Secondly, you can disable Google Play Services anytime you want. You can also turn off location history and tracking anytime you want so I'm not sure where you get the idea that none of these services or apps can be turned off or disabled.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#127Your ISP tracking your every move is scarier than all of them after the ISP privacy bill passed. At least Facebook and Google give you something for it and you can route around them if you desire. No routing around ISPs unless you use a VPN but even then they are blocking those. Broadband/cable/telcos capture everything you do and can now sell that information and do[1]. That bill was the pre-cursor to removing net n…
Has anybody actually seen an ISP tracking user behavior? I've worked for a few 1998-2005 and never witnessed it.. however I wouldn't be surprised if they had transformed in the years since. Just curious if anyone has ever leaked info about such a program.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#128Forget scary. Let's talk about utility. Facebook gives you distraction but Google gives you information (YouTube, Google Search, GMail, Maps, Voice, Fiber, Project Fi, etc) and is more restrictive about how it lets partners use its platform to interact with users.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#129I know Google is profiling me and harvesting my data. But it's not using me to harvest my friends information. I know Google is targeting ads at me - and they maybe AB tested. But those ads are from real companies or organisations - they aren't fake bots or astroturf groups algorithmically designed to tell me what I want to hear. I'm sceptically watchful of Google, I feel I have a social contract with them where they…
> I feel I have a social contract with them where they use me and I use them.
Right -- Google tracks you to target ads, but that's about it, and in exchange, they make useful things like search and Gmail. Facebook tracks you to target ads, but all they make is a website designed to keep you clicking and staring as long as possible. They have somewhere between zero and negative value to their users.
Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
Very few ISPs can track you no matter where you physically go, as your mobile, home, and work ISPs are likely all different. And ISPs are regional, none carry the level of threat of Facebook or Google. Of course, when states tried to reintroduce privacy protections... That covered ISPs and tech companies alike... Big tech stepped in and opposed. They weren't interested in protecting users, they just didn't want the c…
> Very few ISPs can track you no matter where you physically go, as your mobile, home, and work ISPs are likely all different. And ISPs are regional, none carry the level of threat of Facebook or Google. True, all tracking/privacy issues are bad but you can still route around Google/Facebook with simple things even such as hosts file loopbacks, browser extensions, using Firefox instead of Chrome and using different s…
I think you'd be surprised how much more similar Google is to these things. They absolutely bought and bribes their way into their monopoly reach, by paying to be the default on everyone's browsers, having other software bake Google Toolbar into their install wizards (later replaced by Chrome), etc.
Also, given the HTTPS Everywhere push (mostly led by Google), usually only sites like Google and Facebook get to see your traffic, ISPs get cut out of most of the deal.
And for most people, Google or Facebook is, in fact, their gateway to the Internet: They get everywhere they go through one of these two captive environments.
Finally, telecoms are already subject to significant regulation, even with the recently repealed privacy rule, no, ISPs can't just go selling your search history, marketing by certain political groups to the contrary. (Whereas Google and Facebook both, effectively, can.) Meanwhile, tech companies have operated with little to no regulation at all, and unlike telecoms, which have a whole federal agency dedicated to regulating them, tech companies' reach isn't restrained by much outside of the FTC, which isn't even fully staffed, and definitely isn't doing their jobs.