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Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

theguardian.com

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Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#121

Post by Doctor_Fegg »

ggm wrote: post #63

I have two feelings about this. The first is, that if my data usefully supplies information to "the commons" which makes services like maps better for everyone including me, there is a zero-sum win-win here, and I'm ok. The second is, that if there is some private leveraged advantage Google gets, over other people, which dis-equilibriates in the commons, This is not good, and I should be told quite clearly thats the…

Google Maps is not the commons. Google Maps is a proprietary platform for delivering advertising. OpenStreetMap is the commons.

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#122

Post by unpopular42 »

stochastic_monk wrote: post #91
askvictor wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think your realistic options are to move the EU or to stop using Google. Maybe one day they'll offer a subscription based fee for it's services, but for now you pay with your data.

France and Germany are looking pretty good these days.

Oh yeah, you might get mugged and killed if you go to a wrong area of Paris at night, or your wife may get raped in Germany and the police will cover it up because immigrants can't be touched. But you'll be safe from the evil Google, so you've got that going for you which is nice.

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#123

Post by joering2 »

x0x0 wrote: post #44
dannyw wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the origin of the traffic is within the EEU, GDPR applies. So the moment you visit the EEU, GDPR applies; irrespective of residency status. The moment you leave the EEU, GDPR no longer applies, even if you are an EU resident.

Oops, you're right: see A3. > This Regulation applies to the processing of personal data of data subjects who are in the Union

Furthermore my VPN provider notified me that the plan i have will be for non EU provies andnstarting from June they will have premium membership for those who want to use European gateways. i guess all of sudden everyone want to look like they are from EU ;)

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#124

Post by askvictor »

askl56 wrote: post #110
mda wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No surprises here. Guardian(Rupert Murdoch) + Oracle = Smear Google

Rupert Murdoch does not own the Guardian. That is laughable. It's owned by The Scott Trust Limited, which was formerly a charitable trust and is dedicated to keeping the Guardian's editorial independence.

The original posted news story was by a Murdoch-owned newspaper; has since been changed to the Guardian (possibly while OP was writing this equation?). So the equation kind of holds, just drop the Guardian but.

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#125

Post by inferiorhuman »

unpopular42 wrote: post #122
stochastic_monk wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France and Germany are looking pretty good these days.

Oh yeah, you might get mugged and killed if you go to a wrong area of Paris at night, or your wife may get raped in Germany and the police will cover it up because immigrants can't be touched. But you'll be safe from the evil Google, so you've got that going for you which is nice.

What?

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#126

Post by mseebach »

fladrif wrote: post #96
askvictor wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's assuming they're listening/watching all the time. Google Assistant (and all the other assistants) wake up on a certain magic word; who's to say that other apps/companies aren't doing the same? Well, probably your battery life might be terrible and your phone running unusually hot, but Assistant and co get away with minimal battery usage...

Quite often while talking about a restaurant, opening google maps will have it highlighted. I think this shows that not only does google not require a magic word to start recording, it actively processes the input it gets. I'm highly considering switching to lineage os.

Try making a controlled experiment. Humans are notoriously good at seeing patterns that aren't there.

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#127

Post by askvictor »

doomlaser wrote: post #92
godelmachine wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are barometric sensors commonplace in smartphones?

That's the component that Apple replaced the headphone jack with, apparently.

iPhones have had barometers since the 6: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone#Barometer

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#128

Post by onetimemanytime »

chris_wot wrote: post #103
askvictor wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article states: > The experts, from computer and software corporation Oracle, claim Google is draining roughly one gigabyte of mobile data monthly from Android phone users’ accounts as it snoops in the background, collecting information to help advertisers. Then goes on to give a cost breakdown of how much this hypothetical data download is costing Australian's via their mobile data connections.

It's Oracle. You must ask yourself, what's in it for them? And is it actually true?

If Charles Manson said that the sun rises from the East...wouldn't it be true, regardless of the source? What Oracle said can easily be checked by a lot of independent companies.

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#129

Post by bigbluedots »

unpopular42 wrote: post #122
stochastic_monk wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France and Germany are looking pretty good these days.

Oh yeah, you might get mugged and killed if you go to a wrong area of Paris at night, or your wife may get raped in Germany and the police will cover it up because immigrants can't be touched. But you'll be safe from the evil Google, so you've got that going for you which is nice.

[citation needed]

Re: Australian regulator investigates Google data harvesting from Android phones

#130

Post by askvictor »

greglindahl wrote: post #81
godelmachine wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are barometric sensors commonplace in smartphones?

Yes, and they're needed because GPS is much less accurate in the vertical direction. Even the fitbit in my pocket has a barometric sensor, to be able to count stairs.

GPS _is_ less accurate vertically in certain circumstances (namely when you only have a lock on 3 satellites, as there are two possible altitudes you could be at), but usually this doesn't matter unless you're flying - otherwise just figure you're on the Earth's surface, and cross-reference map data for the altitude. Inside multi-storey buildings it's a different story, but you won't be getting a GPS signal indoors anyway.
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