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Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

deccanherald.com

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Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#311

Post by jolux »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #290
threeseed wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very strange to call Apple out as being a liar and can't be trusted with user data because of Safari's cookie and tracker policy. Because of all the browsers they have led the way in reducing the ability for advertisers to track you.

> Because of all the browsers they have led the way in reducing the ability for advertisers to track you. Certainly when compared to Chrome, but Firefox? Brave? Tor Browser? No. Which is why it's so unfortunate that you can't get a real third party browser for iOS.

Tor Browser is terrible for security, and I don’t think Firefox started doing tracking prevention before Safari did. I may have the timeline wrong though. As for Brave, well. They have a different business model but I’m not entirely clear on what their technological innovation is?

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#312

Post by jariel »

parasubvert wrote: post #219
rishav_sharan wrote: post #163

Far too many optimistic voices here and that scares me. I don't see this app store being about providing alternatives. that's just a talking point. This app store is all about forcing every android sold in India to have a system installed govt driven app, which will report back to the govt on tons of private information about the device and owner. Information that Indian govt will be too incompetent to keep safe and…

If you read the subtext of the other Epic v. Apple threads, this is the point: government is somehow going to do a better job than Apple or Google. That or government will mandate the Libertarian Wild West on our phones where anyone can install anything from any store. Mobile operators alone will balk at that. This is a fever dream from a new generation of publishers and developers that have to learn how this worked…

"Apple threads, this is the point: government is somehow going to do a better job than Apple or Google."

No, it's absolutely not.

It's about user and vendor choice.

Nobody is suggesting that the 'US Government' make an alternative app store.

But a lot of people are suggesting that people should be able to buy directly from Epic, Adobe - or whoever.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#313

Post by jagannathtech »

hexbinencoded wrote: post #198
dheera wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing is, why would anyone voluntarily use a censored/restricted app store? For Apple hell yes, maybe their government app store will be less anal than Apple is with their own app store, and e.g. allow other payment channels and allow embedding other rendering engines than Safari. For Google though ... why wouldn't one just use the Google store instead? It's pretty open, and if their government's motive is to jus…

You're confused. India has a populist, nationalist authoritarian who will stop at nothing to remodel the country somewhere between China and Nazi Germany. The Indian government can block all other app stores, require app developers and mobile OSes install spyware SDKs and turn over data about their users, and ban encryption. Then, the "subversives," academics, and journalists can be rounded-up.

You are the one who is confused here with all the fear mongering. With such a huge democratic country like India with all the decades old entrenched power centres one doesn't get to power just by getting elected to office.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#314

Post by jagannathtech »

fakedang wrote: post #202
paxys wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to think the Indian government will have the interests of its own citizens at heart better than Google or Apple. India has a long and not very pleasant history with foreign corporations.

Haha no. The Indian government will have the best interests of the ruling party at heart. I'd rather trust Google with all of my data, even the sensitive bits, rather than give even an iota to the government. And yes, I know how disgusting that sounds. In the Delhi riots early this year, the government used data gathered from the national database to track and arrest protesters. Imagine what they could do if they cou…

Why you and your family are rioting?

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#315

Post by jagannathtech »

bilalhusain wrote: post #152
ahiknsr wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>>They are known to blackout journalists, assassinate lawyer, conduct media trials and put anyone speaking against them in jail. Can you please share some citation for the assassination part. I don't think the Bar Council of India would be happy if a lawyer is assassinated by government.

I am talking about Justice Loya [1]. By the way, the govt has been very active in making sure that they have their loyal representatives in bureaucracy as well as in judiciary. Recently, the Supreme Court convicted a prominent lawyer for a tweet criticizing them [2]. It is very easy for them to dismiss cases which might show them in bad light. Media has no independence either. Eg. the case of Punya Prasun Bajpai [3]…

This is complete BS you are spreading here. Justice Loya family clarified in detail and his fraternity many of whom are left leaning also expressed concern that the opposition party is playing dirty politics and his death was natural. One of the Supreme Court justice was even by his bedside during his death. Entire Indian media should be blacked out if criticising Modi was the criteria. Because that's what they do day in day out barring a very few.

Anyone in India know PPB is affiliated with AAP has pulled out too many stunts to be any credible.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#316

Post by jlokier »

accurrent wrote: post #291
rishav_sharan wrote: post #163

Far too many optimistic voices here and that scares me. I don't see this app store being about providing alternatives. that's just a talking point. This app store is all about forcing every android sold in India to have a system installed govt driven app, which will report back to the govt on tons of private information about the device and owner. Information that Indian govt will be too incompetent to keep safe and…

Fact of the matter is there's nothing too scary about living in China as long as you are not involved in politics. The scary thing about a BJP lead authoritarian regime is that unlike the CCP, BJP is made of a bunch of idiots. CCP is authoritarian, but they have made sure every Chinese has food on the table, a roof on their head and one can live an honest life in China without having to be corrupt. Crime rates in Chi…

> there's nothing too scary about living in China as long as you are not involved in politics

Does "being an Uyghur" count as involved in politics, as that sounds difficult to avoid if you're stuck with it? The reports of torture, forced sterilisation, detention sound rather scary to me.

> every Chinese has food on the table, a roof on their head and one can live an honest life

Maybe I'm misinformed, but what I read tells me "every" is a stretch here. I don't automatically trust Wikipedia on everything. But the fact the USA passed a law with strong bipartisan support makes me treat it a little more seriously.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uyghurs#Persecution_of_Uyghurs...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uyghur_Human_Rights_Policy_Act

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#317

Post by jlokier »

jagannathtech wrote: post #314
fakedang wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haha no. The Indian government will have the best interests of the ruling party at heart. I'd rather trust Google with all of my data, even the sensitive bits, rather than give even an iota to the government. And yes, I know how disgusting that sounds. In the Delhi riots early this year, the government used data gathered from the national database to track and arrest protesters. Imagine what they could do if they cou…

Why you and your family are rioting?

What makes you think they are?

People can be justifiably afraid of the government without doing anything wrong, especially if the government has a track record of abusing tools at its disposal, enforcing unjust laws, or failing to maintain a good balance of civil rights (such as to peaceful protest - not the same as rioting) needed in a healthy democracy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#318

Post by Razengan »

kelnos wrote: post #282
Razengan wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> in the name of "protecting privacy" Apple has been fooling users to believe that only Apple can be trusted with user data Even if Apple can’t be trusted with my data, I’d rather that it lie with them. > and the biggest lie According to? > From crippling Safari by allowing full cookies by default and claiming to block trackers and browser fingerprinting It works, even if it’s not perfect and it’s certainly better th…

> Even if Apple can’t be trusted with my data, I’d rather that it lie with them. May I ask why? If hypothetically Apple isn't trustworthy with your data, why would you prefer them over any other company with a hypothetically similarly-bad level of trustworthiness?

Have you even seen what happens when X is reported for any other company versus when the same X is reported for Apple?

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#319

Post by zepto »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #296
flyinglizard wrote: post #289

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with open devices is that at some point someone is going to undercut you by providing a "free" product and then we're back in square one of trading user data - and in the process you created a fragmentation hell. Nah, give me expensive, locked down products (as long as they work). Clearly its something the consumers want, hence Apple's monstrous pile of cash.

> The problem with open devices is that at some point someone is going to undercut you by providing a "free" product and then we're back in square one of trading user data Except that the stores have to compete with each other, so who is going to choose the one with all the apps that trade user data? Certainly not the users who are allegedly patronizing Apple only because they don't want that. > and in the process yo…

“Except that the stores have to compete with each other, so who is going to choose the one with all the apps that trade user data? Certainly not the users who are allegedly patronizing Apple only because they don't want that.”

They will when many of the key apps are only available through the privacy agnostic stores.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#320

Post by cocoa19 »

colejohnson66 wrote: post #166
wtmt wrote: post #143

This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. The CEO’s brother was caught in a sting video saying they could sell any user’s information for a price (search online and you’ll find the video). All that these Indian startups care is for them to benefit and control everything. It’s not about equitable treatment. It’s more about regulatory capture and making sure that their…

> This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. Controversial opinion here, but this is part of the reason I like that Apple makes (practically) all purchases run through them. They don’t sell my information, and they have an incentive to not change that.

Thought experiment. Imagine that MasterCard charged 30% of every purchase at the groceriy store, restaurant, pay gas or shop online.

Or... what if Windows charged software developers 30% of sales of any product. And Microsoft wouldn't let you give away free software, in the name of "privacy" whatever that means for Apple.

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