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

Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

arstechnica.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

201–210 of 241 posts

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#201

Post by _a_a_a_ »

Ar-Curunir wrote: post #197
_a_a_a_ wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Have to" is quite strong isn't it. It is a bit hard to believe. Okay, do what I do if there's something you don't use often and you don't trust it: install it in a VM and spin it up only as necessary.

Jesus christ. What about a random person who doesn't have the tech know-how to do that? Should they just give up on privacy? Privacy is a human right, not a technologically-advanced-person right. And before anyone says "Well, sucks to not know basic tech stuff", consider the fact that in a world where no-one has privacy, the person using Facebook from a VM is eminently more trackable than in a world where privacy is…

I was talking to you specifically, not generally to random people. You're right; that would not be good advice to the average random person. But TARP probably wouldn't care. I hope you would and would have that ability.

> Privacy is a human right, not a technologically-advanced-person right

Yeah I suppose it is, but I'm starting to give up on the idea because all the people who whinge here on HN and elsewhere about privacy won't actually do anything about it, like give up exactly the things that they are willing to pour their life's details into. TL;DR people have to put some effort into securing their privacy and >95% of people won't.

Stop blaming the companies for stealing your privacy when you're giving it away willingly.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#202

Post by pleb_nz »

jen20 wrote: post #139
duud wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is Telegram more privacy preserving than WhatsApp?

I do wonder about that: moving from WhatsApp to Telegram appears to be a case of moving from the frying pan into the fire. To Signal seems somewhere more reasonable.

I would say from the frying pan into the kitchen bench. It's not perfect but it's not yet being cooked.

Telegram is a good compromise. Yeah it's not e2ee.

Signal isn't even a good compromise for most people. I don't know anyone who has stuck with signal in my circles. They've nearly all reverted back their previous service or find a new one.

Personally I treat everything that is sent over networks as public data. So I would never comm anything that needed e2ee via a message service full stop.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#203

Post by pleb_nz »

closewith wrote: post #82
NayamAmarshe wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Almost all of my kids' sports activities and parent groups are on WhatsApp, I have to use it. My company asked me to install WhatsApp once, but I explained to them why I don't use it, and they didn't have a problem with it. Sometimes, all people need to know is 'no' and most of the time they don't even need an explanation.

In large swathes of the world, refusing to use WhatsApp means losing contact with the majority of people you know. It's the de facto communications method in many countries.

Lucky here, Whatsapp isn't the goto

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#204

Post by Supernaut »

closewith wrote: post #198
Supernaut wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the Health Service in Ireland literally runs on WhatsApp What do you mean? I live in Ireland and no health professional has ever contacted me via WhatsApp.

It's not public-facing. WhatsApp is the primary means of communication for HSE staff (and most of the public service).

Okay, fair enough. But presumably the WhatsApp groups are set up on an ad hoc basis by groups of staff - they're not being directed to use it by the HSE?

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#205

Post by pleb_nz »

closewith wrote: post #133
pessimizer wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is just rationalizing FOMO. Of course you don't know the things you don't know.

Yes, I continue to use WhatsApp because I have fear of missing out. Missing out on conversations from my extended family, friends (only about 1/4 use Signal and all groups are on WhatsApp), work (the Health Service in Ireland literally runs on WhatsApp), voluntary undertakings (all of which are organised on WhatsApp), organising stuff for the kids (again all on WhatsApp). So it's a valid fear based on the reality in…

How often would it have mattered if you missed out on those conversations, say as a percentage?

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#206

Post by pleb_nz »

Supernaut wrote: post #190
closewith wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I continue to use WhatsApp because I have fear of missing out. Missing out on conversations from my extended family, friends (only about 1/4 use Signal and all groups are on WhatsApp), work (the Health Service in Ireland literally runs on WhatsApp), voluntary undertakings (all of which are organised on WhatsApp), organising stuff for the kids (again all on WhatsApp). So it's a valid fear based on the reality in…

> the Health Service in Ireland literally runs on WhatsApp What do you mean? I live in Ireland and no health professional has ever contacted me via WhatsApp.

Complain, that is not acceptable. Forcing people to be a member of a corporation is not on

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#207

Post by neodypsis »

eropple wrote: post #169
maccard wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't unique to WhatsApp/Meta though. Many banks require a smartphone running unrooted Android or iOS. Visa/Mastercard(and AMEX I guess) have a polyopoly(?) on cashless transactions, and have done for my entire life. Many government services here in the UK are provided by private corporations, and have been for a very long time. Another way of thinking of it is that the value that Meta/Mastercard/Virgin/other co…

> polyopoly Oligopoly.

Oligopoly allowed by network effects.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#208

Post by closewith »

Supernaut wrote: post #204
closewith wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not public-facing. WhatsApp is the primary means of communication for HSE staff (and most of the public service).

Okay, fair enough. But presumably the WhatsApp groups are set up on an ad hoc basis by groups of staff - they're not being directed to use it by the HSE?

No, it's an official HSE communications channel. It was already prevalent before the cyberattack, but at that point, nearly all non-clinical comms moved to WhatsApp.

You just get added to the relevant groups by your manager (obviously there's also unofficial social groups) and that's where you'll get 90%+ of rosters, clinical updates, service bulletins, etc.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#209

Post by pleb_nz »

rndmio wrote: post #123
NayamAmarshe wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And to be honest, I realize that, and I'm absolutely fine with it. Maybe some won't be, but the path of idealism isn't always the most convenient.

Tbh I'm kind of amused that you rail against WhatsApp and then went and installed Telegram rather than Signal.

Many reasons. Telegram is less evil then Whatsapp and it's best in class UI/UX. It's a compromise.

Signal is horrible to use and inconvenient for most people but with e2ee.

Re: Meta wants EU users to apply for permission to opt out of data collection

#210

Post by pleb_nz »

NayamAmarshe wrote: post #178
rndmio wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tbh I'm kind of amused that you rail against WhatsApp and then went and installed Telegram rather than Signal.

I have done my research well and I still support Telegram. I don't think Signal has what is needed to rival WhatsApp. Telegram is a much better option that does not sell your user data and still has the best privacy options. Where most people like to disagree is the security part, but E2EE is not as important to me as long as my privacy is respected.

Agreed, if I need to send encrypted data, I won't be using a messaging app to do it.
Post reply on HN