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Wacom tablets track every app you open

robertheaton.com

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Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#151

Post by phoe-krk »

csallen wrote: post #149
phoe-krk wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless they want easy money. Show me a modern mid-sized, independently operated/capitalized corporation that doesn't want it.

Having started numerous tech companies myself, interviewed hundreds of others who have, and started a community that instructions others on how to do so, I will say that HN's perception of how easy, profitable, and common it is to have a business model focused on selling data is overblown. I'd wager the vast majority of data collectors (e.g. Google Analytics accounts) just want it for their own internal decision-maki…

As much as I would like to believe you, I cannot. With literally almost every company around me gathering analytics and with every average person's operating system, web browser, social media, phones, televisions, smart locks, smart fridges, graphic card drivers and graphic tablets sending this data out in bulk, you are not going to convince me that the authors of all that software are siphoning data out of us all for nothing.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#152

Post by diffeomorphism »

harikb wrote: post #103
diffeomorphism wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any data collection of course has a privacy cost and should of course be opt in. What about aggregate data limited to art apps? For example if it only sends a monthly summary: used photoshop with a wacom tablet for 15 hours this month, illustrator for 3 hours this month?

In that fictitious scenario, would they have checked with Adobe if they wouldn't mind their users spied up on. What if this information is indirectly used for trading on ADBE stock? Would that be considered OK ?

Could you elaborate? Why would I as a user need permission from Adobe to tell wacom that I am using their tablet in photoshop?

> What if this information is indirectly used for trading on ADBE stock? Would that be considered OK ?

Obviously yes? What is supposed to be the issue here?

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#153

Post by droithomme »

Great forensics work.

> even if someone had read and understood Wacom’s privacy policy, and had knowingly consented to a reasonable interpretation of the words inside it, that person would still not have agreed to allow Wacom to log and track the name of every application that they opened on their personal laptop.

I agree completely. Tracking every application one uses and reporting on that to third party Google is so contrary to their stated EULA that both a class action lawsuit, and prosecution in jurisdictions that protect privacy, are warranted.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#154

Post by heavyset_go »

moron4hire wrote: post #122
vageli wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I know this is the popular conclusion - but from a developer perspective, data such as what software your product is used with is INCREDIBLY valuable for project planning and prioritization. People hate web tracking, but knowing what browsers or devices are visiting your website can be enormously helpful. What happened to actually communicating with users to learn more about how they use the product?

Users stopped communicating. They install a thing, they uninstall it. 99% don't leave any comment at all. (and yes, the obverse inference is also true. If you see one person complaining, there are probably 99 more who have had the same issue and have said nothing)

That's not an excuse, but a reason to pay for a focus group or study.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#155

Post by rossdavidh »

st3fan wrote: post #117

"In some ways it feels unfair to single out Wacom." - Uh no, it is completely fair to single them out and put them in the spotlight for doing this kind of tracking.

I think the statement was meant to indicate that this kind of behavior is well-nigh ubiquitous, so the only thing really different about Wacom is that they're the one we're talking about, when they are by no means the worst offender.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#156

Post by criddell »

excerionsforte wrote: post #141
criddell wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course they want to know your approximate location. It will probably help them target ads for the next iteration of the tablet.

Huh? I don't think you own or bought a Wacom Tablet nor do you do any digital art. It is safe to say this is a troll/no effort comment.

I didn't say they collect that information but I can see how they could use it.

FWIW, I don't use a Wacom tablet but my daughter does. I personally use Procreate on an iPad Pro.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#157

Post by DerWOK »

Really great article. But I wonder, why the author did not cover if/what the driver publishes, If I do:

- open "Wacom Desktop Center"

- Top right (next to "Login") is "More" (click!)

- "Data Privacy Settings" (click!)

- "Participate In Wacom Experience Program" => on => off!

My setting was "On" - and I swear: whenever a program/website/installer asks I go "No thankx". So it must be dark UI patterns with evil defaults that this super-hidden thing was "on" for me. Shame on you, Wacom!

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#158

Post by rsneekes »

DerWOK wrote: post #157

Really great article. But I wonder, why the author did not cover if/what the driver publishes, If I do: - open "Wacom Desktop Center" - Top right (next to "Login") is "More" (click!) - "Data Privacy Settings" (click!) - "Participate In Wacom Experience Program" => on => off! My setting was "On" - and I swear: whenever a program/website/installer asks I go "No thankx". So it must be dark UI patterns with evil defaults…

In my experience they turn it back on each driver update, I also believe they mentioned it somewhere during the setup but I’m not sure.

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#159

Post by jasonlotito »

vageli wrote: post #119
penagwin wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know this is the popular conclusion - but from a developer perspective, data such as what software your product is used with is INCREDIBLY valuable for project planning and prioritization. People hate web tracking, but knowing what browsers or devices are visiting your website can be enormously helpful. Also I don't know all the details here - I know that Vizio TVs where collecting data and explicitly kept the IP a…

> I know this is the popular conclusion - but from a developer perspective, data such as what software your product is used with is INCREDIBLY valuable for project planning and prioritization. People hate web tracking, but knowing what browsers or devices are visiting your website can be enormously helpful. What happened to actually communicating with users to learn more about how they use the product?

> What happened to actually communicating with users to learn more about how they use the product?

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/first-rule-of-usability-don...

"watch users as they attempt to perform tasks"

Re: Wacom tablets track every app you open

#160

Post by squarefoot »

babypuncher wrote: post #129
danShumway wrote: post #24

On Linux you'd be using the community-maintained drivers[0], so I assume this wouldn't be a problem (correct me if I'm wrong). But as far as I can tell, there's not equivalent Open Wacom drivers for Windows. People with more Windows knowledge than me: any thoughts on why? Is it just that someone using Windows probably doesn't care about Open drivers, so the demand isn't there? Or is there something about Windows that…

Open source drivers are rare on Windows because manufacturers almost always ship proprietary drivers that are good enough, and Windows users clearly have no issues running closed-source software. Proprietary drivers on Linux are often crap, if they even exist at all.

Windows users should push for FOSS drivers as well also when the proprietary ones run perfectly. Privacy and security issues aside, being forced to depend on a closed driver means that the manufacturer can make the product obsolete just by stopping support on newer Windows versions, therefore turning the product essentially into trash, thus forcing the user to buy a new one.
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