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New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

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Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#51

I for one are happy to be tracked so that my experience is optimal. Edit: I understand the potential issues and especially with someone like Google using it for other things. But I am more concerned about the backlash against using data to improve our world. There are many different areas which would be improved greatly from more data and would be to everyone's benefit. Personally I have always shared as much as I ca…

Me too, but that's not why Google is tracking me.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#53

Honestly tired of Europe pretending like they are so high and mighty for flagging tech companies for "privacy violations." Frankly it's insulting to say that adults cannot decide for themselves how they want their data used. At this point, users know if you turn on Google tracks you. It is worth it to many for the convenience of quality results Google delivers. If it isn't turn it off. But to say it is Google's fault…

Kind of like, I'm going to stand here punching and if you get hit then it is your own fault?

Surely Google shares the responsibility at least?

At any rate, saying Google is at fault doesn't seem completely like nonsense.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#55
post #28
post #5

This is scary stuff. Thank you norway for taking the fight against Google. How can you turn this off on an android?

You can turn of "Location History" and "Web & App History", for your google account from https://myaccount.google.com/data-and-personalization Before you deactivate them, I suggest looking through the data Google has saved in them for a while so you grok the full scale of how horrible those settings truly are.

Jeez, that is truly terrifying. I hate Google even more now.

I can see my history years back. It seems that I cannot delete it just "pause" it? Seriously?

EDIT: Found it, it was just hidden several layers down.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#56
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://wikileaks.org/google-is-not-what-it-seems/ A good read on Google and Eric Schmidt's relationship with the State Department and federal government in general "There was nothing politically hapless about Eric Schmidt. I had been too eager to see a politically unambitious Silicon Valley engineer, a relic of the good old days of computer science graduate culture on the West Coast"

I am not sure that is really a trustworthy source at this point. Particularly since it seems to focus a lot on involving Hillary.

basically every claim is sourced as far as I can tell. Schmidt is pretty entrenched with Clinton considering he started a company dedicated to using tech to get her elected, Groundworks

https://qz.com/520652/groundwork-eric-schmidt-startup-workin...

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#57
post #45

This dark pattern seems to be spreading. Amazon recently pushed out an update to their (beta last I knew) web app that allows you to use their smile.amazon.com charity donation through the app. But in order to turn that on, you have to turn on all the notifications the app has, including their rather constant pushes of "deals I may be interested in". They're holding you hostage to their notifications because "it's fo…

I think the ad-tech industry has tapped into what can only be called -- and no offense to anyone here -- "virtue signalling." There's no doubt studies done on this, hence the new "controversial" sort of nature of some of the advertising. Who knew that Gillette and Nike were so interested in social issues, and not a bottom line PNL result. In the same way, perhaps, Amazon marketing teams found some research to suggest that same "heart-string tugging" mechanism can be combined as a "sweetener" to get you to do things you otherwise wouldn't do -- like subscribe to "buy this too" notifications.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#58
post #49
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Installing LineageOS without any Google apps (including Google Play Services) might be the only way to continue using Android minus the tracking. You lose quite a bit of convenience for this, though. And of course, you’re still being tracked by virtue of it being a cell phone with a baseband processor (see my comment at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18821444 ).

Your carrier will know where you are (and have been). Are you saying this information is also available to apps?

I meant more that it is very hard to completely avoid tracking and that the cell carrier is an often-overlooked part of the equation.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#59

I for one are happy to be tracked so that my experience is optimal. Edit: I understand the potential issues and especially with someone like Google using it for other things. But I am more concerned about the backlash against using data to improve our world. There are many different areas which would be improved greatly from more data and would be to everyone's benefit. Personally I have always shared as much as I ca…

Of course you are and that's fair. Would it also not be fair to have these privacy settings available with any of the deceptive tactics mentioned in the report?

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#60
post #20
post #4

I tried using Google Maps without search history turned on. It's basically a downgraded version. They tied saving locations with the search history, so it won't let you search for friends' contacts, set a home address, etc. Is it on purpose? I don't know, but I find it weird that they would tie some unrelated features together. Why does setting a Home address require search history?

Google either do or used to automatically detect your home and work based on your history. While I agree it should be settable without it, that may be the reason why they were tied.

That’s a very charitable way to explain this. It’s much more likely that they want to coerce people to turn on tracking.
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