Google Maps won't let you save home address without allowing all Google tracking

Post by dovemint » Wed, Sep 26, 2018, 9:56 AM UTC

icebraining wrote: post #200

amf12 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alarm apps don't need tracking. Asking Google Assistant to set an alarm needs tracking. I wish there was a SaaS application which provided assistant capabilities by a monthly subscription. You can see all the data stored, you own the data the service just creates models to enable use. And you could stop the subscription which wipes all the data including the models. Perhaps some startup founder is reading this?

I'm expecting good things from Snips; they're already build a device like Alexa that runs all recognition locally: https://air.snips.ai/ Making an Android frontend seems easy enough. (You can also DIY by installing Home Assistant and Snips on a Raspberry Pi or other computer)

Post by jasonvorhe » Wed, Sep 26, 2018, 9:58 AM UTC

jpalomaki wrote: post #16

thisgoodlife wrote: post #11

Wait... What? You don't mind telling Google where your home is, but you mind it tracking your online activity? Shouldn't home address be more sensitive?

For many of us home address is not very sensitive information. What we do online can be. It’s not just what Google knows about you. If your account is compromised, attacker may be able to download all historicsl information and share it with everybody.

Post by TheArcane » Wed, Sep 26, 2018, 10:02 AM UTC

Fej wrote: post #92

ENGNR wrote: post #4

I can’t even ask my phone to set an alarm anymore without giving it my entire web and app history. Google is vulnerable here as they’re creating a very real need for basic alternatives

I switched my assistant app to Cortana, if you can believe that. It works well enough, and doesn't require every permission to be enabled. It'll work fine with whatever you give it. (Within reason. It can't give you information about your calendar unless you give it that permission, etc.) Reminders and such get synced to my PC. There are, of course, many holes in its functionality... hoping it gets better. Don't know…

Post by nickdyk » Wed, Sep 26, 2018, 10:05 AM UTC

icebraining wrote: post #200

amf12 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alarm apps don't need tracking. Asking Google Assistant to set an alarm needs tracking. I wish there was a SaaS application which provided assistant capabilities by a monthly subscription. You can see all the data stored, you own the data the service just creates models to enable use. And you could stop the subscription which wipes all the data including the models. Perhaps some startup founder is reading this?

I'm expecting good things from Snips; they're already build a device like Alexa that runs all recognition locally: https://air.snips.ai/ Making an Android frontend seems easy enough. (You can also DIY by installing Home Assistant and Snips on a Raspberry Pi or other computer)

Post by gizzlon » Wed, Sep 26, 2018, 10:07 AM UTC

rjzzleep wrote: post #163

maxwellito wrote: post #143

But the funny part is Google keep your saved addresses. It only block the access. If you have your home and/or work address set in Gmaps, and you disable all tracking in myactivity.google.com. The address will disappear and GMaps will invite you to reactive App and Web tracking. If you do it, your saved addresses will reappear. This is slightly dodgy.

There is another interesting thing. You need to allow google tracking if you want to do searches in google maps. If you block it maps will crash. Turns out it needs a proper country code to work, regardless of where you're searching.