The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
1–10 of 140 posts
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#2Been using DuckDuckGo's app privacy protection, some of the requests are just crazy, and from applications I haven't opened in months.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#3> Don’t get hung-up on consent folks, it’s not needed if a business has what’s called a ‘legitimate interest’ – which can be a rather stretchy, elastic term when in the hands of less reputable businesses
Less reputable businesses will simply do whatever they like, but claiming “legitimate interest” means something specific: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-re...>
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#4Been using DuckDuckGo's app privacy protection, some of the requests are just crazy, and from applications I haven't opened in months.
What does that do that using uBlock with a decent block list doesn't?
Not trying to be contrarian here, genuinely curious and wondering if I should install it on my phone.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#5What do they even do with this information? The ads they feed me haven’t become more relevant.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#6What do they even do with this information? The ads they feed me haven’t become more relevant.
Insurance companies are very interested by your workout routine and how you drive your car, so they can adjust their offering specially for you…
We can’t get laws banning this soon enough.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#7If you have the means, install a pihole on your home network and you can reduce some of the tracking that goes on inside your own walls.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#8What do they even do with this information? The ads they feed me haven’t become more relevant.
Even straight up first party information is an accurate.
Amazon thinks I’m a woman despite buying men’s products.
Google is convinced I’m a fan of a rival sports team despite obvious information otherwise. I have even told them I don’t want stories about the other team, but they keep popping up.
I feel like most places are gathering information enough to somewhat fulfill their goal of getting a profile for advertising or something like that. But it doesn’t seem to be very accurate.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#9> Don’t get hung-up on consent folks, it’s not needed if a business has what’s called a ‘legitimate interest’ – which can be a rather stretchy, elastic term when in the hands of less reputable businesses Less reputable businesses will simply do whatever they like, but claiming “legitimate interest” means something specific: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-re... >
Sure, but those guidelines are still "rather stretchy [and] elastic".
That doc starts with the line "Legitimate interests is the most flexible lawful basis for processing" and that's the truth.
Re: The problem of creeping commercial surveillance (2022)
#10I mean, I know its not practical for everyone or every application - that being said I have made it my highest priority to go out of my way to not use services or products that require apps to be installed. Obviously I make exceptions for stuff I deem "required" but for coffee chains, fast food restaurants, grocery stores and other services if they need an "app" for me to use it. I just won't use it. Or I will go out of my way to use another service that does not require it. Or, if I need to use it, I will just install the app, use it, then remove it. Is it a hassle? Sure. Will the company still be able to access my data? Some of it. But it won't be a persistent install so I'm fine with it. I don't have many other choices.
That being said, I am now running into what I call the "Non-App Tax". The most prominent example I can think of in my own experience is my towns local parking payment system. You actually don't need to use the app to find parking or pay. You can scan a QR code and pay via text. Then I looked at the prices on the app vs prices via text and the prices were a decent amount higher ($1-2 more) and less flexible than if I had just used the app. Kinda shitty and I can absolutely see this becoming the norm.