Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
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Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#2It's not called a spyware, it turned into a spyware after acquisition
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#3Anyone can call it whatever they like. It doesn't make it true. Is Firefox spyware?
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#4Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#5Fork incoming.
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#6Anyone can call it whatever they like. It doesn't make it true. Is Firefox spyware?
I think the argument is that things like Firefox need to share some data with third parties to function correctly. The remote web server needs to know what page you want, your login details etc. That's not to say there's other things that Firefox does that isn't privacy focused, but it's accepted that Firefox has to share some data at some point to function.
Audacity, however, doesn't. It's a standalone application. It works on local files. It has worked perfectly fine like this for decades. And now a new owner has come in and changed that within weeks. That's not okay.
The same complaints are being made about other software doing similar. For example, Microsoft's attempt to make all Windows accounts online. We've had 30+ years of Windows without online accounts. Why should that change? and most importantly, why must it be forced upon unsuspecting users?
I do agree with you, though, that anybody can call it anything they want, and that doesn't make it true. But it's also fair to be suspicious of unnecessary changes that, on their own may seem innocuous, but together lead to something far worse.
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#7It's not called a spyware, it turned into a spyware after acquisition
Who would aquire a piece of pretty niche software to use strategically as a spying platform? Is the information that can be gained really worth that much?
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#8It's not called a spyware, it turned into a spyware after acquisition
Who would aquire a piece of pretty niche software to use strategically as a spying platform? Is the information that can be gained really worth that much?
Browser extensions with 10k users are routinely acquired as a "spying platform".
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
Who would aquire a piece of pretty niche software to use strategically as a spying platform? Is the information that can be gained really worth that much?
Browser extensions with 10k users are routinely acquired as a "spying platform".
I thought that browser extensions were more valuable as a code/ads/whatever injection tool in the users page ?
Re: Audacity 3.0 called spyware over data collection changes by new owner
#10Anyone can call it whatever they like. It doesn't make it true. Is Firefox spyware?
I think the argument is that things like Firefox need to share some data with third parties to function correctly. The remote web server needs to know what page you want, your login details etc. That's not to say there's other things that Firefox does that isn't privacy focused, but it's accepted that Firefox has to share some data at some point to function. Audacity, however, doesn't. It's a standalone application.…
What the GP was saying was that there was no essential technical reason for Firefox to send telemetry data to Mozilla (unless you're connecting to Mozilla).
And yet, Firefox does this: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/telemetry-clientid