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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

#151

Post by SmellyGeekBoy »

mulmen wrote: post #130
jerf wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't do anything in particular to get the beta; the offer got pushed to me. As for SV, the inability to draw a rigid, precise line around a phenomenon doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Life's fuzzy.

So when you say SV Company you mean high-growth technology leveraging company that puts profit first? I’m honestly struggling to understand how you apply SV to a company that is not physically from SV, or at least very nearby.

Silicon Valley isn't just a place, it's a mindset and set of values. I deal with "Silicon Valley" businesses in London. It's spreading.

Not sure why you're making such a big deal about this.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#152

Post by auslander »

lbj wrote: post #35

At some point we need to sit down and map, exactly what kind of information can be extracted from which meta-data sets. For instance, screen time is also sleeping habits, for some its toiletbreaks. If its toiletbreaks, its stomach/health related. Couple that with location, its eating habits and risk factors. Couple that with phonelogs its much much more. Once we have that mapped out, we can do an honest evaluation of…

> honest evaluation of whats being tracked

And, next steps? Easier just to apply basic OPSEC into your life, no data - no extrapolations.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#153

Post by door5 »

sephoric wrote: post #134

Ethically I think the good old days of software products were superior to the current days of software services . Services are paid for by subscription or ads or selling data, so that they are forced to optimize for continued use. Products are sold as-is, with the hope that they are useful enough that enough people will buy them once and own it forever. It should work this way: you spend N months making a useful prod…

What if we thought of software not as a product, or a service, but a utility or a public good? There doesn't seem to be any way to monetize software that isn't destructive to users, either through paywalls or tracking/advertising, so why not publicly subsidize its development and release it for free?

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#154

Post by aaaaaaaaaaab »

hesarenu wrote: post #133
aaaaaaaaaaab wrote: post #78

Whenever you tap a link in the iOS YouTube app, it starts nagging you to download Chrome, or continue with the old boring Safari... There's a pre-checked switch at the bottom of the dialog that says "Ask me which app to use every time". Now, even if you uncheck the switch and choose Safari, they will only let you off the hook for around a day; after this cooldown period you're "offered" to download Chrome yet again,…

Chrome is just a safari skin. There is no freedom to choose browser render in iOS.

Yes. Chrome is just a Safari skin plus Google’s tracking.

Which makes this dialog in the YouTube app even more ridiculous.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#155

Post by clairity »

mancerayder wrote: post #57
jerf wrote: 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…

what you’re pointing out is corporate social responsibility (CSR), which emerged decades ago. it’s an extension of branding, which advertising, among other marketing tools, supports.

virtue signalling is on the consumer side, where consumption of the brand has the (positive) side effect of showing how with it and magnanimous you are.

in any case, i also don’t see how it applies here (as sibling commenter points out).

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#156

Post by lostmyoldone »

Betelgeuse90 wrote: post #126
dokov wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a sane approach, we need to find a balance and currently there is no balance. For instance, you're not allowed to use your preset home address on google maps by google, if tracking is turned off.

My Location History and Web & App tracking are off, and I'm still able to use my Home and Work addresses on Google Maps. I see many people here have your same experience, which is pretty odd to me. I live in Israel, maybe there's a connection somehow?

Interesting, I'm on Android 9 and I can't set home/work without tracking, but it stays off anyway, it's too dark of a pattern for me to stomach. It was possible to set it several Android versions ago, but then I guess they got greedy

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#157

Post by burkaman »

dredmorbius wrote: post #79
burkaman wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also Eric Schmidt: https://money.cnn.com/2005/08/05/technology/google_cnet/

Quote: Google Inc. has blacklisted all CNET reporters for a year, after the popular technology news website published personal information of one of Google's founders in a story about growing privacy concerns for the Internet search engine, according to a CNET statement. CNET on Friday reported "Google representatives have instituted a policy of not talking with CNET News reporters until July 2006 in response to priv…

Personal information obtained from Google:

> To underscore its point about how much personal information is available, the CNET report published some personal information about Google's CEO Eric Schmidt -- his salary; his neighborhood, some of his hobbies and political donations -- all obtained through Google searches.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#158

Post by blattimwind »

jerf wrote: 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…

On the website I always found it quite interesting that the "if you shop on smile.amazon.com its for charity" pop-up does not contain any link to the current page on smile.amazon.com; even the domain is plain-text. You need to type it in manually in the address bar.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#159

Post by mulmen »

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #151
mulmen wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So when you say SV Company you mean high-growth technology leveraging company that puts profit first? I’m honestly struggling to understand how you apply SV to a company that is not physically from SV, or at least very nearby.

Silicon Valley isn't just a place, it's a mindset and set of values. I deal with "Silicon Valley" businesses in London. It's spreading. Not sure why you're making such a big deal about this.

I’ve honestly never heard the term used that way. It still seems very confusing.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#160

Post by vorticalbox »

jerf wrote: 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…

Not just amazing Samsung is constantly bugging you to sign in with a Samsung account and that apps like galaxy store REQUIRE access to contacts and sms. Just to download an app..
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