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Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

nautil.us

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Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#191

Post by joshuamorton »

jonathanyc wrote: post #148
bitmapbrother wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I am not sure what comment you think you are replying to. Google Play Services cannot be uninstalled on a stock Android phone, like I said, only disabled; and disabling it means the vast majority of Android apps won’t work, like I said. These are facts that anyone can verify for themselves; you merely claiming otherwise doesn’t change this. You also seem to be confusing Google’s various services with Google Play Serv…

You can, however, disable the location tracking across your device pretty easily, or even just disable location history if you want other tools to be able to use your location.

Yes, disabling core features of your device results in a worse user experience, this should not come as a surprise.

Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#192

Post by Analemma_ »

pnloyd wrote: post #82
Ivoirians wrote: post #70

Disclaimer: I work for Google and these views are only my opinion, etc. From my perspective, Google's goals are aligned with improving the world by offering information services. Search, Gmail, Maps, Translate, basically all of the Other Bets, etc.--it's easy to imagine that the people behind them are more concerned with impact on the world than on generating profit or consolidating Google's power. To me, Facebook ha…

A lot of people seem to default to a really cynical view of tech businesses. I share this same same sentiment with the parent comment where I feel like Google "has my back" and I know for certain there products do make my life easier. This guilty until proven innocent attitude that many people hold is getting kinda old. Giving them your data is the price you pay for their service. If this doesn't seem fair to you the…

> A lot of people seem to default to a really cynical view of tech businesses.

My response to this was that from 2005 to about 2015, most people defaulted to an overly rosy view of tech businesses. People like us may always have warned about privacy dangers and the like, but among ordinary people the "Google is my friend!" mentality was widespread and it seemed like no one ever grasped that these are businesses first and foremost.

The current trend is merely the pendulum swinging the other way, and perhaps it might overshoot or already have done so, but the rose-colored glasses were never going to last forever. If you are in a tech business and this bothers you, I would gently suggest that you may have gotten accustomed to the overly cushy treatment and are now overreacting.

Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#194

Post by jonathanyc »

[deleted] wrote: post #189
jonathanyc wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your reply is amusing. Do you call presenting examples cherry-picking whenever they don’t suit you? Facebook, too, provides many useful features to many people. But your puerile comment insists we see things as black and white, and that we can only say “Facebook bad, Google good.” Facebook allowing people to communicate is good; leaking their data, not so much. Google allowing people to find what they’re looking for…

[deleted]

It’s pitiful when someone is is so unable to argue for their own position that they have to resort to shotgunning logical fallacies in lieu of contributing any content whatsoever.

Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#196

Post by Sir_Substance »

pixl97 wrote: post #81
Sir_Substance wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I know Google is profiling me and harvesting my data. But it's not using me to harvest my friends information. But is it not though? Because it analyzes any emails I send to your gmail account, and any SMS messages I send to your android phone. Google will argue about data vs metadata, but really it's all just data, and it's as much about me as it is you. I don't know if Google pioneered shadow profiling, but they c…

If you have decent network VLAN his equipment on its own subnet. It is sad we have to secure our networks from equipment straight from the vendor.

I keep the wifi segregated from everything else on general principals, but I don't subdivide it below that.

Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#197

Post by jonathanyc »

[deleted] wrote: post #193
jonathanyc wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s definitely not. This guy’s comments are all him mis-applying logical fallacies and then saying peoples’ posts should be ignored. Ironic.

[deleted]

I’m reading the damn comments on TFA and replying to the horrible ones. And you think I am the one using ad hominems? Take your own advice and disengage.

Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#198

Post by projektir »

drawkbox wrote: post #185
moreorless wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yet Facebook and Google at least built products you wanted that you willingly gave up privacy to use and at least got something for it I never agreed to FB collecting data on me. I have no account with them. I do not use their services. Yet here we are.

You can easily block Facebook and Google via host loopback or blocking their scripts. I have never seen so many pro ISP tracking/privacy people on HN.

That post seems anti-Facebook and Google, not pro-ISP.

Re: Is Facebook Really Scarier Than Google?

#199

Post by kimdcmason »

grzm wrote: post #188
kimdcmason wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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There's been evidence, admittedly anecdotal AFAIK, that YouTube recommendation algorithms can tend towards increasingly extremist content from quite innocuous starting points. For example: * https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/973716995521748992 * https://twitter.com/Limerick1914/status/972837152940855296 This doesn't mean YouTube staff are purposefully designing the algorithm to specifically trend towards extremism: t…

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