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

maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

garrit.xyz

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

161–170 of 396 posts

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#161

Post by kristianheljas »

__michaelg wrote: post #126

This is a fantastic example of motivated reasoning. This "change" (which apparently isn't even new) can have so many different reasons, some of which are less harmful and some of which are probably worse (privacy-wise) than the one mentioned here. There is no indication that re/mis-using permissions is specifically what they wanted to do here, there is also no example of them doing it right now. Don't get me wrong, t…

The only conclusion this article made is that google now has the permission to-do so, and this is 100% correct - motivated or not. Although, given you overly defensive response makes me suspect you have more insight than we do..

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#162

Post by mrjin »

trudler wrote: post #150
__michaelg wrote: post #126

This is a fantastic example of motivated reasoning. This "change" (which apparently isn't even new) can have so many different reasons, some of which are less harmful and some of which are probably worse (privacy-wise) than the one mentioned here. There is no indication that re/mis-using permissions is specifically what they wanted to do here, there is also no example of them doing it right now. Don't get me wrong, t…

bro, data is money and those corporates extract as much as they can. don't try to reason that google would not be interested in exactly that. one does not have to find a specific evidence for exactly this scenario in my opinion. this evidence likely might never emerge, while the spying definitely will happen. otherwise you would need to come up with a huge scenario where they actually farm a ton of benefits by doing…

Cannot agree more. Money is the most important if not the sole driver of decision making in those large organizations.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#163

Post by underdeserver »

croes wrote: post #157
__michaelg wrote: post #126

This is a fantastic example of motivated reasoning. This "change" (which apparently isn't even new) can have so many different reasons, some of which are less harmful and some of which are probably worse (privacy-wise) than the one mentioned here. There is no indication that re/mis-using permissions is specifically what they wanted to do here, there is also no example of them doing it right now. Don't get me wrong, t…

I think the grand master of user tracking and the developer of the web's most used browser knows exactly what they are doing.

Google is huge. You'd be surprised how something that's common knowledge in one team is completely unknown to other teams.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#164

Post by mrjin »

gjadi wrote: post #121

Funny thing is, it depends on your threat model. Using google.com/XXX for all its services protect the user from being spied by external actors such as ISP because everything is hidden behind HTTPS. Whereas, with XXX.google.com, external actors knows that you are using service XXX.

Google poses a larger threat to most people I guess.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#165

Post by Crosseye_Jack »

Lockal wrote: post #132
gjadi wrote: post #121

Funny thing is, it depends on your threat model. Using google.com/XXX for all its services protect the user from being spied by external actors such as ISP because everything is hidden behind HTTPS. Whereas, with XXX.google.com, external actors knows that you are using service XXX.

Google could enable ESNI, if they wanted.

I presume they are talking about the DNS "leak".

google.com/maps would result in a DNS request for google.com so anyone monitoring DNS would know they are connecting to a google service but wouldn't know which one.

maps.google.com would result in a DNS request that show they are connecting to maps.google.com and could presume they want some maps.

DoH (and ESNI on the server side) would fix it, but iirc Chrome (the most used browser) doesn't use DoH by default.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#166

Post by csmpltn »

ilyt wrote: post #40
csmpltn wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "It's a very strange move indeed. maps.google.com implies an application lives there, far better than being on the root domain." How does "maps.google.com" imply an application "lives there" any more than "google.com/maps"? Technically speaking, "google.com/maps" is far superior to "maps.google.com" (check out the rest of the comments in this thread for examples: simpler DNS configuration, simpler certificate manag…

Technically speaking it goes around any security CORS and friends provide

> "Technically speaking it goes around any security CORS and friends provide"

CORS wasn't designed to "offer any security" in this specific scenario anyway.

By using "google.com/maps" they can simplify their systems (by not worrying caring about CORS).

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#167

Post by tempera »

gjadi wrote: post #158
Havoc wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The whole "threat model" thinking is useful for security, but I don't think it translates well to privacy and data sharing consent matters.

I disagree on the former, but I agree on the later, technology is not a good substitute for consent. Regarding the privacy: If you are using a VPN to protect your privacy, then you are effectively transferring your trust from your ISP to your VPN provider. The VPN provider is your new ISP. So you have to make sure you trust the VPN provider more than your ISP.

It is a matter of trust, but by choosing a VPN you are not limited in your options by your geographical location as is the case with an ISP.

In my town there are 2 ISP I can choose to trust, whereas with VPN I can choose to trust from a much greater selection.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#168

Post by hooby »

__michaelg wrote: post #126

This is a fantastic example of motivated reasoning. This "change" (which apparently isn't even new) can have so many different reasons, some of which are less harmful and some of which are probably worse (privacy-wise) than the one mentioned here. There is no indication that re/mis-using permissions is specifically what they wanted to do here, there is also no example of them doing it right now. Don't get me wrong, t…

1. The change does exist (although it apparently has been live for quite some time in some regions at least)

2. The change does have the effect of Google gaining more permissions (and subsequently more data) than previously

3. The author assumes that (2) is the (main) reason why (1) was done in the first place

Regardless of whether (3) is correct or completely wrong - and regardless of whether the author truly believes (3), or only uses it as a rhetorical trick to increase the controversy (and therefore the reach) of their post - both (1) and (2) remain fact.

And (2) is the actual problem here - regardless of whether it was done intentionally by Google or not.

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#169

Post by godzillabrennus »

gjadi wrote: post #125
nottorp wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The threat here is google.

If your threat is google, it would be wise not to use google in the first place. As other mentioned, OSM is an alternative (not equivalent) of Google Maps.

If only there was a drop in replacement for Google Workspace… even if you use Fastmail for email you don’t have Google docs anymore and that’s a huge piece…

Re: maps.google.com now redirects to google.com/maps

#170

Post by dotancohen »

mngnt wrote: post #68
dbrgn wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you need OSM on Android, I can recommend: - "Organic Maps" (a fork of the old MapsMe codebase) if you want a clean, simple user experience - "OSMAnd" if you want a very powerful, highly customizable map application, which comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve Both apps are open source and support navigation, offline maps and POI search. The things I miss most compared to Google Maps is live traffic informa…

I'm a OSMand user and OSM contributor. However, sometimes I hate the routing OSMand provides, taking me through narrow streets with awkward turns. Wish they used GraphHopper... A nice feature in OSMand is that even if you get the free version off the Play store, if you log in with OSM and are active, you get free map updates and all the "plus" functions. And on top of that, the full plus version is available off F-Dr…

Maybe you know. I've been told twice that OSMand can show the altitude above sea level of a location, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how. Have you any idea?

Thanks!

Post reply on HN