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Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

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Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#191

Post by ATsch »

bjelkeman-again wrote: post #155
whyagaindavid wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you post a link to close my appleID? Yes, you can close a Google/ Microsoft account with few clicks

It should be available, at least in the EU, by May, if it isn’t already. I think it is a requirement of GDPR.

Similar measures have been implemented in a number of european countries for years, I think originally in France. As far as I am aware, GDPR only standardises these laws and applies them to all EU states. Plus it adds a fine large enough for companies to actually care.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#192

Post by kalleboo »

literallycancer wrote: post #161
megy wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, get one second hand and it will be even cheaper. The point was it is not $700 for security.

Ever tried using an old iPhone?

Ever tried using one of those dirt-cheap Android phones?

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#193

Post by rayiner »

slaman wrote: post #185
horsecaptin wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But this is all just marketing, whereas the reality is that Apple could also be hoovering up location data and you may never know." It isn't just marketing. This is how the alignment of incentives works. A company's incentives are aligned with the people who pay them. Apple's are aligned with those that buy phones. Google and Facebook's are aligned with those that buy ads.

The parent argument is that without transparency it's difficult to actually know. Apple's true incentive is to provide value for their shareholders. If they can improve the value provided to shareholders by hoovering up information while also maintaining consumer confidence and sales then why would they not? I think that Apple's incentives are better aligned with my desires for privacy, but it's only an assumption.

It would be a ballsy play of limited utility. For one, you're talking about Apple risking epic legal liability if they got caught. For the other, they'd be doing so for limited upside. They can only sell ads on the premise that they don't have all this inside information on their users.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#194

Post by cisanti »

dingo_bat wrote: post #182

As I noted on reddit, I am not surprised by this at all. Google's entire incentive to maintain Android is the troves of data they collect about users. Why would they let you turn it off? It doesn't make any sense. If you're surprised as a user, you've been really naïve. Imagine this: would apple ever let you not pay for a new iPhone? Its entire incentive in making iphones is to sell them for money. So it will never a…

Google is an immoral and sick company, if you work for the gestspo machine you should be ashamed of yourself no excuses.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#197

Post by thissiteblows »

Tepix wrote: post #50
mindB wrote: post #17

Another reason to order a Librem 5. https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/

Or - available right now - a Google Pixel phone with Copperhead OS https://copperhead.co/android/store

Please avoid giving Google money.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#198

Post by londons_explore »

eridius wrote: post #145
lemagedurage wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple provides a black box with iOS, they have full control. Maybe the next iOS update comes with privacy intrusion because it's more lucrative. A more sensible way of dealing wirh the issue would be to use an open source Android version like AOSP or LineageOS, not run proprietary gapps, and replace its functionality with F-Droid, MicroG and Yalp-store. Your location will stay out of Apple's/Google's hands and you ca…

> Maybe the next iOS update comes with privacy intrusion because it's more lucrative. Apple has demonstrated time and time again their commitment to privacy and to protecting user data. Apple does not see user data as something to be hoarded. They see user data as a liability and work very hard to collect as little as possible in order to provide the services they do. The idea that Apple is going to discard all of th…

You need user data to feed machine learning algorithms to make your product (siri, predictive text, face unlock, etc.) better.

That alone is a very strong reason to hoard data if you're Apple.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#199

Post by sjwright »

slaman wrote: post #185
horsecaptin wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But this is all just marketing, whereas the reality is that Apple could also be hoovering up location data and you may never know." It isn't just marketing. This is how the alignment of incentives works. A company's incentives are aligned with the people who pay them. Apple's are aligned with those that buy phones. Google and Facebook's are aligned with those that buy ads.

The parent argument is that without transparency it's difficult to actually know. Apple's true incentive is to provide value for their shareholders. If they can improve the value provided to shareholders by hoovering up information while also maintaining consumer confidence and sales then why would they not? I think that Apple's incentives are better aligned with my desires for privacy, but it's only an assumption.

> why would they not?

Because this sort of thing inevitably leaks? Apple has a formula that demonstrably works, a formula that everyone can directly observe making them an utterly stupid amount of money. It would be the height of stupidity to risk their unparalleled monetary successes to pursue a few dirty little crumbs.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#200

Post by 21717117 »

eps wrote: post #152
eridius wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Maybe the next iOS update comes with privacy intrusion because it's more lucrative. Apple has demonstrated time and time again their commitment to privacy and to protecting user data. Apple does not see user data as something to be hoarded. They see user data as a liability and work very hard to collect as little as possible in order to provide the services they do. The idea that Apple is going to discard all of th…

Careful there with Kool Aid.

It was Flavor Aid :P
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