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After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

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Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#161

Post by jacksmith21006 »

bilbo0s wrote: post #143
jacksmith21006 wrote: post #129

Might not be a popular view but my biggest issue is Apple and transparency on what they collect. Google has a fantastic dashboard with everything and ability to remove or even download. Apple privacy agreement allows them to collect a ton of private data but that is it. You agree and no idea what they are doing with your data. Read the agreement. https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ Legal - Privacy Policy - App…

??? I'm genuinely confused here. Are you implying that you are OK with Google-scale intrusive data collection as long as you get a convenient dashboard with it? While it might seem magnanimous of them to allow you to download from their system, (your own data no less), I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that arrangement. The way the T&C of all these companies are written, you have no way of validating the deletion of…

The problem is Apple had an agreement that let's them collect as much data as Google yet they are not transparent like Google on what they actually have right now and enable me to remove like Google. Plus Google let's you even download and have no such option from Apple.

I try to keep all my data at Google and no where else when possible but I have both a Pixel and an iPhone and do not know what is at Apple. I do use Google DNS and Google services including Chrome.

I use Google DNS everywhere, 8.8.8.8, to keep my internet browsing away from my wireless and isp providers. I also use chrome data saver to keep browsing data at Google. We now have YouTube TV so now keep my viewing data away from our cable provider.

We have Google WiFi which made the DNS easy as how it comes. I have a pixel book and wife CB+ and kids Acer 14s and 15s so keep my data away from MS and all at Google.

We switched our Echo to the Google home so my home auto data at Google. We have Nest for everything they offer a product. We do have Phillips lights but wish Google would do bulbs.

Then we use Gmail. Maps, YT, and Duo. The areas we leak our Netflix as nothing from Google. Also Amazon for shopping but try to limit. Really almost nothing with MS.

But Apple has my iMessages and data from me using my iPhone which is an issue for me as I do not know what they have and that bugs me and is not right.

Our biggest issue is I have 8 kids and can not use Fi because of cost so my location data is at my wireless provider. This is a big one where you could use Google and protect your data as Google fi is anonymous to the underneath carriers. Trouble is the cost is too much.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#162

Post by jacksmith21006 »

amelius wrote: post #134
jacksmith21006 wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google would be the last to sell your data as they know better then anyone the value. This and security is why I try to centralize my data at Google. In the US an ISP can sell your data without you even knowing. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/04/04/isps-can... ISPs can now collect and sell your data: What to know ... - USA Today

But they do sell your data. For example, let's say a bad actor creates a Google ad for pizzas, directed at gay people. Now if you see and click that pizza ad, the bad actor will know your sexual orientation.

Google does not sell data. They do Target ads but your data stays at Google. Byproduct is ad blockers work.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#163

Post by pca »

mattmanser wrote: post #127
rapnie wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are all kinds of such dark patterns. If you switch from Chrome to Firefox on Android you find all kinds of features missing, like in image search. It's some time ago I checked, but I want to do a comparison and report to some naming & shaming site. Anyone knows a good one?

Also try turning location off on your android phone so it only gets it when requested. The nagging, whining, breaking and pleading various google services do is confusing and annoying.

If you revoke location permissions, Google still guesses it accurately, for me at least, "from your search history", as it says at the bottom of the search results page - even when you're not signed in (screenshot: https://imgur.com/a/wU8EZUA). I wouldn't mind if they just used the IP address to locate me, but why use the search history? If I wanted Google to know my exact location, I wouldn't have revoked the permissions for it.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#164

Post by Dibes »

georgebarnett wrote: post #160
Bombthecat wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure that one day Apple will also use / sell your data. Why? Because it makes them even more money...

What evidence do you have for this baseless accusation? Apple have been hammering Google on privacy for many years and they have an incredible track record on privacy when they’ve had their feet held to the fire with the FBI.

To play devil's advocate, I can see a world in which Apple as a publicly traded company is hard pressed into returning stronger results for its investors and turns to data as a way to expand. Not saying it will happen as there is no indicator that they need or want to. However, it is important to note that it isn't outside the realm of possibility at all.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#165

Post by jeswin »

rapnie wrote: post #122
justinzollars wrote: post #35

Concerned that google has so much info ( https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity ) I visited https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols to turn off Web & App Activity, but left Voice & Audio Activity on. This breaks my google home. I do not want Google to save 20 years of search history so I can use a stupid google home. For the first time I'm considering Apple's device. This is a dark pattern Google

There are all kinds of such dark patterns. If you switch from Chrome to Firefox on Android you find all kinds of features missing, like in image search. It's some time ago I checked, but I want to do a comparison and report to some naming & shaming site. Anyone knows a good one?

> If you switch from Chrome to Firefox on Android you find all kinds of features missing, like in image search.

I've been on Firefox nightly Android for eight months now. While generally the browsing is better than chrome thanks to ad blocking, the Google services are pared down versions for no reason. Search, finance, news, so many. This is a clear case of abusing market dominance - and not due to Firefox missing any feature. If not for the revenue from Google, Mozilla would have sued I think.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#166

Post by jacksmith21006 »

craftyguy wrote: post #144
jacksmith21006 wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. Google does search ads based on what you are searching at that time. Plus Google does ads with a call back so no data leaves Google. The byproduct is ad blockers work by blocking the call back.

They most definitely tailor ads to your personal data.

Target ads but do not sell personal data and have thought out a nice architecture so your data stays at Google. They use a call back for the ad so a third party site does not get any data. Also why ad blockers work.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#167

Post by bleachedsleet »

skinnymuch wrote: post #159
product50 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah - you want to make use of Google services (search, maps, youtube, Photos etc.) for free and don't want to give anything in return. #entitlement Also, most likely you turning off tracking will impact your Google experience. Google is different than Facebook in that they offer real value services without which you can't survive a day on the web. Just count how many times you rely on a Google service in a day. The…

Do you really think everyone relies on Google that much? I don’t have some vendetta against Google but I don’t count on their stuff much. Besides Gmail which I havent given the time to at least partially migrate from (only because I have multiple emails and would rather they be with multiple providers), I use the calendar for syncing and YouTube. Neither gmail nor calendars is something I need from google. It’s just…

It would seem, based on the numbers, that you are the exception here. Just look at how being precluded from Google’s services and apps can be a death sentence for some companies: One of the biggest reasons Windows Phone failed was that Google chose to ignore the platform. Google is perhaps the most pervasive tech company to date and it is nearly impossible to escape for the average user.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#168

Post by Draiken »

mattmanser wrote: post #128
tmoravec wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd give them the benefit of the doubt here. It's probably just because of the voice control, which can be presumably used for web search. And they personalize the web search with your history. It looks more like poor engineering than a dark pattern.

I would buy that if they did that occasionally, but all their services behave badly when you try and take back some privacy. To me it feels like they're deliberately making it painful when you minimise what you share with them.

I'd have to agree with the parent post.

They create things for the 99.9999% that don't care about privacy and will never touch those settings. When you leave that massive group, that's when bugs will be way more common.

We could argue that they intentionally only care about UX when you give them your data but then again that's capitalism, right?

They might have to give you choice to turn those things off, but nobody can force them to give you the same experience. Imagine any executive saying he will focus on giving a great experience for the users that they can't make money out of. He'll be out of a job very quickly.

Re: After Facebook scrutiny, is Google next?

#169

Post by scrollaway »

modeless wrote: post #155
randomsearch wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do I pay?

G Suite for Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar + phone support + other stuff: https://gsuite.google.com/pricing.html Or, Drive storage by itself, which applies to most products with storage quotas such as Gmail and Photos: https://www.google.com/drive/pricing/ For YouTube, YouTube Red: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6305537 Another interesting experiment in the willingness of users to pay to remove ads is Google…

To add to this, since I've started using GSuite for my personal account, I feel a hundred thousand times more comfortable with Google.

1. My Google identity is now my real email, the one tied to my real domain that I myself own. That's so much better. I can comfortably sign in/sign up with Google to other sites, have them tied to that email instead of my @gmail.com one.

2. I feel way more comfortable sharing every single detail of my life to Google. In fact, it turns what initially comes off as really creepy, into a useful life service because I'm now using things such as my map activity etc as a service I have a paid contract with Google for. And if I don't like it, I can hard disable the entire service.

3. I have access to a lot of stuff that regular free Google doesn't offer. Things such as undelete email/drive (which has been useful on a couple of accidental occasions), and, get this, support. Live chat and phone!

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