Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's totally possible to have the ad model without all the spying. It's just that marketers don't want that to be an option. They're all in on spying on us.
Yes, it's possible for marketers to act contrary to their own interests. Is that really your point?
Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
321–330 of 343 posts
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#322Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most paid streaming services now started showing ads because they are looking for more revenue and profit.
I know I'm a pig-headed stick in the mud, but if more people refused to watch it on principle because of this, we would see some changes in business models. It should be easy to pay and remove all ads. But I can't expect everyone to feel the same as me. It is a dream though. Since I can't remove ads by paying, I don't pay for a single subscription content service. The pirate sites have stuff the day it premiers, and…
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#323Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#324Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know I'm a pig-headed stick in the mud, but if more people refused to watch it on principle because of this, we would see some changes in business models. It should be easy to pay and remove all ads. But I can't expect everyone to feel the same as me. It is a dream though. Since I can't remove ads by paying, I don't pay for a single subscription content service. The pirate sites have stuff the day it premiers, and…
"Buddy"...that's...not...mud...
I must be missing a reference or something
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#325Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
What company will jump in the competition meat grinder between Google and Apple. Maybe if it’s state-sponsored. I don’t know how much HarmonyOS/Huawei are state-sponsored so I can’t claim there are.
I have been investing in possible startup organizations. We need it!
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#326Earlier quoted context omitted.
> 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 linke…
So if Google is to learn from others’ past mistakes, it ought to be able to leverage Gemini as long as the user can easily and fully swap out Gemini for an alternative. That was the problem regulators had with IE and the App Store.
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#327In the year 2025 I can’t think of any reason a person would use Signal instead of WhatsApp. All your friends and family should move to Signal if that is your excuse.
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#328Earlier quoted context omitted.
It does when it that person is taking a charitable view of anything Google has done since about 2011.
That may mean they're stupid but it still doesn't constitute bad faith. Do you know what "bad faith" means in this context?
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#329Earlier quoted context omitted.
What percentage of revenue do ads and hardware contribute to the bottom line in Apple and Google? That answer will tell you more about leadership incentives than just hand-waving away the discussion based on the fact that big tech companies tend to dip their toes in a lot of pools.
All of you have joined an argument that is completely fictional. I am amazed that someone can still fall for “Apple is a hardware company” bait. Both Google and Apple control enormous number of devices, the data on them (or data collected by them), their software, and their users. They make money by selling you tiny bit of access to that, directly or indirectly. End of story. Should I remind you how much being specia…
Google is something like 75% ad revenue, Apple is something like 75% hardware, <5% ad revenue.
Re: Google can now read your WhatsApp messages
#330Earlier quoted context omitted.
The fact that Google would find it to be convenient for the line to be blurry doesn't mean that anybody looking at it in good faith sees the line as blurry.
Google is an advertising company. Apple is a consumer hardware company. Who would you trust more with your data? It’s that simple (irrespective of the ground truth, simply referring to the optics of it).
I thought I was being clear when I said that. My comment was referring to the general perception among masses.
Google's reputation is further tainted by a certain sneakiness. Like being caught using private data for AI training - despite people opting out of it. All because of cleverly worded legal language that allowed other Google subsidiaries unfettered access.[1]
[1]: Google Can Train Search AI With Web Content After AI Opt-Out https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-03/google-ca...