true caller's dumping of one's contact list is no different what facebook did (and does, though now does with a bit more transparency than in the app's earlier days)
TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
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Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thank you for posting that link. The last time I checked, they were asking to install their app and then unlist yourself from there.
Well now they want you to sign in with google/microsoft. Never gonna do that. I should create a few dozen fake accounts for these kind of companies.
Indeed. You may also want to buy a bunch of (preferably pre-activated) SIM cards, as registering such accounts will require a phone number, and they limit the number of accounts that can be created with one phone number.
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#13I believe, Truecaller is an auto opt-in and you have to manually opt out if you want your number not be listed. I had to "unlist" my number manually. Check if your number is already in and then unlist at https://www.truecaller.com/unlisting
>Check if your number is already in How do you check whether your number is "in"?
I'm sorry; I didn't realize they need you to login to check that now. Earlier you can check any number.
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#14oh boy. this is interesting.
back in 2011. i had "heard" about this. i had an iphone 3GS and an iphone 2G at the time. the 3GS had gotten ios5 if i remember correctly.
installing the app, it asked me very strangely to "allow truecaller to access your contacts". it took me a few moments to decide no. at the time, IOS had a "parental setting" to hide permissions behind a separate password, like location, contacts, payments, gallery, web, yada yada.
i learned that truecaller works on "you give your contacts and in exchange we give you a one way access to just search for numbers with names and not the other way around.
over time, it became ubiquitous, with people relying on it because "who saves a contact".
now its an obnoxious app that comes preinstalled on all cheap custom roms, shows full page ads every time it displays on screen after a call, it even shows up AFTER you have disabled screen overlays, i assume it gets preferential treatment by these rom makers,
this is the reason why i have never signed up to whatsapp or given facebook any contacts access or even 2fa ( old fb account, not logged in 3 years)
fuck truecaller
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#15I have had many experiences where I tried to order tea at a small tea-stalls (digitally empowered) on the streets of India, and first thing they ask is my phone number! I reject anyone asking my phone number unless dire and a must-one. I also noticed that almost everyone will blurt out their number when anyone ask them.
Last two years, maany shops and malls started collecting names and phone numbers of visitors in the guise of COVID xontact tracking
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Check if your number is already in How do you check whether your number is "in"?
Enter your phone number on this page: https://www.truecaller.com/ Once you do, you have to log in with either your Google or Microsoft identity and agree to let them download your contacts.
One piece of legislation that I wish would exist is a universal opt-out requirement with no contracts. Many times you want to "opt-out" of something they require you to create an account or agree to something.
Since they have already done an action without your consent or agreements they should be able to remove you permanently without requiring you to agree to anything, signing up or mailing crap.
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#17I have had many experiences where I tried to order tea at a small tea-stalls (digitally empowered) on the streets of India, and first thing they ask is my phone number! I reject anyone asking my phone number unless dire and a must-one. I also noticed that almost everyone will blurt out their number when anyone ask them.
What do they do with the number?
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#18Advantage it brought to me is that I can know if caller is spam and ignore/block the call. TrueCaller added value there.
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#19Is true caller any different than an automated yellow pages?
Re: TrueCaller built a billion-dollar caller ID data empire in India
#20When you install the app they steal your contact list and populate their database that way. Most people are unaware of this, or don't care since we are a third world country and privacy is seen as a first world problem. The vast majority of thinking here is not very sophisticated about these types of topics. Only a very tiny fraction of the total population is averse to sharing personal information like phone numbers…
My wife installed TrueCaller on her phone. She is technical but not a developer. I asked if she knows they steal your contact list and spy on you and her answer was “so? It’s just phone numbers and names and they need to get the data somewhere as they are providing the service for free” I live in a developed country and we have a high standard of living. Giving this anecdote to illustrate many people genuinely don’t…
Honestly it's the same thing with the (well-educated) people who have their entire lives on the Google cloud and don't have an issue with the privacy practices of Facebook and Tiktok. They know the companies use their data and they don't mind or care - all they want are their free services.
To them features/functionality/cost is first, and privacy is an afterthought. I see this view in a lot of people nowadays.