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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

#391

Post by mda »

FabHK wrote: post #285
ehsankia wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would've liked it if they included photos and videos of these "deceptive" interactions. Instead they have this flashy video which basically is just showcasing the Timeline feature, and pretending it's some secret malicious data collection plan.

Do you doubt that the deceptive interactions they describe exist as described? Most people do not realise how much data Google et al. collect about them, and are genuinely shocked when it is shown to them (even though, yes, it's an existing feature well known to you and most HN readers). The video demonstrates both a) how much Google collects (which comes as a surprise to most people), and b) that most people are not…

I kinda doubt actually. Personal anecdote : I disabled location history about a year ago, and it almost never asked me to enable it afterwards, obviously they dialed it down quite a bit lately. Other claims are also hand wavy. They should include tiimestamped videos with build ids otherwise, it is horse manure.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#392

Post by vanviegen »

scarface74 wrote: post #338
pje wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost like we need regulations to counteract what are otherwise inevitable consequences of profit maximization!

No, we just need to stop buying from companies whose business model is anything other than you give them money and they give you stuff.

Aren't companies that try to sell you stuff using the same (manipulative) optimizations?

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#393

Post by throw2016 »

There are more than 40000 individuals in Google in SV working to stalk you 24/7 and monetizing the data with different teams thinking up more ways and means to do it, other teams working on thwart any regulatory or other challenges to ensure business continuity, other envisioning a future in which they can grow this business unhindered.

This is an entire organization devoted just to this, and they in turn enable ecosystems of hundreds of thousands all interlinked driven by profit.

Yet on a technical forum which probably has a large proportion of people involved in this intimately as their jobs we do not have informed discussion, instead we pretend as if its not happening, or a one off by a 'misguided program manager', or the motives are 'benign' or unquestioningly accept self serving attempts to 'normalize' this surveillance dystopia.

This is an insult to informed discussion and enables an environment and discussions where blatant bad behavior is consistently overlooked and control of standards that benefit toxic business models are glibly handed over without scrutiny, skepticism or challenge. And then when one day one wakes up in dystopia some will wonder how it happened, this is a culture of delusion.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#394

Post by mda »

levesque wrote: 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?

Are you talking about location history or search history? All answers below seem to be talking about location history.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#395

Post by tinus_hn »

ben_w wrote: post #384
jayd16 wrote: post #381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If its that easy you should make an app because there's certainly a market for it. The reality is online connected services are far far better. There's a reason voice rec has only now finally stuck.

On my iPhone, the voice keyboard works pretty well in airplane mode. Not quite as well as when it has signal, but the difference is small… with the sole exception that it recognises everything as if it is English in Airplane mode, and only uses the language of the keyboard (if different) when I have signal.

By default, iOS dictation is also online.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#396

Post by ddebernardy »

segfaultbuserr wrote: post #375
kache_ wrote: post #6

They constantly berate you to deactivate no tracking preferences on google maps. When you're aware of this fact you start seeing it everywhere, not just on google. For example, on Pinterest they will berate you to sign up using highlighted buttons on land, and the x button is out of the way on the top right corner. This end result is due to product managers/devs looking at conversion rates and optimizing for whatever…

80% of the time, for all online services, users get the choice to opt-out from the tracking, but trackers are on by default and users are encouraged to keep them on. This is what I call the fundamental principle of privacy settings: all privacy settings are based on the assumption that the vast majority of users will not understand, care, or make an effort to toggle all the knobs to opt-out from the tracking . This i…

> 80% of the time, for all online services, users get the choice to opt-out from the tracking

That's purely theoretical. My browser is sending to not track headers, I've uBlock turned on, I nearly always reject tracking, yet I periodically delete thousands of cookies.

(In case there are bored Safari extension developers who read this and feel the same: an extension that allows to whitelist cookies and rejects everything else would be nice.)

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#397

Post by larkeith »

dzader wrote: post #197
maxxxxx wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah. Tying setting the home address to search history is pretty sleazy and there is no good explanation for this other than bullying people into turning on tracking. I am really getting tired of companies that want to suck up every piece of data.

Curious why you feel so entitled that you think Google should provide you with their free mapping service and features with nothing in exchange?

By providing these services and features for free previously, they killed the majority of the competition, and only then removed the ability to use them without tracking. It's an interesting mixture of anticompetitive behavior and extortion.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#399

Post by sexy_seedbox »

ACow_Adonis wrote: post #386
Pxtl wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firefox is great on desktop, but I've found it too slow and clumsy on mobile, sadly.

But with the ad-blocker installed, you get a bonus speed boost that doesn't apply to the other browsers...

That's why I use Brave on mobile.

Re: New study: Google manipulates users into constant tracking

#400

Post by nameisu »

kache_ wrote: post #6

They constantly berate you to deactivate no tracking preferences on google maps. When you're aware of this fact you start seeing it everywhere, not just on google. For example, on Pinterest they will berate you to sign up using highlighted buttons on land, and the x button is out of the way on the top right corner. This end result is due to product managers/devs looking at conversion rates and optimizing for whatever…

google maps is the worst. probably caused some accidents already
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