Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

vice.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 220 posts

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#101

Post by npteljes »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #18

One of the most disappointing changes in Android recently is that any network-assisted geolocation plugins must now be installed as a system app, not a user app. That means that even if you use LineageOS where most Google stuff has been stripped out, getting a GPS fix through network assistance still sends data to Google servers. Only a tiny minority of users are comfortable working with the command line and will ins…

What is the case when you install LineageOS without google services? In my understanding, this takes care of the location provider problem. Of course you still have lots of google in your phone, which is the whole reason of the /e/ foundation for example.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#102

Post by rStar »

If one were to chart government requests against US population over the years, are we looking at exponential growth? If so, is google going to eventually just mirror it’s data for governments around the world? Will anyone care, even then? Perhaps google will collapse in on itself like a dying star before then, and then at least these processes won’t be so efficient.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#103

Post by burgertime »

Let’s assume that it’s truly a tool of idealistic, well-intended, and purely beneficial capitalism with side effect of world brain intelligence used for private and public interests.

It is still extreme power, like practical knowledge of nuclear fission.

Popular understanding of the greatest risk of holding such power is the movie “The Social Dilemma”, which is hardly the equivalent of “War Games”. It briefly hugs itself sharing a vision of a world where technology doesn’t collect and manipulate. In the history of the market, have we ever accomplished that?

We’re not on the sidelines. We continue to actively use hardware made by others on networks run by others to push more and more data to a plethora of centralized services, and even with P2P mesh networks that won’t stop. It’s Pandora’s Box. AI may end up killing or putting us in tubes like in The Matrix just to try to save us from ourselves.

But if we try to stop it or slow it, we risk not finding cures for disease, dying from an asteroid or rogue black hole, not seeing more wonders of the universe, or not experiencing the 2049 holo equivalent to Brittany Spears in Toxic.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#104

Post by maxmunzel »

raxxorrax wrote: post #39
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #18

One of the most disappointing changes in Android recently is that any network-assisted geolocation plugins must now be installed as a system app, not a user app. That means that even if you use LineageOS where most Google stuff has been stripped out, getting a GPS fix through network assistance still sends data to Google servers. Only a tiny minority of users are comfortable working with the command line and will ins…

I always deactivate geolocation and I assume and hope it doesn't phone home to Google in that case. I still deactivate network if I don't need it. Android devices cannot really be trusted and it seems to be getting worse. Of course I am not using contact tracing either in this case, but I certainly won't allow Google to trace my location.

If I understand it correctly, contact tracing should rely on bluetooth only. Does it require location services and/or network on Android?

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#105

Post by srtjstjsj »

Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #34
izacus wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm, wouldn't in that case Lineage be able to preinstall such service themselves? I'd expect them to?

No, the LineageOS devs say that their project does not aim to completely de-Google the OS, only remove Google Play Services and some Google applications like Maps. Thus, geolocation, DNS and login portal detection in LineageOS still use Google's servers.

OK, but it's weird to blame Google for Lineage's philosophical position. As it stands Google has contributed to LineagoOS far far more non-Googlr-dependent stuff than Lineage has.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#106

Post by chewz »

submeta wrote: post #25

I am about to delete Google Maps on my iPhone. Are all those issues valid on an iPhone as well or does Apple limit it‘s privacy evading features? Edit: Done. Deleted it. Now if only I had an alternative to Garmin Connect. Love my fitness watch (Garmin Fenix), but hate the way they collect data about me. And no alternative.

Try OpenTracks from F-Droid.

And Mapy.cz is quite decent Maps replacement. Acctually better for outdoor activity like cycling and jogging.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#107

Post by srtjstjsj »

aboringusername wrote: post #92
izacus wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not only that, but here in Europe we've gotten laws lately where the ISPs and companies like Google are forced to retain data for just such requests. (This data retention is, of course, excluded from GDPR as well.)

I don't actually consider that a problem, in fact, it's a feature and not a bug. You should assume your every interaction within the world is logged, your every tap, click, spoken and unspoken words. And act in accordance, there can a camera watching you, or a mic picking up your bigoted rant. You can (I love miley cyrus) add fake data to your posts, misdirect AI tools, and throw them off the scent if you wish. You g…

> add fake data to your posts, misdirect AI tools

This wastes your time and provides no value. Your fake data is insignificant noise compared to your real data signal.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#108

Post by srtjstjsj »

rStar wrote: post #102

If one were to chart government requests against US population over the years, are we looking at exponential growth? If so, is google going to eventually just mirror it’s data for governments around the world? Will anyone care, even then? Perhaps google will collapse in on itself like a dying star before then, and then at least these processes won’t be so efficient.

No, not even close.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#109

Post by absolutelyrad »

tabs_masterrace wrote: post #57

The number of government requests for user information is actually scary: https://transparencyreport.google.com/user-data/overview So Google handed over info on 175k accounts in the last half of 2019 alone? It seems it's becoming common practice to routinely pull citizens data, without much of a warrant and without the target's knowledge. There used to be a thing called secrecy of correspondence, preventing governmen…

> https://transparencyreport.google.com/user-data/overview

WTF? This makes me extremely uncomfortable for some reason. There was some hope in mind that Snowden was exaggerating but this is just insane.

It feels like liberty has failed. There's no other option but to give in and accept.

I submit to the overlords, but I'm not happy about this.

Re: Google knows where we are, and so do advertisers

#110

Post by srtjstjsj »

octoberfranklin wrote: post #85
inquirerofsorts wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Behind a CGNAT, which most mobiles devices are, makes that point fairly moot. When I look up "my ip" on the phone it's always in a capital city 6 hours away. Your mileage may vary of course.

There are only three mobile carriers in the US, which means at most three organizations controlling the CGNATs. I can assure you that they are selling the reverse port-to-user mapping to the highest bidders.

Why would they sell to the highest bidder? The make more money from non-exclusive sales.
Post reply on HN