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Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

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Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#221

Post by jacquesm »

kccqzy wrote: post #82
Hizonner wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Gemini should be able to do with WhatsApp: Exactly and only what any other random app on the phone could do with WhatsApp, assuming that you have enabled that in exactly the way you would have to enable any other random app to do it. Google needs to not be abusing its position as the source of the OS to give its software special privilege to reach inside of third-party apps.

The line is blurry. Google is positioning Gemini not just as an app, but as a OS level feature. The OS can by definition reach into any third-app app to do anything it wants. I'll give some more examples of OS-level features in case it's not clear: copy/paste is an OS-level feature and it is designed to extract arbitrary text or content from third party apps (copy) and insert them into third party apps (paste); scree…

The line is not blurry at all. The line is what I define the line to be on the devices that I've paid for.

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#222

Post by netsharc »

Matthias247 wrote: post #154

How does it work technically? Does Whatsapp expose these messages via an API? If yes, then it seems like this is not only on Google. If no: Are they reading data from raw UI widgets? Are they intercepting input controls? Are they intercepting network traffic? That seems unlikely, given its probably end to end encrypted and the decryption happens within the scope of the Whatsapp process.

> If no: Are they reading data from raw UI widgets? Are they intercepting input controls?

Why not... they control the OS, it'd be trivial to add hooks to the "draw widget" command to intercept that it's about to draw a text widget for WhatsApp, and then ask it to log the text.

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#223

Post by Macha »

Workaccount2 wrote: post #80
bix6 wrote: post #7

These big tech companies are so frustrating. Why does every single aspect of our digital lives need to be monitored? It’s like whack a mole trying to get the most basic of privacy.

Because people collectively vote for the ad model over the subscription model.

As smart TVs, cable TV and streaming services show, even things that people generally pay for will get the ad model given enough time.

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#225

Post by alok-g »

Matthias247 wrote: post #154

How does it work technically? Does Whatsapp expose these messages via an API? If yes, then it seems like this is not only on Google. If no: Are they reading data from raw UI widgets? Are they intercepting input controls? Are they intercepting network traffic? That seems unlikely, given its probably end to end encrypted and the decryption happens within the scope of the Whatsapp process.

My understanding (may be wrong):

WhatsApp data is encrypted, however, the keys are on the device itself and accessible on Android. There are many third-party apps that support transferring WhatsApp data from one phone to another, and some even claim so between Android and iOS devices. As I understand, the chats are in some usual database format. So anyone having access to the device can read the data even without WhatsApp being there itself (as far as the data is there).

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#226

Post by netsharc »

bonoboTP wrote: post #31
bundie wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I prefer AI to stay in its own corner. Let ChatGPT, Gemini, and the rest be something I open when I need them, like a website or an app. I'm not really into the whole "everything should have AI built into it" idea. It kind of reminds me of how the internet used to be. Back then, you had to go to a specific room to use the family computer. The internet was something you visited. Now, tech is everywhere, fr…

It's going the opposite direction. AI won't be inside each different thing, instead everything else will be nested under the AI. Like Gemini here. AI will have user-equivalent access to interact with any app. It will be the default and people will not mind it because it's convenient and if you have nothing to hide.

Women were sharing their menstruation information with apps, until they surprisingly ended up in a corrupt regime with a corrupt judiciary that weaponizes this information to take away the rights over their own body...

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#227

Post by surgical_fire »

fsflover wrote: post #219
surgical_fire wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Google is positioning Gemini not just as an app, but as a OS level feature Eeewww. We need a mobile OS competitor. I am seriously considering a move to Fairphone with /e/os. GrapheneOS would be a possibility, but I don't trust Google to make decent hardware, so not super excited to get a Pixel phone.

> We need a mobile OS competitor. Mobian, PureOS, postmarketOS exist.

Yes, I have an older phone running LineageOS for that matter.

But those are typically community efforts, so software support is not certain. It sucks when so many things just expect you to have a working cell phone.

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#228

Post by baobun »

fsflover wrote: post #188
okokwhatever wrote: post #24

Choose your own adventure: 1. Security > Privacy > Convenience 2. Security > Convenience > Privacy 3. Privacy > Security > Convenience 4. Privacy > Convenience > Security 5. Convenience > Security > Privacy 6. Convenience > Privacy > Security

> Privacy > Security There's no privacy without security.

More precisely, confidentiality is one dimension of information security. It doesnt make sense to put them against each other.

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#229

Post by IncreasePosts »

shortn wrote: post #27
IncreasePosts wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What exactly is being monitored? It looks like this enabled Gemini to send a message via Whatsapp if you ask it to. Maybe the problem is what you consider a privacy violation, other users consider a feature.

RTFA. Don't act like your opinion is the only one that matters. You may not, but other people do care about their privacy. "Here's the thing: Google promises that under normal circumstances, Gemini cannot read or summarize your WhatsApp messages. But, and this is a big but, with the "help" of the Google Assistant or the Utilities app, it may view your messages (including images), read and respond to your WhatsApp not…

It seems like OP (bix6) is the one who needs to be lectured that their opinion isn't the only one that matters, not me. My point is that different people have different opinions. Just because someone thinks an app violates their privacy doesn't mean they get to unilaterally decide the app shouldn't exist.

If someone is concerned with their privacy by this feature, then they can just not use it. If someone is concerned that someone else might use this feature on private communications they had with the user, then that person misunderstands privacy and needs to realize that once they communicate their remarks to some other party, their ability to control their privacy to their own standards goes out the window generally, and not just with AI apps.

Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages

#230

Post by Someone »

kccqzy wrote: post #82
Hizonner wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Gemini should be able to do with WhatsApp: Exactly and only what any other random app on the phone could do with WhatsApp, assuming that you have enabled that in exactly the way you would have to enable any other random app to do it. Google needs to not be abusing its position as the source of the OS to give its software special privilege to reach inside of third-party apps.

The line is blurry. Google is positioning Gemini not just as an app, but as a OS level feature. The OS can by definition reach into any third-app app to do anything it wants. I'll give some more examples of OS-level features in case it's not clear: copy/paste is an OS-level feature and it is designed to extract arbitrary text or content from third party apps (copy) and insert them into third party apps (paste); scree…

> The line is blurry. Google is positioning Gemini not just as an app, but as a OS level feature

The line is blurry, but Microsoft was positioning Internet Explorer as an OS level feature, too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Cor...:

“Microsoft argued that the merging of Windows and IE was the result of innovation and competition, that the two were now the same product and inextricably linked, and that consumers were receiving the benefits of IE for free.”

Apple somewhat similarly argued that the iOS App Store is an OS level feature. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games_v._Apple#Background:

“Apple has further argued that it requires iOS apps to use its storefront to "ensure that iOS apps meet Apple's high standards for privacy, security, content, and quality" and avoid exposing iOS users to risks from alternative storefronts.”

In both cases justice departments (the ones who draw those lines) disagreed with those claims.

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